Lap An, part of the world-famous Lang Co Bay between the Hai Van and Phu Gia passes, is an 800-hectare brackish water lagoon near the ancient capital of Hue.
Lang Co became famous after being recognized as one of the world's most beautiful bays in 2009 by Germany-based World Bays, which claims to be "a club of the world's most beautiful bays."
With the Bach Ma mountain range on one side and Lang Co Bay on the other, Lap An Lagoon has all elements needed to rise on the tourism map.
However, in recent years, the 800-hectare lagoon has become heavily polluted by the rampant oyster farming and tourism projects along its banks.
Seafood farmers have taken up almost the entire lagoon with their businesses.
Most of the farms here are used to raise oysters.
Makeshift huts have been established in the lagoon for farmers to spend the night and keep watch over their farms.
Farmers harvest oysters.
Cultivating oysters using rubber tires is a method that has raised concerns about both the environment and human health as tires are covered by hydrocarbons and over time they degrade and release heavy metals such as copper and zinc.
Farmers remove oysters from the tires, and throw away old and torn tires along the banks of the lagoon.
Tires that can no longer be used to raise oysters are thrown away in an open field next to the lagoon.
