Hon Da Bac Island (Silver Stone Island), one of the most splendid landscapes in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau, the southern tip of the country, is becoming more and more attractive to travelers to the Mekong Delta.
The island is not only an ecotourism area endowed with fascinating scenery but also home to marine creature such as nau, chem, bop fish, oysters, clams and shrimp. The island was recognized as a national historical heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in June.
Hon Da Bac is located in Kinh Hon Hamlet, Khanh Binh Tay Commune, Tran Van Thoi District, about 50 kilometers from Ca Mau City with an area of 6.4 hectares and includes a cluster of islands, namely Hon Ong Ngo, Hon Da Le and Hon Da Bac.
Seen from afar, Hon Da Bac looks like a natural rock-garden amidst the immense sea. The island has ancient trees and under their shade are countless shiny granite boulders. Some of the rocks have weird shapes that people have named, San Tien (fairy yard), Gieng Tien (fairy well), Ban Chan Tien (fairy foot) and Ban Tay Da (stone hand).
Climbing the cliffs and slipping away into the groves, many secrets of nature are worth discovering. From September on, when the sea is the most beautiful with blue water and quiet waves, tourists can stroll the island or join the locals in catching squid or diving to find oysters in their underwater caves.
In 2003, Ca Mau-based travel and trading company Minh Nhut built a hotel and restaurant on the island. The hotel comprises 24 rooms priced from VND150,000 to VND200,000. “Our company will upgrade the hotel and restaurant and develop a beach, fishing service and a temple to keep a fish’s skeleton which is 20 meters long and weighs about 40 tons,” said Le Chi Cong, director of the company.
Sitting on a granite boulder and enjoying the sunset or admiring the moonlight while the waves lap the beach will not be forgotten.
