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Unique geographical location
Excluding the Spratly Islands, Hon Da Le – point A2 on Vietnam's territorial sea baseline – is the southernmost point of Vietnamese territory. Years ago, I researched this point extensively, but the information was extremely vague, almost nonexistent. The information available online was mostly just the name Hon Da Le, its geographical coordinates, sometimes even mistakenly identifying point A2 as Hon Da Bac, and there were no pictures of the place. My close friend, Tran Dang Dang Khoa, and I had planned a trip to Hon Da Le, but the journey was difficult, and our work wasn't going well, so our plans were postponed. But luck finally smiled upon me; recently, I was able to fulfill my long-held dream.
Along the coastline, there are a total of 11 points that form the baseline of Vietnam's territorial sea. The area inside this baseline is called the internal waters, and beyond the baseline, 200 nautical miles, lies Vietnam's exclusive economic zone. From Saigon, I had a long journey to Hon Khoai for work, and immediately I thought about planning a trip to Hon Da Le. There's almost only one way to get to Hon Da Le: first, you go past Hon Khoai, then you'll travel with the border guards to reach point A2.
Starting from Hon Khoai Island
Hon Khoai Island is a military zone, so civilians are not allowed to visit. The island is home to naval, air force, border guard, radar, and forest ranger forces tasked with guarding and protecting it. Every year, changing winds and ocean currents carry trash ashore. Therefore, on this trip, we collaborated with several local forces to carry out a beach cleanup campaign.
Because it's a military island, the ecosystem on Hon Khoai is quite unique. I still remember the wonderful feeling of wandering amidst the vast, lush green forests interspersed with small beaches. My favorite moment was standing on top of the Hon Khoai lighthouse, gazing out at the vast, windy sea in all directions. The Hon Khoai lighthouse, one of the oldest lighthouses in Vietnam at 120 years old, is only two years younger than the oldest lighthouse, Ke Ga. Looking south, the small Hon Da Le island stands out clearly in the deep blue ocean.
According to the plan, we were going to explore point A2 of the territorial sea baseline early in the morning. That night, the weather was cool and quiet, but I couldn't sleep because I was restless, eagerly awaiting the moment of dawn so I could set foot on Hon Da Le (Lonely Rock). As the sun gradually rose, everyone in the group quickly ate breakfast and eagerly boarded the boat. The journey began at 8 a.m., and after just over 40 minutes, we had docked.
Along the way, I saw many rows of stakes stretching across the sea. Through conversations with the border guards, I learned that these were fishing grounds used by the people of Ca Mau. They are very clever, utilizing the direction of the water currents to cast their nets, allowing the fish to drift in on their own. On these slender stakes are small, makeshift houses where the fishermen guard their nets. The fishermen's movement is also extremely difficult. They move back and forth using thin ropes, looking from afar like circus performers amidst the deep blue sea – quite impressive. Every day, these fishermen face the scorching sun to carry out their arduous work of earning a living; even a small mistake due to fatigue could lead to unfortunate accidents.
After passing the sandbar, Hon Da Le (Lone Rock) gradually came into view. Completely different from what we had seen from the Hon Khoai lighthouse, Hon Da Le was actually much larger. Despite the fine weather, the current was very strong, making docking the boat at the island extremely difficult. The captain decided to anchor the boat nearly 200 meters from the shore and use a small basket boat to reach the island.
The pristine and charming Hon Da Le island.
As soon as I set foot on the island, I ran to the highest point to admire the entire Hon Da Le (Lonely Rock) and shouted with overwhelming excitement because I was so lucky to have set foot on this extremely special territory of my country. The feeling of having a long-cherished dream come true was truly amazing.
I started exploring the island. The island is about 125 meters long, 34 meters wide at its widest point, and about 7 meters above sea level at its highest point. It's home to many species of seabirds such as gulls, terns, and seagulls. Heading north, I came across a beautiful natural fish pond. Originally a large depression, when the tide recedes, many fish and crabs get trapped there, swimming around playfully. There are countless oysters and snails, tens of thousands coexisting in this area. Rock crabs are the most abundant species on the island. They crawl out to bask in the sun on the rocks and then dart back and forth at the slightest sound, looking quite adorable.
From Hon Da Le, you can observe all four other islands of the Hon Khoai archipelago: Hon Doi Moi (Turtle Island), Hon Sao, Hon Tuong (Rabbit Island), along with the radar station and lighthouse on top of Hon Khoai. Although it is an uninhabited island, as soon as you land there, you are immediately within the observation range of border guards and naval forces. Anyone who lands on the island will be clearly visible from radar station 595 (belonging to the 5th Naval Region Command) on top of Hon Khoai.
As midday approached, we had to leave the island to get back to the mainland. The boat had already started its engines and was moving away, but I still looked back, feeling a touch of wistful regret. The wonderful trip came to an end, and my passion for exploration suddenly intensified. These trips are not just for admiring the scenery, but also for me to understand and love my country even more. There are still so many pieces of my homeland that I must find to complete my picture: I love Vietnam!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ButTrip:You can rent a boat at Nam Can port (Ca Mau), with costs varying depending on the size of the boat. You should agree in advance with the boat owner on visiting the remaining islands of the Hon Khoai archipelago on your return from Hon Da Le; otherwise, additional costs may arise.
- Accommodation:It's recommended to stay overnight in Nam Can and then rent a boat to the island the next morning. Guesthouses in Nam Can cost around 200,000 – 400,000 VND per night.
- Note:
- Before visiting, you must obtain permission from the Hon Khoai border guard station because this area borders international waters.
- There are absolutely no services on Hon Da Le Island, so you need to prepare your own food and drinks.
