Hai Thinh Beach and the journey back to memories

Hai Thinh Beach is where time seems to slow down, as if every wave crashing on the shore carries not only the salt of the ocean but also untold stories of the coastal fishing village. When the sun is still sleepy behind a silver-gray veil of clouds, shadows of fishermen silently untangling their nets already appear along the long stretch of sand. No car horns, no hurried vendors, only the breeze laced with salt and the scent of alluvial soil swirling around the silhouettes of low-roofed homes behind rows of casuarina trees.

This is a land where the waves seem to whisper and even the smallest stones by the shore hold onto the murmurs of time. Without dazzling signs or glittering lights, Hai Thinh draws visitors in with a rugged and sincere beauty, where sea and land meet in calm harmony like the gentle stories told by the elderly.

Located about 40 kilometers east of the center of Nam Dinh City, Hai Thinh Beach belongs to Thinh Long Town, Hai Hau District. The road leading here winds through golden rice fields, passing by red-tiled houses faded by the sun and sea breeze. It is a seemingly simple journey that can soften the heart of anyone in search of a quiet place, a retreat to reflect on something deeper.

The waves here do not roar. The sea caresses the shore as if conversing with those passing by. Locals call the waters in front of them a companion. They have lived with the sea, grown up with the sea, and entrusted their lives to the ebb and flow of the tides. On the surface of the sea are weathered wooden boats, their oars digging into the waves, bearing the marks of generations who have earned their living with calloused hands and determined hearts.

Hidden behind the beach is an ancient village where lime-plastered walls, old wooden doors, and moss-covered yin and yang roof tiles remain. Narrow brick-paved alleyways slant gently as if leading the way back in time. In this space, the story of the old fishing village needs no narrator. It is revealed in the way people greet each other, in the sound of pounding young rice during harvest season, in the image of an old mother weaving nets on the front porch, and in the faint scent of dried fish carried by the early summer breeze.

Hai Thinh Beach also holds an old lighthouse that stands silently amid the waves like a quiet witness. That light does more than guide boats at night; it preserves memories of the days when ships docked according to the cycles of the moon. On the tower’s weathered surface, streaks of moss and salt-stained cracks appear like the proud wrinkles of someone who has lived through it all.

There is an old legend still told by villagers about a mermaid who once sang under the moonlight on a distant rock. Her voice was said to follow the waves into the dreams of young fishermen. Some say it was only a dream, others believe the sea has a soul. Whether myth or truth, these misty tales have woven a distinct and deeply human atmosphere for Hai Thinh.

The ideal time to fully experience this beauty is from March to September, when the weather is mild and the sea is warm. Early morning is when the beach is most beautiful, with mist lingering, the water reflecting the silver of the new day’s light, and the air rich with the scent of fresh salt. That is also when the fishing boats return, bringing back fresh shrimp, silvery fish, blue crabs, and shimmering squid still dripping with seawater.

To reach Hai Thinh, you can depart from Hanoi by passenger bus on the route to Nam Dinh or drive your own car along National Highway 21A. The road to Thinh Long is not wide but smooth, passing through peaceful countryside and fields of fragrant rice. This trip is not just a journey to the sea, but a return of the soul, where the simplest things shine the brightest.

The food here does not rely on complicated recipes. Just a bamboo tray of charcoal grilled fish wrapped in fig leaves with ginger fish sauce, or a hot plate of squid stir-fried with Vietnamese coriander, fresh from the pan, is enough to leave a lasting flavor in the hearts of visitors. These dishes are not found on restaurant menus but on family tables, under old eaves, in the warmth of laughter from coastal people.

What makes Hai Thinh different is not grand scenery, but the completeness of a still intact local ecosystem. A fishing village in the truest sense, with no pretension, no artificiality. Here, the sea is not a stage for events but a part of daily life. And it is the honesty of that rhythm that has drawn many travelers back, not to find a resort, but to rediscover a part of themselves.

There are afternoons when sudden rains fall, and the entire beach becomes eerily quiet. The wind does not howl but simply brushes past rooftops and over the blooming purple coastal daisies. A sense of serenity, as if one is being washed by time, where the distance between people and land, between past and present, dissolves. That is when Hai Thinh Beach is at its most beautiful, without sunlight, without big waves, just needing someone to quietly feel it.

Young people come here to take photos, older visitors to breathe easier, and children simply to play with the sand and water. Each person finds something uniquely personal at this beach, but everyone brings home the same thing: the feeling of truly hearing oneself in a nature that does not try to impress.

There is a line engraved on a stone bench near the shore that simply says, “Here, peace is real.” Perhaps that is all that needs to be said about Hai Thinh. It is not just a place for a photo check-in, but a place to mark a precious pause in one’s life.