Buzz
Navigating the tempest on a ship to the island can be disheartening for those with a light spirit, either grappling with life's challenges or pondering what to do with the time in a desolate place—too lonely and mundane, devoid of restaurants, cinemas, bars, or pubs.
Lady Luck smiled upon the willing hearts as Vietjet rolled out a zero-dollar promotion for domestic flights. Swiftly securing a round-trip ticket from Saigon to Phu Quoc, coinciding with the perfect day to take a ferry from Bai Vong port to Tho Chu, all for an enticing price of 594,000 VND, during Tho Chu's most beautiful season: April in the Gregorian calendar.
If placed side by side, Phu Quoc resembles a beauty queen adorned with a sparkling crown, while Tho Chu is a rustic girl with a sweet smile radiating behind a conical hat. I adore the genuine charm.
The plane touched down in Phu Quoc, and I took a ride to a budget-friendly guesthouse for backpackers, Tây Balo, near the port for convenient travel the next morning. Renting a scooter from the guesthouse, without time to change clothes, I rushed to Duong Dong town, where I had a rendezvous with two foreign guests just completing their 3-day, 2-night journey on the Mekong cruise.
Dawn broke, and with my backpacks on, the guesthouse owner doubling as a motorbike taxi handed me two sandwiches and a bottle of salt and pepper, courtesy of the lady. He then whisked me to the ferry terminal to catch the 9 a.m. voyage. Bai Vong port bustled early on the pier below the boat. Tho Chu 09 docked in a secluded corner, welcoming young soldiers heading to the island for military service, and locals shuttling between the two places for trade and supplying essentials to the distant island.
The air conditioning was so cold that despite the warm and radiant sun outside, I had to layer on two more shirts to stay warm. The wave-cutting boat glided smoothly into the vast sea, and passengers drifted into a deep sleep, forgetting the 4.5-hour journey and the seasickness that came with it.
Around 1 PM, the anchored boat signaled arrival at Tho Chu Port. Before me stretched a long road leading to Ngự Bay, the most bustling and populous area on this sacred land for 8 months.
Following the guide, I registered with the Island Border Guard and the Commune Police. Luckily, the deputy chief of the commune police smiled and invited me to his parents' home to stay for 6 days and explore this extraordinary pre-spending land.
During my time on Tho Chu Island, I went from one amazement to another about a land rich, beautiful, and warm with the love and unity of the local community.
The beauty of Tho Chu Island is truly indescribable: white sandy beaches, crystal-clear water, alluring coconut groves, colorful coral reefs, abundant and rich seafood to the point where you can fish without bait or hook, and cool primeval forests with a thriving green flora.
The traditional cultural essence of the Bà ritual, blending with the warm smiles of the people who came from all corners to settle on the archipelago, has created a unique charm that captivates anyone stepping foot here.
Thổ Chu Commune is waking up after a long slumber, with a painful history of over 500 people massacred by the Khmer Rouge. Now, Tho Chu has transformed its pain into strength to become a land with great potential for the future.
After the journey, my earnest wish is for this beautiful land to experience proper and sustainable development, so that smiles here remain as beautiful and genuine as the day I arrived.
According to VANG CONG MINH/ Youth Daily
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourDecember 21, 2018
