The wild beauty of Hon Ba Island
With an area of only nearly 3 hectares, Hon Ba Island in Binh Thuan contains a very wild and little-known natural landscape. Standing from afar, you feel the island like a green gem lying alone in the middle of the ocean with old forests embracing the island. The climate here is very cool and pleasant, the higher you go, the more clearly you feel the coolness of the ocean.
Hon Ba Island in Binh Thuan is located precariously in the middle of the sea with the endless ocean and the pine forest on the shore making the scenery here even more beautiful. It is this wildness that has attracted many tourists to the island to admire the beautiful scenery and study the Cham culture that has existed for a long time on the island.
Standing on the island, you can look far away to see the beautiful Lagi beach, Doi Duong beach with blue sea and white sand and golden sunshine. Opposite is the vast East Sea, in the distance there are boats bobbing on the sea surface. At the foot of the island, you can find the rocky cliffs to sit and watch the sunset or look down to the water to admire the colorful coral reefs and schools of fish swimming around.
Temples on Hon Ba Island, Binh Thuan
When coming to Hon Ba Island in Binh Thuan, you should definitely visit the temple of goddess Thien Y Ana, built by the Cham people in the late 17th century. She is a sacred goddess of the ancient Champa kingdom, so the island is named Hon Ba. To reach the temple, you have to go through more than 100 moss-covered steps. It is worth mentioning that although the temple was built by the Cham people, the architecture is in the style of Vietnamese temples of the same period. Inside is a statue of goddess Po Inu Nagar carved from stone. This temple was built to honor and demonstrate Champa culture. In addition, it is also a way for fishermen to pray for safe sailing. The festival to worship the goddess (Via Ba festival) will be held on the 23rd of the 3rd lunar month every year.
In addition, when arriving on this island, you will also see a shrine to Ong Cai associated with a story full of forgiveness. Legend has it that a merchant encountered a big storm and came to the island to avoid the storm. Unable to restrain himself from the beauty of the island owner, he spoke rudely and almost paid with his life. But in the end, she forgave him and let the merchant stay and be her servant for life. Today, there is only one person on the island who takes care of the temple. During festivals, many visitors from all over flock to the temple to worship and pray.
What to eat when coming to Hon Ba Island, Binh Thuan?
Milk Oysters
Oysters in Hon Ba Island, Binh Thuan have rough shells and live mainly on rocky reefs. People often use stones or knives to exploit them. Oysters can be grilled and dipped with chili, salt, and green pepper. The oyster meat is fragrant, sweet, moderately chewy, and fatty, loved by many people.
Her breast snail
The snail is a very famous specialty, loved by many people, especially men. The reason it has such a special name is because of its external shape, which reminds many people of a young woman's breasts. The snail is conical, with a small knob on top, the outer shell is dark gray, the inside is sparkling. In the past, this was a specialty presented to the King. The snail can be prepared in many ways such as: boiled, grilled,... All have a rich flavor. When eating, remember to dip it with green pepper salt or chili salt, it is extremely delicious.
If you have the opportunity to travel to Binh Thuan, visitors should take some time to visit Hon Ba Island in Binh Thuan to better understand the folk legends filled with humanity and the pristine mountains, rivers and ocean here.