Tam Giang Lagoon

Deep into the immense blue water of Tam Giang Lagoon exists not only the world of aquatic creatures but also mysterious stories of the spiritual life of the local people in Tam Giang Lagoon area (Thua Thien-Hue Province).

Mysteries of Tam Giang Lagoon

The image of the shrine worshipping the water nymph and the branches of red phan trees swinging at dusk on the bank of Tam Giang Lagoon overwhelm me with mysterious stories of a lagoon which is considered the largest in Southeast Asia.

Tam Giang Lagoon is the meeting place of three big rivers, including O Lau, Huong and Bo, before they run into the sea through the Thuan An estuary. In the past, there was a North-South road, a thousand miles long, running along the lagoon. Tam Giang was known as a vast wild and fierce lagoon area, so the life of the residents there also contained many mysteries.

According to the local people, in the old days, the residents of Tam Giang Lagoon led a separated life on the vast desolate lagoon which seemed isolated from other areas. They believed in the existence of gods who controlled the lagoon. That’s why they had many extraordinary habits and customs, such as holding a ritual of sharing the bridal cup of wine under the water, kidnapping girls who lived on land to become wives, and females naked to the waist all year round.

Their rituals and rites were also strange, unique and typical, such as the ritual of joining the fishing association, Cau Ngu (fish prayer) Festival and the birthday ritual of the one-year-old son who maintained the stability of the family line. Due to this extraordinary lifestyle, people living on land called them “lagoon barbarians” and girls were afraid of them. But in fact, they were good-natured, honest and righteous. It was an old story of the past but now the situation in Tam Giang is quite different.

Earning a livelihood on the vast watery area

We visited the worship hall of the family of Old Ta, a fisherman who had lived on the lagoon but now lives on land. He treated us to a lunch of sour soup containing dia fish. The worship hall faces the vast lagoon dotted with many fish traps. A short distance from the lagoon is a range of sand hills that looks like a huge wall, behind which is the vast sea.

Ta said that for generations, Tam Giang local people have lived on catching fish and shrimp. There are families who have spent four generations living on a fishing boat floating among the waves. In the past when a person died, his (her body) was released to the water.

At present, this custom no longer exists. But their working life seems unchanged. Before the sun breaks over the eastern horizon they get up to collect fish and shrimp from traps. At dusk, they reset traps and nets. Away from their usual work, the whole family toil to catch oysters and tria fish or mend fishing nets and weave bamboo baskets to increase their income. Strangely, fishing people in this area are still dying their fishing nets with the barks of poplar trees, an old tradition which has existed for hundreds of years.

Although Tam Giang people are now living ashore, their life still has some natural characters. They lead an unaffected and simple life as if they know nothing about the life in today’s bustling world. The family of fisherman Tan Khanh is an example. He is over 30 years old and has five children. His youngest child of less than six years old can swim as well a fish in the lagoon. When asked about the age of their children, Tan Khanh and her wife shook their heads and smile because they could not give the answer.

In the world of aquatic creatures

Endowed by nature, Tam Giang abounds with many interesting things and rare and valuable products. It is home to a large number of birds including many rare and precious species. In Winter, tens of thousands of birds from many parts migrate to Cua Lac Dam to avoid the cold weather. According the assessment by researchers, this area is the habitat of 34 species of migratory birds and 36 species of local birds of which 21 species have been included in the list of birds under Europe’s strict protection and a species has been listed in Vietnam ’s Red Book. According to the local people, sometimes flocks of wild geese, teals and even black coots, up to thousands in number, gathered to this area.


A flock of over 4,000 ducks in the area of Tam Giang Lagoon.

According to Toan, Chief of the secretariat of Quang Dien District’s Party Committee, for a long time, Tam Giang Lagoon area has been known for its richness in fish and shrimp. The annual catching capacity is nearly 1,000 tonnes of fish and shrimp of different varieties, including many precious sea products. In particular, there is nau fish which has the shape of a butterfish and is as small as three fingers. Its flesh is sweet and tasty and its intestine is a little bit bitter, which serves as a popular remedy for insomnia.

Following the fishing people in the morning or at sunset, visitors will see the richness of the species of fish and shrimp in this area. In the morning, a large amount of fish and shrimp is carried to the markets. At 3-4p.m, Con Toc ferry wharf is crowded with traders who come from many localities to purchase oysters and tria fish caught by the locals.

In the evenings under a bright moon and when the lagoon is calm with gentle waves, Tam Giang is the meeting place of moon- and water-lovers. Sitting on a boat anchored on the lagoon reflecting the moonlight, they enjoy drinking rice alcohol with shrimp caught from the lagoon.

Tam Giang area is deserted but very attractive. We left this area when Con Loc wharf was covered with red evening shadow. On the gangway, there were the last passengers waiting to the ferry. The delicious smell of fish and shrimp dishes rising from a small shop seemed to be inviting us to stay. Leaving this area, we wished to revisit Tam Giang soon.



The romantic scene
of Tam Giang Lagoon.



Tam Giang Lagoon covers an area of nearly 5,200ha and has a high biological diversity with more than 700 species of aquatic flora and fauna, including 171 varieties of ephemeral plants, 37 species of ephemeral animals, 53 varieties of small plants living on the bottom, 43 varieties of sea weed, 15 varieties of aquatic grass, 63 species of animals living on the bottom and more than 200 species of fish.
Source: Vietnampictorial