Recently, Núi Thành District in Quảng Nam organized a ceremony to receive the National Heritage Site designation for the “Scenic Area of Bàn Than – Hòn Mang – Hòn Dứa,” located in Tam Hải Island commune.
This area features impressive dark-colored slate cliffs, wide and clean beaches with clear blue water, lush green coconut groves, and a friendly local community with abundant seafood resources. The core value of the entire region lies in the layers of slate jutting out towards the sea.
The slate is distributed across the high hills in the northern part of Tam Hải Island commune, north of the Tam Quang cape; it can also be found along the rocky beaches and islands in An Hòa Bay, particularly Bàn Than, Hòn Mang, and Hòn Dứa.
Moss on the rock formations creates unique shapes that impress visitors when they come here for sightseeing.
The Bàn Than Mountain Range belongs to the Hòn Mang and Hòn Dứa islands. It primarily exposes amphibolite slate, with occasional interspersed quartz-biotite slate.
Although the rocks here are black like those on Lý Sơn Island (Quảng Ngãi), leading scientists and geological experts assert that the rocks at Bàn Than and the islands of Hòn Mang and Hòn Dứa are ancient rocks up to 400 million years old, uplifted above sea level due to a geological tectonic event.
Mr. Lê Văn Sinh, Chairman of Núi Thành District, emphasized: “The majestic natural landscape surrounding the slate cliffs here makes them a distinctive slate formation in Vietnam and one of the most beautiful in the world.”
Bàn Than – Hòn Mang – Hòn Dứa is often referred to as a natural museum, reflecting the process of geological development. Therefore, it is an interesting site for visiting, studying, and researching the history of geological evolution.
To protect and effectively exploit this valuable heritage, for over 20 years, local authorities have been promoting and encouraging fishermen to engage in activities that explore the value of the coral reefs and clean the beaches; they have also established patrol teams to supervise compliance with regulations governing the exploitation and fishing of local aquatic resources.
The Bàn Than – Hòn Mang – Hòn Dứa heritage site boasts beautiful natural landscapes, and the environment here still retains its pristine beauty, with impressive flat black slate cliffs shimmering in the sunlight.
The slate here is not only exposed over a wide area but also significantly eroded by the sea waves and wind, creating unique and captivating patterns on the surfaces of the cliffs and rocky platforms, resembling ancient characters and stone veins. The differentiation process has made the colors of the slate gleam like a block of silver…
This is a popular spot for visitors to take photos and check in. In 2017, the Quảng Nam Provincial People’s Committee designated the Bàn Than – Hòn Mang – Hòn Dứa site as a provincial heritage site.
The Chairman of Núi Thành District reiterated: “Receiving the National Heritage Site designation for the ‘Scenic Area of Bàn Than – Hòn Mang – Hòn Dứa’ is an opportunity to honor a heritage with enduring value and vibrant life; it recognizes, appreciates, and celebrates the efforts of the local authorities in preserving, conserving, and promoting the historical and cultural site; at the same time, it promotes the responsibility of conserving and utilizing the heritage for socio-economic development in the coming years.”
