Swimmers to splash in water off Lý Sơn Islands

An aerial photo of Lý Sơn Islands, off the coast of Quảng Ngãi Province. The islands will host the open sea swim on June 2 featuring 600 athletes. Photo courtesy of Bùi Thanh Trung

LÝ SƠN ISLANDS — Around 600 athletes have registered to compete in the open sea swimming competition – the Lý Sơn Cross Island – on June 2, with many using the event as a vacation opportunity.

Chairwoman of the islands district’s people’s committee, Phạm Thị Hương said this is the second year in a row the race has been organised in the water off the islands, boosting tourism.

She said swimmers will compete in 5km and age groups from eight to 14 in distance events of 1km, 2km and 5km.

Race organisers said the Island Cross 5km, which is open for all entrants, will start from Arch Rock check-in to An Bình Islet, while sprint 2km will see athletes swimming from An Bình Islet to the main Lý Sơn Islands.

“The event aims to promote tourism and vacation opportunities for visitors in exploring the unique archaeological value of the islands – which is formed by ancient volcanoes that existed more than 25 million years ago,” Hương said.

“Last year, the islands hosted 170,000 tourists, and it would see 180,000 travellers this year. Tourism, garlic and scallion farms as well as the pristine natural landscape are major attractions to tourists in summer trips.”

Last year, the race featured 300 swimmers.

An Bình islet, three miles away from Lý Sơn Islands, is the location for an open swim race on June 2. VNS Photo Công Thành

The unique culture, rich biodiversity and extinct volcanoes have been conserved in the water around Lý Sơn Islands, as it strives to become the first ‘zero carbon’ islands in central Việt Nam.

Lý Sơn Islands was connected to the national grid in 2014. — VNS