Hon Hai Island, a dream come true

Giant rock in the middle of the ocean…

Then when I saw the picture of a whale waving its tail in the middle of the blue ocean, my desire became even more urgent: I will set foot on this island, complete the goal of reaching each territorial sea marker so that later I can have a story to tell my children and grandchildren about the sovereignty of the national sea and islands. Don't laugh at me for thinking that my thoughts are grandiose, I am past the age of impulsiveness where I can just pick up my backpack and go... My trips now are deeply rooted in emotions, in experiences, "living like I've never lived before, singing like I've never sung before... no matter how many storms and winds there are, it's hard to stop me from smiling" (Song of Youth). Therefore, every trip has its own meaning and story, and strangely enough, in two years, I have set foot on Hon Hai twice.

Last October, when I heard that my team was planning to go to Hon Hai, I made a split-second decision to run to the airport to pick up my teammates from Hanoi and join them on a tight-knit journey, so much so that if there were any delays from planes, cars, speedboats, fishing boats, etc., all my plans would go up in smoke. Luckily, the weather was calm and everything passed like a dream. Until I saw in the dawn a towering rock standing proudly in the middle of the vast sea and sky, bringing an overwhelming and emotional feeling that I could not put into words.

Beyond all imagination, it is not just a rock. Hon Hai appears in different shapes according to each angle, sometimes like a wall, sometimes like a whale, sometimes like a sea lion, sometimes like a bird standing peacefully.

Tunnel through the mountain in the East Sea

During rough seas, the ship could not dock at the pier, so we approached and got to the island from the back and entered a tunnel that looked like a wasp's nest about 30 meters above sea level. The story was not as interesting as what we saw with our own eyes here. One of the special structures was a 170 meter long tunnel system with 4 doors leading to the island surface. The tunnel was reinforced with reinforced concrete to prevent rockfall and aftershocks. The tunnel door was located at the back of the building and extended to the island surface by 380 steps. From the tunnel mouth to the island surface, there was a system of 240 steps poured with solid concrete leading to the foot of Hon Hai lighthouse.

The independent Hon Hai lighthouse helps ships operating off the coast of Binh Thuan province to orient and determine their position. The daytime geographical recognition range is 26.5 nautical miles, and the nighttime illumination range is 24.5 nautical miles. Even those who have been attached to the lighthouse for many years and are knowledgeable about Vietnam's seas, when mentioning Hon Hai lighthouse, everyone has to shake their heads because of its loneliness in the middle of the ocean. The staff on the island are the silent heroes guarding the lighthouse. During the day, they have to climb up to the lighthouse to check, and at night, they sleep at the foot of the lighthouse to ensure the light is always on. No matter how windy or stormy the weather is, the work must be completed well. For four months, only a few brothers were around, completely isolated in the middle of the ocean.

The stories about the island are full of emotion. Therefore, the short time sitting together singing with nostalgia is a truly precious moment in life. Saying goodbye to those on shore, those getting off the boat waved their hands sadly goodbye.

I have met thousands of seabirds

For generations, fishermen of Cu Lao Thu (another name for Phu Quy Island) have known that Hon Hai is completely arid, without fresh water or trees, but is home to tens of thousands of swallows, seagulls, and pelicans.

During the bird-laying season, the island’s surface is densely packed with bird eggs and covered in a white layer of bird droppings. Anyone who has ever set foot on the island will be stunned by the magical scenery here. Over the millennia, wind and waves have eroded the rocks, creating undulating ridges around the island like a soft, hurried brushstroke. Keeping my promise to Hon Hai, I returned during the seabird season, marking my second visit to the island.

After a few hours drifting at sea, watching the splendid sunrise and the simple breakfast of the fishermen... the giant rock appeared before my eyes. The feeling of being moved and overwhelmed was still intact like the first time. In the middle of a boundless sea, there was a lonely, towering rock, surrounded by the sky of soaring seabirds. This time, I was determined to explore every corner of the island. Admire and take in the majestic and splendid beauty of nature. The sea was so blue, the rocks and the deep abyss were so mysterious...

Oh my god, there are thousands of birds, even though people say there will be more in July. People should remember that the birds are the masters of the island. Walk softly, speak softly... don't disturb the birds breeding and making love. The seagull glanced at the crowd, then calmly waddled away from the egg-incubating area to look for food... Don't worry, we will keep watch for you, don't let anyone disturb your egg nest.

Sitting on the lighthouse, looking out over the island... watching the birds flapping their wings, seeing Hon Hai towering in the middle of the ocean like a sacred sovereignty landmark of Vietnam in the East Sea, why do I suddenly feel strangely in love with my homeland!

A trip full of memories

There are few places like this, where after leaving, we are still filled with emotions and memories to tell each other every time we have a chance to sit together. We miss the simple breakfast on the boat with fresh squid caught from the sea, fried sun-dried parrot fish served with white porridge... we miss the sunset, dropping the fishing hooks and every time we pass by a school of fish, we pull the fish onto the boat with beads shining in the afternoon sun. We pull the fish up, grill them whole, and enjoy a cup of wine while listening to the fishermen tell stories in the island's very own language. It's interesting to laugh out loud when we can guess a whole sentence made entirely from local words.

Remember the stories about the difficult life here during the stormy season and rough seas. Remember the steps crossing the green grasslands to reach the tip of the island. Remember the feeling of excitement when discovering the dotted-shelled eggs lying beautifully in the crevices of the rocks, remember the wonderful happy moments together when we opened our hearts to the wonderful beauty of our homeland. Remember the time when we sang together joyfully. Remember the time when we immersed ourselves in the clear blue sea...

Together with our like-minded companions, we are planning new adventures. Every step we take will be etched in our minds with unforgettable memories.

MORE INFORMATION

Currently, there is no official tourist route opened to bring tourists to visit Hon Hai Island. You must have the consent of the South Central Coast Maritime Safety Company if you want to visit the constructions on this island.

When permitted, you should note the following:

- Hon Hai is not easy to reach without special support from the local residents of Phu Quy Island. You must be healthy and passionate because the trip requires continuous movement by many types of transportation and a tight schedule.

- The biggest challenge is the very long journey on a small boat at night in the middle of the vast ocean. When the sea is calm, you can lie leisurely on the bow of the boat, looking up at a sky full of stars, pointing out the Big Dipper, the twinkling king star... but as soon as the sea wind rises to level 4 or 5, almost everyone is ready to welcome seasickness and vomiting.

- With a 12-hour journey to the island and back… you can experience everything. Gorgeous sunrise, intense sunlight, dreamy sunset, cold nights that penetrate the skin. Arrive at the island and leave the ship by basket boat, drifting around and around with the crashing waves.

- If you are passionate and healthy enough, and do not require comfort… then in return you will have unforgettable and wonderful experiences.

Du Giang