Nature offers Halong bay a moderate climate, which is really convenient for fishermen living among the ocean. Thousands of limestone islets jutting out from the sea make a nature border preventing winter strong wind and summer storms. The emerald seawater has the salinity of 32 which is ideal for aquiculture. The sea face is even more tranquil than Sword lake in Hanoi. Nestling beside Halong rocky islets, many fishing houses gather into the 4 villages living and working among this UNESCO wonder.
Among the 4 villages, Cua Van or Van Gia is the largest one, and also the oldest village of Halong bay. Now it’s the home to 176 households and 733 people, most of them live on fishing career. The boat is also their home, the school, the committee hall for all villagers. Cua Van is the farest living zone from the inland with the distance of 30km from Bai Chay tourist wharf. Although the deprivation, villagers are always happy with wind, sea and sunshine and smiles. Mostly quiet, calm sea, fishing boat anchors, nets, let the sentence, catching fish. Mostly quiet, calm sea, fishing boat anchors, nets, let the sentence, catching fish are their inspiration.
The establishment of the famous cultural center Cua Van has a great significance both economically and spiritually for residents. It is a model cultural center for the first floating fishing communities of Vietnam, not only to conserve, preserve cultural values through the fishing village activities as well as traditional works between local communities and tourists but also a place to create jobs for locals. The cultural center of Cua Van floating area of 330 m2 introduces hundreds of archaeological objects, including tools, fishing facilities of the ancient Vietnamese, many images , television documentaries, publications on folklore, lives of the residents living on the fishing village of Halong bay in the past and presence. Local guides are the children of Cua Van fishing village. It was the first group of youth fishing village after the completion of the training of professional tourism, began to participate and introduce tourists guidance on life, history and culture of their community. If you book 2 nights on Gray Line Halong, a private small boat and our tour guide will sail you to this village and the cultural center of Cua Van.
Nearly 1 hour boating from Cua Van is Vong Vieng (or Vung Vieng) fishing village. In the recent 3 years, sightseeing in Vong Vieng fishing village has attracted many tourists to participate. Compared to the fishing villages on Ha Long Bay, Vong Vieng is the second largest after Cua Van fishing village. This is a small fishing village, the beautiful and peaceful located on Bai Tu Long. Vong Vieng is around 16km far from inland with about 60 households living on fishing and aquaculture. This area seems to remain authentic wild beauty. What makes visitors to enjoy Vong Vieng is that they can integrate with the daily lives of aboriginal people. Here, visitors can visit a fisherman family or attend a child's classroom at sea or join fishing activities,. etc. By a rattan boat, you have chance to observe the things that people use in the fishing lives such as: The fishing gear used for fishing, shopping the souvenirs which is made from sea shells. With a unique beauty, Vong Vieng fishing village attracts hundreds of foreign tourists to come here daily. Tourism has brought jobs and income for many fishermen in the village.
Unlike Cua Van and Vong Vieng, the enchanting Cong Dam village is a geological museum whose the focus area is a lot of the parts farming, coral reefs, the underground lake in the heart of limestone mountains and caves underwater. This is also a beach area with many small white sandy beaches and smooth blue water. You will be satisfied when you talk with people fishing village of Cong Dam, hearing them tell about the memories or sitting on a rattan boat to explore the mountains and the beautiful little houses. As far from inland areas and completely separated from the usual tourist routes, the landscape here still retain many primitive features and a very clean environment. Foreign tourists come here to participate in fun activities such as kayak, fishing with fishermen may also join us mangroves to protect the environment.
Fishermen in the fishing villages of Halong Bay are poor and hard-working but always optimistic, love the World Heritage site and always welcome friends over the world to Ha Long.
(Source: Halong luxury cruise)
