Lighthouse with a unique name on the coast of Quang Ngai

Photo by Tuan Minh

Ba Lang An Cape, located in Binh Chau Commune, Binh Son District, the central province of Quang Ngai, is made up of arch-shaped volcanic walls along the coast. Underneath are black rocks which emerge when the tide recedes and disappear at high tide.

The name Ba Lang An, meaning Three Villages called "An", comes from the names of three surrounding villages, Van An, An Chuan and An Hai. In the book Nos Richesses Coloniales 1900-1905 (The Richnesses of Our Colony), this place is called Batangan. The name originated from the word Ba Lang An. Both names are currently in use. 

Located more than 10 kilometers away from Sa Ky Port and 15 nautical miles from Ly Son island, the Ba Lang An lighthouse was built in 1982.

Nguyen Van Tan, head of the Ba Lang An lighting station, said the lighthouse was repainted before the Lunar New Year holiday last month. It attracts many young people who come to take photos of the scenic view of Ba Lang An Cape and post on social media, which has helped the place gain more popularity.

The lighthouse is cylinder-shaped and 36.4 meters high. Besides the main purpose of helping boats navigate, this place is also a tourist attraction and collects an entrance fee of VND10,000 ($0.43).

Visitors must climb over 80 steps to reach the top.

The station staff climb up to check the light every day while visitors are only allowed to watch from below.

Ba Lang An fishermen use small boats to fish near shore. This place is blessed with variety of seafood, including fish, shrimp, oyster, and abalone.

For eons, the waves have been hitting and eroding the cliffs, giving the rocks bizarre shapes. The cliff is a beautiful place that attracts young people, including Kim Thuy, a tourist from the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong.

Nguyen Van Tuan, vice chairman of the Binh Chau Commune people's committee, said authorities would support people looking to open shops to provide services for tourists. "We hope investors will come here to develop the local tourism sector."