Stretching for 6km along National Highway No 1, far from the noisy
city, Sa Huynh in the central province of Quang Ngai offers a quiet
escape along the central coast.
The area was a major
salt production centre during the Nguyen Dynasty; its name means
“golden sand”. Today, tourists can visit the Sa Huynh salt field, where
farmers still do the job.
In the early years of the
20th century, French archaeologists discovered many tombs containing
jars and other artifacts there. They revealed that the Sa Huynh
civilisation spread over a vast area, from Ngang Pass in the
central province of Ha Tinh to Dong Nai and the Central
Highlands . At Ma Vuong Hill, visitors can see many of these ancient
relics.
“Tourists have many options for day trips.
From Sa Huynh beach resort, you can take a half or full day to see the
beach, travel in a boat or trek in the forest on Monkey Island ,”
said Sa Huynh resort tour operator Thuy Kieu.
Home
to 500 wild monkeys, the island offers adventurers a challenge. “You
have to climb up a mountain to land on the island, although you can also
rent a boat from local fishermen to explore the island by sea,” Kieu
said.
Visit on the 16th day of the third lunar month
to see the annual fish-worshipping festival.. Even on an ordinary day,
there are plenty of watery activities. Kieu recommended hunting
freshwater crabs in Sa Huynh lagoon with a local guide or visiting Thach
Tru hot springs , 30km northeast of Sa Huynh.
Discovered in 1837, the spring always has temperatures between 60 and
80oC; local people believe that bathing in it is good for health.
“I visited Sa Huynh with my family last summer. We did a
three-day-and-two-night stay and loved the ocean air and pristine beach.
My children and I will never forget joining local fishermen to catch
fish and enjoying grilled seafood over a campfire,” said Vu Hong Thanh, a
tourist from Ha Nam province. “We hope to come again to relax and
explore the culture and lifestyle of local people.”
Sea urchin is one of Sa Huynh’s specialties. Salted urchin was a
frequent offering to King Minh Mang during the Nguyen Dynasty. Today,
divers hunt deep in the sea for this local delicacy, which can be
grilled with onion and oil or placed in hot broth to make soup.
“Sea urchin is a very special food. It revives you after hard work or a
long journey,” said Nguyen Hoang Khanh, a self-described “gourmet” from
Hanoi. “My friends say it can even treat Alzheimer’s!”
The red frog crab or spanner crab is another specialty. “Binh Dinh and
Sa Huynh have the best spanner crab,” Khanh said. “I like it either
steamed or grilled.”
Sa Huynh’s three restaurants can host around 1,000 visitors. There are also two hotels and nine bungalows.
Sa Huynh is easily accessible by car, train or plane. You can book a
tour from travel agencies or go there on your own. Fly to Chu Lai
Airport in Quang Nam province, 90km away from Sa Huynh, or Phu Cat
Airport in Binh Dinh Province. Or take a train to Quang Ngai, followed
by an hour-long bus ride.
Sa Huynh is often crowded
on summer holidays and weekends. The tourism site attracts 15,000
visitors each year, 20 percent of them foreigners.-VNA