Coracle pulsating - 'New specialty' of Quang Nam tourism
A small simple round basket boat can wobble, sway, "ride" on the rushing waves from Cua Dai beach, making all adventurous tourists to enjoy and be hard to ignore at the nipa palm forest, locally called Bay Mau (Cam Thanh Commune, Hoi An City, Quang Nam province, Vietnam).
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| Nipa palm forest has become a Tourists’ Spot Attraction on the local tourist map, with 1,200 basket boats, representing an indispensable "specialty" when visitors come to the nipa palm forest. (Source: Quang Nam Newspaper) |
Every fisherman is a circus performer
Up to now, Bay Mau nipa palm forest is still considered as the "capital" of bowl-shaped boats in our country. The small round basket boats, known to British as coracles, are pretty but can sway to the music by the forest, even tumbling on the noisy waves. The feeling of floating, fluctuating under the cool coconut trees in water-filled region makes it hard for any adventurous visitor to ignore.
Bay Mau (Seven Hectares) nipa palm forest has long been known as the miniature of Western Region in the heart of Hoi An. The basket boats are the main means of bringing visitors through the forests accomodating colonies of shrimp and fish.
According to the people of Cam Thanh commune, for many generations, the nipa palm forest has protected the villagers from the waves from the sea. In addition, the forest also produces shrimp and fish. In recent years, nipa palm forest is also a special tourist destination of Quang Nam.
Previously, the whole Cam Thanh commune had only 30 basket boats - fishing tools for fishermen's daily life, but since September 2009, the People's Committee of Quang Nam province documented Bay Mau nipa palm forest as a tourist destination, to start an orientation and focus on investment, development of tourist services.
The foundation is both a historical and cultural relic and a buffer zone of the world biosphere reserve of Cu Lao Cham promontory. Since then, the nipa palm forest has become an attractive destination on the local tourist map, with 1,200 basket boats becoming an indispensable "specialty" when visitors come to the nipa palm forest.
Currently, many people in Cam Thanh have completely switched to coracle tours and food and beverage supply businesses, so people have more secondary extra-income. Especially since the Covid-19 pandemic was under control, the tourism market has fully opened, people working in coracle tours have a stable job.
It is worth mentioning that fishermen not only know how to row a basket boat, but they also know how to perform art on a par with circus performers; they turn the boat around, "riding" the water in a music note.
Mr. Cuong – a basket boating performer in Bay Mau nipa palm forest said: “Most of the people here have been used to on-boat life since childhood, living mainly on fishing boats, so shaking the boat only takes a few minutes. Some foot pedaling, jumping can bring the feeling of "flying" boat for passengers on the boat.
Nipa palm forest tourism gradually revived
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Bay Mau nipa palm forest attracted thousands of visitors every day. But during the past 2 years, tourism has almost been frozen, leaving the local people with no source of income.
However, these days, the old town of Hoi An is gradually bustling again, the path to the nipa palm forest begins getting busier, the convoys of cars are parked one after another, the cheerful atmosphere is bustling.
According to statistics of Cam Thanh Tourism Administration Board, the number of visitors starts to change from May 2022 with about 20,000 arrivals; and about 30,000 in June. From July 2022, the number of visitors has skyrocketed, with about 3,000 visitors on weekends and 1,000-2,000 on other days of the week.
The price to visit the nipa palm forest is still VND 30,000 /person. Visitors can rent a basket boat to visit the forest at a cost of VND 75,000 - 150,000 /person (the local boatman rows the boat for passengers for about an hour). The small basket boats floating on the water are skillfully pushed and navigated by the boatman, ensuring safety.
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| Fishermen not only know how to row a basket boat, but they also know how to perform art like a circus performer; they turn the boat around, "riding" the waves easily in a music note. (Source: Lovetravel.com) |
After visiting the nipa palm forest, tourists are also guided by local boatmen to decorate lovely gifts from the leaves of nipa palm trees; giving souvenirs from coconut leaves, such as leaf-made watches, rings, locusts and so on.
But it would be a miss to go to the nipa palm forest without enjoying the unique local cuisine. There are many local dishes with delicious and attractive flavors such as roasted shrimp, sour clam soup, grilled snails, grilled fish, pancakes, cup-sized fried pancakes, meat rolls, banana flower salad, Quang Nam styled noodles, fried/boiled chicken rice, coconut juice cakes, coconut juice jam, iced sugary coconut juice, coconut braised fish…
The climate in Bay Mau nipa palm forest is divided into two main seasons: the dry season from January to September and the rainy season from October to December. In January – March, it is a very beautiful season in the nipa palm forest. This is the time when the trees sprout with buds, the whole forest is covered with a fresh green color, combined with the cool climate suitable for tourists to enjoy.
In April – September, it is a beautiful season in the nipa palm forest where the weather turns to summer. At this time, it is quite hot and sunny, so visitors need to pay attention to sufficient sunscreen to avoid bad effects from the sun.
In October – December, it is the rainy and stormy season in the Central region, visitors need to contemplate over their choice of a tourist destination and time.
The authorities of Hoi An city reveals that in the future, Hoi An wishes to turn the basket boating "capital" into a waterway tourism village, with the development of more tourism products related to the craft village, such as making houses with nipa palm trunks and leaves, handmade fish sauce.
