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Nam Du – a journey to find a peaceful sea
There are places that you will remember forever after just one visit – not because of the flashy things, but because of its simplicity and authenticity. For me, Nam Du is such a place.
🚤 “The sea is so blue, isn’t it?”
The trip to Nam Du began early one morning at Rach Gia wharf. I sat on a speedboat gliding through the white waves, my heart filled with excitement and a little nervousness. Before, I had only heard people mention Phu Quoc, few people talked much about Nam Du, so I was even more curious.
After nearly 3 hours floating in the middle of the sea, the island gradually appeared before my eyes – green, lush and quiet like a painting.
🌴 Cay Men Beach – where time seemed to stop
Having just set foot on Hon Lon, the main island of the Nam Du archipelago, I was in no hurry to go anywhere. Just want to sit quietly at Bai Cay Men, where the white sand is softly curved, the coconut trees stretch out to catch the wind and the sea water is so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom. It feels like I am in a tropical sea somewhere far away - but in fact it is only a few hours away from Ho Chi Minh City.
I soaked my feet in the cool water, closed my eyes to listen to the waves and felt my heart lighten. It turns out, peace is not far away.
🦀 Seafood - eat it once and you will be addicted
The first evening on the island, I was invited by the homestay owner to eat a "seaside specialty" meal: steamed crab, sea urchin grilled with scallion oil, grilled blue bone fish, all of which were just caught that day. No need to be fussy, just fresh and seasoned just right, it is so delicious that I cannot stop using my chopsticks.
I was especially impressed with the grilled sea urchin - fatty, fragrant and melting on the tip of my tongue. Since that day, every night I have been walking around the tiny night market by the pier, eating seafood, listening to the sea breeze and talking to the lovely people.
🌊 A day drifting between the islands
On the second day, I joined an island tour - going to Hon Mau, Hon Dau, Hon Ngang. Each island has its own beauty:
Hon Mau: bright, vibrant, with many services for swimming and eating.
Hon Dau: pristine, clear blue water, with smooth rocks that seem to be naturally arranged.
Hon Ngang: where there is a small fishing village, people make a living by raising fish in cages. Here, I was invited to try grilled cobia wrapped in wild vegetables - truly the taste of the sea and humanity.
The island trip made me love the sea even more, not only because of the scenery, but also because of the deep attachment of the people here to the waves.
🏝️ The lighthouse – where you can see the whole of Nam Du
On the last afternoon, I climbed the Nam Du lighthouse – located on the top of Hon Lon mountain. From here, the whole archipelago appeared in sight: small islands bobbing in the middle of the blue ocean, bright red roofs, tiny boats drifting slowly...
I took a deep breath, for the first time in many months, I felt like I could really "breathe". No dust, no deadlines, just me and a very gentle sky.
#travel