Wonder of nature: snails wash ashore for kilometers in Ben Tre coast

By Khuong Nha November 10, 2019 | 12:22 am PT

A seashore in Ben Tre where horn snails wash up in their millions between October and April each year. Photo by VnExpress/Khuong Nha.

Millions of horn snails drift ashore to Chay Muoi islet in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre for six months every year.

Paddling through the Yen Hao Canal to this place in Thoi Thuan Commune, Binh Dai District, you will find a beach seven kilometers long filled with these snails.

From October to April the wind blows from the northeast, bringing these creatures to shore, according to locals. "This shore is the only place that has this huge quantity of snails. Every year the snails washing ashore build a natural wall to protect our fields," Le Van Phuoc, a local, said.

When local people discovered that the snails stack up a meter high and five meters wide for seven kilometers, they began to do what humans do everywhere. They would wait for the tide to recede and collect the snails to sell.

Usually they get around $0.2 for a kilogram though occasionally the price could go up to $0.5. Locals can earn up to $10 a day.

You can get to Chay Muoi either by boat or motorbike.

According to local, this horn snails shore is still primitive though it's receiving increasing attention from tourists.

Ben Tre Province, situated around 100 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh city, is not only famous for its orchard tourism but also for relics like Huynh Phu ancient house, Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail, Van Phuoc Pagoda, and craft villages.