Hon Ba – a mighty island of Lagi town, Binh Thuan

Legend has it that there was a very happy couple living in Lagi town. People believed that they could not ever separate to each other. One day, the husband heard a chant sung by an odd bird; he immediately handled the cross-bow and ran in search for the bird in the hope that he would find something lucky. Arriving at a strange land, the man did not find any animals to hunt down, but he saw a very beautiful landscape and fairy-live woman. He forgot the way to back home with his wife.

On contrary, the wife was waiting for her husband as she prepared boiling pans for her husband’s animals. She waited for a long time and her husband has never backed. Afterwards, she was warned in a dream that she was ungrateful. She threw away the boiling pan and stamped three steps as a broken oath. Dong Ba Sang – cavern where she lived was suddenly split a part of land to become a lonely island. Hon Ba (Lay isle) has existed since that day.

 From afar, the isle’s shape looks like a giant turtle, which is getting out of the coast. The surrounding of the whole island is full of rocks, only a single small sandy beach where boats anchoring. Around the isle, there are plenty of uneven reef and coral reefs. Tourists can take about 40 minutes to discover a very distinctive Lady isle from Lagi seaport. Lady isle has over 100 stairs leading to the peak of the isle, where there was a temple worshipping goddess Thien Y A Na.

 Today, there is also Buddha Guan Yin, and Shakyamuni temple on the island. Buddha's divine generosity – Guan Yin blesses and rescues the fishermen on the sea. Although, there is different concepts and religions, they are all aspirations for peaceful. March 23^rd lunar is the holiday of the local people in the region in general and the fishermen in particular to remember Guan Yin and pray for quiet sea, and good weather. Standing on the island, viewing to the main land, La Gi town and docks are crowded, popular hill is so green on the long white sand beach.

People admire and come to Hon Ba because of the ancient temples, because of the hidden fairy lore, and also because of the strange beauty of the island which is close to the inland town as well as open up to the ocean. Nowadays, Hon Ba has become a well-known tourism destination when tourists know about La Gi’s beaches, Thay Thim Palace of Binh Thuan.

Translated and combined by My Thien