Buzz
A 7 km stretch of white seashells along the Ben Tre coastline is annually replenished.
A rare kilometer-long seashell road in Ben Tre
While boating along the Yen Hao stream to Chay Muoi islet (Thoi Thuan commune, Binh Dai district, Ben Tre province), tourists will encounter a seashell road stretching 7 km along the beach.
According to locals, every year during the northeast monsoon season (from September to March in the lunar calendar), millions of seashells wash ashore. “Only this particular stretch of coastline has so many seashells. Year after year, the waves bring the shells ashore, forming meter-high embankments that protect the colorful flower fields inside,” said Mr. Le Van Phuoc from Chay Muoi islet.
No one knows exactly when this seashell coastline formed. When discovered, residents found millions of seashells piled atop each other along a 1-meter-high, 5-meter-wide, 7-kilometer-long coastline. The new shells are washed ashore by the waves, stacking upon the weathered, white shells. As dusk falls, the sunlight illuminates the shells, casting shimmering streaks of light.
When the tide recedes, locals here head to the sea to catch snails for sale, earning an average of a few hundred thousand dong per day. According to fishermen, during the snail season, prices range from a few thousand dong per kilogram, and when snails are scarce, prices can go up to 10,000 dong.
“Dead snails lie flat, while live ones can stand far away. The ones that are dead get washed ashore by the waves,” Mr. Phuoc explained how to distinguish between live and dead snails during harvesting.
Officials from Thoi Thuan commune stated that in recent years, the seashell coastline has attracted a lot of attention from tourists. However, the local area has not yet exploited tourism, preserving the scenery intact. From the mainland, tourists can take a boat or motorcycle to Chay Muoi islet.
In the proposed list of Vietnam Records Organization, the seashell embankment at Chay Muoi islet is being documented for record consideration: The longest natural seashell embankment in Vietnam.
Ben Tre is about 100 km away from Ho Chi Minh City. Besides the well-known eco-tourism spots, Ben Tre also has many attractive destinations that few people know about, such as Huynh Phu ancient house, the historical trail of Ho Chi Minh on the sea, Van Phuoc pagoda, and various craft villages.
According to Khương Nha/Vnexpress
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Reference: Travel guide by Mytour
MytourDecember 13, 2019
