Clam farms on Dong Chau Beach in Tien Hai District during high tide. The tide dictates the times farmers work because they can only harvest the clams at low tide. |
Although it's not textbook beach vacation with smooth sand and turquoise water, this part of Dong Chau Beach still makes for quite a scene with its clam farms. |
Clam farmers on Dong Chau Beach usually go to work in the early morning and late afternoon to escape the scorching sun. |
A woman picks clams. |
People with bigger farms do not harvest clams the old way by hand. Instead they lay a big net deep under the mud and spray off the sand when the clams are ready to harvest. |
The clams magically appear out of the mud. |
Then all farmers need to do is drag out the net filled with clams. |
It takes 15 months for the clams to grow and be ready for harvest. On average, 10 tons of clam seeds will produce 50 tons of full-grown clams. |
These farmers get VND300,000 ($13) each day for harvesting clams. |
Clams are sold for VND9,000 per kilo to vendors. |