Buzz
When it comes to the 'Enchanting Island', Cù Lao Xanh (Nhơn Châu commune, Quy Nhơn city, Bình Định province) is undoubtedly the linguistic island nestled between the two bays of Quy Nhơn and Xuân Đài.
Explore Cù Lao Xanh - The Enchanting Island
Especially, the newly opened coastal road circling the island makes it quite convenient to explore the rocky forest areas, secluded beaches, or venture up the mountain peaks.
Although Cù Lao Xanh does not have a national power grid, the islanders' lives are still challenging, yet the island's roads are all paved with concrete or thinly coated with asphalt.
This is an ideal location for visitors from afar to both visit the ancient lighthouse and the flagpole while marveling at the panoramic view of Cù Lao Xanh amidst the endless waves.
That also served as the catalyst that drove me to organize a motorbike adventure around the island for guests on our very first trip. With the help of friends, we received assistance from Mr. and Mrs. Sáu Deo, island residents, who helped with cooking in a 'cook what you eat' spirit. We managed to rent a spacious, sturdy wooden boat to transport guests according to the pre-designed itinerary.
The most challenging part was renting motorbikes for guests to drive themselves around, sightseeing... Renting bikes was unprecedented because over 500 households on the island mainly relied on fishing boats and coracles. If they wanted to go to the mainland, there were daily market boats available, so few people owned bikes.
Luck was on our side when we managed to rent over 10 bikes, including some vintage models, thanks to Mr. Sáu's persuasion skills. We truly embarked on an island exploration, discovering some rather unfamiliar spots that few knew about.
From the Cù Lao Xanh lighthouse, a historic structure built in 1890 on a 120m high mountain peak, to the sovereignty flagpole adjacent to richly shaped rock formations. There's a rock resembling a unicorn's head, a rock resembling a hand with all five fingers, a chessboard, a fairy well...
In the afternoon, we spent about three hours exploring the rocky forest stretching from the west to the north of the island. It's unimaginable, an entire mountain covered in nothing but rocks, with incredibly vivid and diverse shapes.
This place is filled with countless round rocks, big and small, tightly packed standing like a giant wall, while elsewhere, the rocks are densely packed, resembling a forest of swords and spears in a mesmerizing battle...
During a bend in the road, we came across a rock formation resembling a boat perched precariously on a large rock.
Time for the tour was quite limited, so almost everyone was always ready to stop the car and rush to the beach whenever circumstances allowed at any beach. We had the opportunity to dive with snorkels and masks at a depth of 3-4m at some locations around the island: Small beach, South beach, Front beach... to the rocky cliffs below the Cù Lao Xanh lighthouse.
In the group, many people experienced the surreal coral world for the first time, along with the swaying seaweed species with each underwater wave, the colorful schools of fish swimming lazily...
Returning to Cù Lao Xanh this time, we noticed a change in the locals' approach to tourism here: meals were meticulously prepared, service was provided within reasonable limits without excessive pricing...
Hoping that a community tourism model will gradually take shape here!
By Tran The Dung/Tuoi Tre
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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour
MytourSeptember 1, 2017
