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Covering approximately 22,000 hectares and stretching for about 68 kilometres, Tam Giang–Cau Hai is widely regarded as the largest coastal lagoon system in Southeast Asia. With its vast waters, unspoiled landscapes and tranquil atmosphere, the lagoon is one of Hue’s most distinctive natural treasures.
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A Vast Lagoon System in Hue
Stretching across the coastal and lowland areas of Hue City, Tam Giang–Cau Hai is made up of four interconnected lagoons: Tam Giang, Sam, Ha Trung–Thuy Tu and Cau Hai.
Together, they create a vast waterscape where rivers meet the sea and freshwater gradually blends with saltwater. Along the way, the scenery shifts between open water, river mouths, seagrass beds, wetlands, fishing villages and patches of mangrove forest.
Yet the scale of Tam Giang–Cau Hai is best appreciated not through numbers, but from the water itself. Looking across the lagoon, the horizon can seem almost endless, interrupted only by fishing boats, wooden poles and nets rising above the surface.
It is this sense of openness and tranquillity that gives the lagoon much of its distinctive character.
Tam Giang Lagoon - Cau Hai (Photo: Thua Thien Hue Newspaper)
A Natural Buffer Between Land and Sea
Tam Giang–Cau Hai is much more than a spectacular landscape. The lagoon performs important ecological functions for Hue’s coastal region, acting as a natural transition zone between freshwater, brackish water and the marine environment.
Its extensive wetlands help regulate environmental conditions and contribute to flood mitigation in surrounding low-lying areas. The lagoon also plays a role in maintaining groundwater resources in coastal plains and sandy areas, supporting freshwater supplies for nearby communities.
Boats in Tam Giang Lagoon (Photo: Kelvin Long)
Through natural processes such as sedimentation and nutrient retention, the lagoon can also help regulate water quality before water reaches the sea. In this way, Tam Giang–Cau Hai contributes to the ecological health of the wider coastal and marine environment.
These functions make the lagoon not only an important natural asset for Hue but also a valuable ecological buffer for communities living along the coast.
For travellers, however, these ecological functions reveal themselves in much simpler ways: in the abundance of birds above the water, the changing vegetation along the shore and the fishing communities whose lives remain closely tied to the lagoon. At sunset, the landscape takes on an entirely different character. The broad surface of the water reflects the changing sky, while fishing boats and nets become silhouettes against the horizon.
Sunset over the Tam Giang Lagoon - Cau Hai (Photo: Michia - Kumitori)
The beauty of Tam Giang Lagoon in the sunset (Photo: Nam Nguyen)
A Living Museum of Biodiversity
The variety of landscapes around Tam Giang–Cau Hai has made the lagoon one of Hue’s richest wetland environments.
Surveys have recorded approximately 1,296 species in the area, including 41 rare and valuable species. The lagoon supports an impressive range of life, from phytoplankton, aquatic plants and seagrasses to fish, benthic animals and birds.
It is also an important habitat for waterbirds, with large numbers of migratory birds arriving during the winter season.
Rather than being a single body of open water, Tam Giang–Cau Hai is therefore a constantly changing natural environment. Shallow waters, river mouths, wetlands, sand dunes and vegetation all come together to create habitats for different forms of life.
This extraordinary richness has earned the lagoon a fitting description: a living museum of aquatic and wetland biodiversity.
A new days in Tam Giang Lagoon (Photo: Thua Thien Hue newspaper)
Ru Cha – A Distinctive Mangrove Forest
Among the many landscapes around the lagoon, Ru Cha offers one of the most distinctive changes of scenery.
Located in Hoa Chau Ward, Hue City, this mangrove forest feels very different from the vast, open waters of Tam Giang. Here, dense cha trees form a green canopy over narrow paths and waterways, creating a quieter and more enclosed world.
Walking beneath the trees or travelling through the surrounding waterways offers a closer look at another side of the lagoon ecosystem. The forest provides habitat for wildlife while also contributing to the ecological balance of the surrounding wetlands.
Ru Cha is particularly photogenic when its colours begin to change, but its appeal lies just as much in its stillness. After the wide horizons of the lagoon, stepping into the forest feels like entering a hidden corner of the landscape.
Life on the Lagoon
For generations, communities around Tam Giang–Cau Hai have depended on the lagoon for their livelihoods. Fishing and aquaculture remain closely connected to everyday life. Across the lagoon, fishing boats, nets, aquaculture enclosures and small waterside settlements form a cultural landscape shaped by the rhythms of the water. The lagoon is therefore not simply a natural ecosystem. It is also a living space where local knowledge, traditional fishing practices and community life have developed over generations.
In recent years, tourism has provided additional opportunities for local residents. Visitors are increasingly drawn to the lagoon’s peaceful scenery, traditional fishing villages, local cuisine and spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
A corner of Tam Giang Lagoon (Photo: Thua Thien Hue newspaper)
(Photo: pxhere.com)
(Photo: Thua Thien Hue newspaper)
Experience the Rhythm of Life on the Lagoon
For visitors, one of the most memorable aspects of Tam Giang–Cau Hai is the opportunity to experience the everyday life of communities that have long depended on the lagoon.
A boat trip across the calm waters offers glimpses of fishing nets, aquaculture areas and small villages along the shore. Visitors can learn about traditional fishing practices, meet local fishermen and enjoy fresh seafood prepared from the lagoon’s daily catch.
Early morning and late afternoon are particularly rewarding times to explore. As fishing boats return across the water and the changing light reflects on the lagoon, Tam Giang–Cau Hai reveals a peaceful beauty that feels far removed from the bustle of the city.
Community-based tourism also offers a meaningful way to discover the lagoon while supporting local livelihoods. By choosing responsible experiences and respecting the surrounding environment, visitors can help preserve the natural and cultural character that makes Tam Giang–Cau Hai so special.
If the beauty of Tam Giang–Cau Hai inspires you to discover this side of Hue, we would be happy to include it in a tailor-made journey shaped around your interests and travel style. Email us at [email protected] and let’s start creating a journey that feels truly your own.
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