Travel photographers stumble on a treasure in central Vietnam

Lap An, part of the world-famous Lang Co Bay between Hai Van Pass and Phu Gia Pass, is an 800-hectare brackish water lagoon in Hue. Lang Co became famous after being recognized as one of the world’s most beautiful bay in 2009 by Germany-based World Bays, "a club of the world's most beautiful bays" as it claims.

With the Bach Ma mountain range on one side and Lang Co Bay on the other, the Lap An Lagoon is a blend of green forests, hills and a deep blue sky.

Low tide is the best moment to be in the lagoon, when people can walk on the sandy beach that emerges out of the water.

Clouds descend on the mountain range that borders the Lap An Lagoon, which is an arresting sight at sunset, with its smooth waters reflecting the colors of the sky.

For the locals who depend on the lagoon for their livelihood, oysters are both a source of nutrition and a source of income.

They build ramshackle huts on stilts in order to breed and harvest oysters in the lagoon.

Old car tires are used to raise oysters and these are brought ashore on boats once they are mature enough.

From dawn to dusk, locals are engaged in fishing, pulling out nets cast the day before, picking scallops from deep in the sand and farming oysters.

As the tide recedes, women carefully dig the sand under the water, hunting for sea cucumbers or peanut worms, which are rich in protein and very good for health. These are also a source of daily income.

Photos by Nguyen Phong