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A view of Hải Tiến Beach. Stretching 12km long, the beach is considered the longest beach in the north of the country. VNA/VNS Photo

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Thanh Nga

We had the opportunity to go to Hải Tiến Beach in the central province of Thanh Hóa and were amazed by the beautiful Hải Tiến beach.

When thinking of Thanh Hóa, most immediately think of Sầm Sơn Beach. However, the lesser-known Hải Tiến, connecting the four communes of Hoằng Tiến, Hoằng Thanh, Hoằng Trường and Hoằng Hải, should not be overlooked.

In total, the beach is 12km long, making it the longest beach in the north of the country. Around 165km from Hà Nội and just 20km from Thanh Hóa City’s centre, Hải Tiến is closer to Hà Nội than Sầm Sơn.

Hải Tiến is also quieter than Sầm Sơn. It has unspoilt white sand banks, endless casuarina forests, and clear, clean blue sea water. The beauty of Hải Tiến Beach can be compared to Trà Cổ Beach in the north, with a long, gentle and safe coastline.

Standing on the beach, the simple, rustic oyster huts and fishing boats create an ideal scene.

A child enjoys wave jumping on Hải Tiến Beach. VNA/VNS Photo

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Along the beach, there are many famous tourism sites, such as Bụt and Hồi Long pagodas, and Tô Hiến Thành and Trạng Quỳnh temples.

As a rare place that possesses many cultural and historical relics, pristine coastline and flora, Hải Tiến is expected to become a new destination for tourists who love eco-tourism and want to enjoy the feeling of being in harmony with nature.

In addition to bathing and enjoying the natural landscape and fresh air, seafood in Hải Tiến is cheaper than in Sầm Sơn or in Đồ Sơn Beach in Hải Phòng Province.

The food is always fresh and delicious because it is not crowded like other beaches, so the service is very fast. If you order food at any restaurant, there will be shuttles to pick you up; after eating, they will bring you back.

Tourists are seen on Hải Tiến Beach during summer holidays. VNA/VNS Photo

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We enjoyed delicious seafood dishes, but didn't leave out nem chua (Vietnamese fermented pork roll). In Thanh Hóa only, nem chua still retains its traditional, characteristic sour taste that makes it a famous dish of this land.

There is also mè fish of Mực River which belongs to Bến En National Park, Như Thành District, Thanh Hóa Province. Due to ecological characteristics and rich food sources, the fish are all large and delicious.

Steamed fish is especially loved by tourists for its natural flavour. When eaten, it is rolled with rice paper rolls, green banana slices, sour star fruit, a few herbs, some figs, bean sprouts, and finally fish meat on top, rolled up and then dipped with lemon chilli fish sauce.

After 10 years of being put into operation, the Hải Tiến marine eco-tourism area is expected to become an impressive destination in the country.

The road connecting National Highway No 1 to the beach is asphalt with four wide lanes and the sides of the road are decorated with colourful flower beds. Many resorts, hotels, motels, and restaurants are ready to cater for tourists.

Lê Xuân Thảo, chairman of Hải Tiến Tourism Association, said infrastructure has strong investment and 13 tourism business projects have been implemented in the locality with a total registered capital of around VNĐ17,000 billion. Some of these projects are already complete.

Currently, the whole area has 78 accommodation establishments with about 6,500 rooms, with resorts, villas, and hotels that are designed separately and fully equipped, creating a harmony between modern resort space with an idyllic coastal landscape. Every year, about 5,000 local workers are settled.

In the tourism development orientation of Thanh Hóa Province, sea tourism is a key product that has strengths in the province's tourism product system. The province has created all necessary conditions and has concentrated resources on developing sea tourism areas, including Hải Tiến marine eco-tourism area.

With many advantages, Hải Tiến Beach maybe can soon surpass Sầm Sơn to become the largest tourist paradise in Thanh Hóa in the next few years. VNS