10,000 people cross the sea to offer incense at the beginning of the year at Hon Ba Temple

Tu sang som ngay mung 1 Tet (29.1), khi thuy trieu rut lo ra con duong bang da, dong dao nguoi dan da vuot bien de ra dao hon ba dang huong dau nam moi. Anh: Thanh An

From early morning on the first day of Tet (January 29), when the tide receded and revealed a stone path, many people crossed the sea to Hon Ba Island to offer incense for the new year. Photo: Thanh An

Luong nguoi do ra dong, cac bai gui xe da nhanh chong day xe. Du khong it nguoi roi di nhung luong nguoi gui van tiep tuc tang cao. Anh: Thanh An

The number of people pouring out was so large that the parking lots were quickly filled with cars. The number of cars coming to park in the lots continued to increase. Photo: Thanh An

Nguoi dan vuot qua bo ke di chuyen theo con duong nho de xuong bai bien, roi len dao dang huong. Ba Bich (que Cao Bang) cho biet, nam nay khong ve que ma o lai Vung Tau. “Nghe ngoi mieu tren dao rat linh thieng, nen toi cung ban be den dang huong cau binh an trong ngay dau nam moi“, ba Bich cho biet.

People crossed the embankment and moved along a small path to the beach, then to the island to offer incense. Ms. Bich (from Cao Bang) said that this year she did not return to her hometown but stayed in Vung Tau. "I heard that the temple on the island is very sacred, so my friends and I came to offer incense and pray for peace on the first day of the new year," Ms. Bich said.

Dong nguoi noi nhau vuot bien, bang qua bai da de ra dao Hon Ba khi mat troi len. Anh: Thanh An

People line up to cross the sea, across the rocky beach to reach Hon Ba Island as the sun rises. Photo: Thanh An

Dong nguoi di chuyen tren bai da de “vuot bien” dau nam. Anh: Thanh An

Crowds of people move on the rocky beach to "cross the sea" at the beginning of the year. Photo: Thanh An

Vuot qua nhung tang da day reu tron truot, nhung tang da bam day hao sac nhon. Anh: Thanh An

People crossed slippery mossy rocks and sharp rocks covered with ditches. Photo: Thanh An

Mot cap vo chong lon tuoi diu nhau vuot qua bai da. Anh: Thanh An

An elderly couple help each other across the rocky beach. Photo: Thanh An

Co nguoi di mot minh, di hai nguoi, hoac di voi dai gia dinh hang chuc nguoi, deu chung muc dich cau binh an trong ngay dau nam. Anh: Thanh An

Some people go alone, in pairs, or with large families of dozens of people, all with the same purpose of praying for peace on the first day of the year. Photo: Thanh An

Nhung buoc chan tren con duong da sac nhon, tron truot... Anh: Thanh An

Footsteps on the sharp, slippery stone road... Photo: Thanh An

Dong nguoi vao mieu Hon Ba dang huong cau binh an. Anh: Thanh An

People come to Hon Ba temple to burn incense and pray for peace. Photo: Thanh An

Dong dao nguoi tai cac diem dang huong tren dao, voi su thanh kinh cau binh an trong nam moi. Anh: Thanh An

Crowds of tourists at incense offering sites on the island, with reverence praying for peace in the new year. Photo: Thanh An

Checkin tren dao cung loc may man dau nam moi, chi Thao (ngu Phuong 12 TP Vung Tau) cho biet, dang cung me len dao dang huong cau binh an cho gia dinh, nguoi than vao dau nam moi. “Nam nao gia dinh cung di dang huong cau binh an o mieu Hon Ba“, chi Thao noi.

Checking in on the island with good luck at the beginning of the new year, Ms. Thao (living in Ward 12, Vung Tau City) said that she and her mother were going to the island to burn incense and pray for peace for her family and relatives at the beginning of the new year. "Every year, my family goes to burn incense and pray for peace at Hon Ba Temple," Ms. Thao said.

Khong it nguoi mua ve so lay hen ngay tren bai da. Ong Nguyen Van Ba (nguoi ban) cho biet, da den bai bien tu 4h30 de tim vi tri thuan loi. Anh: Thanh An

Many people buy lottery tickets for luck right on the rocky beach. Mr. Nguyen Van Ba (a lottery ticket seller) said that he arrived at the beach at 4:30 a.m. to find a good location. With his witty sales poems and friendliness, his lottery ticket business was also successful on the first day of the year. Photo: Thanh An

Con duong kha dong nen mot so nguoi tach ra tim loi di khac, chap nhan bang qua bai da lom chom, nguy hiem. Theo Trung tam quan ly va ho tro khach du lich TP Vung Tau, uoc tinh co khoang 10.000 nguoi vieng mieu Hon Ba dang huong trong ngay dau nam, trong thoi gian thuy trieu rut. Du kien nhung ngay toi se con dong nguoi hon nua; va thoi gian thuy trieu rut cung muon hon, thuan loi cho nguoi dan ra dao dang huong.

Some people split off to find another way, accepting to cross the jagged, dangerous rocks. According to the Vung Tau City Tourist Management and Support Center, an estimated 10,000 people visited Hon Ba Temple to offer incense on the first day of the year, during the low tide. It is expected that there will be even more people in the coming days; and the low tide will also be later, making it easier for people to go to the island to offer incense.