Capturing the mesmerizing beauty of salt fields through the lens

The allure of salt fields has always been an inspiration for photographers. Come here to witness a day in the life of salt workers.

Exploring Vietnam: Capturing the enchanting allure of salt fields

Vietnam boasts numerous salt fields, found in almost every tourist destination. Here, you'll encounter new experiences, gaining insights into the lives of salt workers. Most importantly, you'll capture stunning photographs as the scenery here always sparkles in pictures.

Check out these destinations and give them a visit:

Cà Ná (Ninh Thuận)

Venturing out of Phan Rang Thap Cham City, about 30 km away, you'll reach Ca Na, a small fishing village nestled on the border between Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces. Life here is peaceful as fishermen head out to sea to catch fish, while salt workers harvest salt. With over a thousand hectares of salt fields stretching along the coast, Ca Na is renowned as the largest 'salt warehouse' in the country.

Utilizing stone embankments along the coast, people create vast salt fields spanning tens of hectares each. Ca Na salt is acclaimed by experts as the finest quality in Southeast Asia. Additionally, Ca Na is an ideal tourist destination with numerous pristine, azure beaches and picturesque landscapes.

Phuong Cuu (Ninh Thuan)

Phuong Cuu is considered one of the largest salt fields in the Central region, located approximately 15 km from Phan Rang City in Ninh Hai District, Ninh Thuan Province. The gleaming white of the salt fields stands out against the deep blue sky and the brown of the earth, creating a distinctive feature of this sun-soaked land. Here, you'll witness a lively scene combining the beauty of natural landscapes with the diligence of laborers.

Residents channel seawater into the fields, allowing it to evaporate and leaving behind salt crystals on the fields. The salt is then gathered into small mounds to dry before being collected and transported to salt processing plants for refinement before hitting the market. Each load of pristine white salt carries with it the sweat and toil of the local salt workers.

Hai Hau (Nam Dinh)

The people in Hai Hau district of Nam Dinh province have been deeply connected with the salt-making profession from generation to generation. Nestled by the sea, right under the embankment, the salt fields stretch endlessly along the coast, alternating between two colors, black and white. The black areas are sand drying yards, the white ones are salt drying yards, and in between are small water channels bringing seawater into the fields.

As the sunset gradually descends over the vast salt fields along the coastline, the scene is as picturesque as a painting. In the twilight, weathered hands tirelessly scrape salt without a moment's rest. Afterwards, bare feet toil relentlessly as they pull carts laden with salt back home after a day of hard work, selling sweat to the earth and labor to the sky. The figures of salt workers add a poignant touch to the expansive salt field landscape.

Diem Dien (Thai Binh)

The salt-making village of Diem Dien lies 110 km southeast of the capital city Hanoi, in Thai Thuy district, Thai Binh province. It is one of the three largest biosphere reserves in the Red River Delta region. Salt production is a traditional occupation that has existed here for centuries. From April to July, especially during windy and sunny months like April and June, salt workers harvest large, flavorful, and firm salt crystals.

A day of salt-making in Diem Dien starts early in the morning. First comes the soil preparation stage. Residents soak sand in seawater, then spread it evenly on the soil fields and sprinkle seawater on the drying yards, sprinkling salt bait. When the sand dries, small salt crystals will form on each grain of sand. From 12 PM to 1 PM, a refractometer is used to measure the salinity of seawater to determine the salt concentration. Around 2 PM, the salt begins to crystallize and is gathered into piles to evaporate excess water and pack into bags.

Visitors to Diem Dien not only admire the pristine white salt fields but also enjoy some famous local specialties such as fermented fish sauce, sour jellyfish, and combine it with trips to the brackish swamp forest of Thuy Truong, An Co ancient temple, Salt King shrine, and the memorial area of Nguyen Duc Canh.

Sa Huynh (Quang Ngai)

Sa Huynh salt fields, located in Pho Thanh commune, Duc Pho district, Quang Ngai province, have been established since the 19th century. Today, these salt fields are renowned as a crucial salt hub in the Central region. From March to August every year, salt workers are busy on the fields. The radiant sun shines upon the interconnected salt fields, illuminating the gleaming white salt mounds, creating a unique painting.

The Sa Huynh salt fields have invested in constructing 6 embankment lines spanning over 5 km in length for redevelopment purposes. Since 2011, salt workers here have switched from traditional soil-based salt production to using plastic or cement-based platforms. This new method helps reduce soil impurities mixed in the salt, increases the selling price, and shortens the salt production time per season.

Hon Khoi (Khanh Hoa)

Located just over an hour's drive north of Nha Trang city, in Ninh Hoa district, the pristine white Hon Khoi salt fields alongside Van Phong Bay create a stunningly beautiful landscape. With permission from Khanh Hoa salt enterprise, you can witness the indescribably beautiful salt fields sparkling in the morning sun. Women are the primary salt workers here.

A day's work for these women starts before the sun rises to avoid the intense heat. They soak sand in seawater, spread it evenly on the ground, and sprinkle salt bait. Instead of carrying salt in baskets, nowadays people use turtle carts to save effort. Each salt mound is brought ashore to evaporate excess water. Everyone wears thick rubber gloves and boots to protect against the high salinity of seawater when bagging the salt. After visiting here, combined with a trip to Doc Let, you'll have an exciting journey exploring Khanh Hoa.

Ba Tri (Ben Tre)

Bao Thuan Commune is one of the four coastal communes in Ba Tri district, Ben Tre province, known for salt production. While people in the Central region use beach sand, those in the South use fertile soil to create salt fields. Therefore, when preparing salt fields, a specialized tool is used to flatten the surface. Seawater is then directed into the fields through an intricate system of canals because the salt fields here lie deep within the embankment.

After a day's work, salt workers in Ba Tri sprinkle salt bait, allowing the seawater salt in the fields to crystallize for about 3 to 4 hours. On average, after 2 days, people in Bao Thuan Commune use trays to harvest the salt and bring it to storage. Under the vibrant golden sun, the sparkling salt mounds illuminate, creating a dazzling scene.

Dong Hai (Bac Lieu)

Dong Hai is one of the two districts currently engaged in salt production in Bac Lieu province. The salt-making season typically runs from December to April of the lunar calendar. The coastal areas of Bac Lieu have many advantages for salt production due to high seawater evaporation rates, strong heat absorption of the soil, and dense soil structure, as well as trace elements in seawater.

The salt produced in Bac Lieu has very low levels of magnesium, calcium, and sulfate due to the absence of limestone coastal areas, resulting in a rich, unique flavor without the unpleasant bitterness. Since ancient times, Bac Lieu salt has been renowned in the South. Here, you can visit one of the once-famous salt trading spots, the mansion of the Bac Lieu playboy.

Long Dien (Vung Tau)

If you ever visit Long Hai Beach, take provincial highway 44A to Long Dien district to witness the vast salt fields stretching far into the distance. The modest figures of salt workers amidst towering salt mounds. Silent carts quietly trailing one another, transporting salt until dusk falls. The intense sun drenches everyone's backs in sweat, yet they all long for it to shine. For only then does the salt quickly take shape; if rain falls, it's as if all their efforts were in vain. This truly shows the arduous labor of salt workers from all angles.

Ly Nhon (Can Gio)

Located approximately 30 km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Can Gio is known as the 'mangrove paradise' with its black sandy beaches and brackish mangrove forests. Moreover, it's home to longstanding salt-making villages. One of the two salt-making communes in Can Gio is Ly Nhon commune.

The salt harvesting season typically lasts from around December to May of the lunar calendar. With rudimentary tools, salt production is quite simple: harden the ground, channel seawater into the fields, expose it to the sun for a few days, and the seawater naturally crystallizes into raw salt. However, witnessing salt workers under the sun carrying salt on their backs truly highlights the toil of this profession, underscoring the importance of cherishing these precious white pearls crystallized from the sea.

According to Ngoi Sao

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour