A corner of Tuy Hoa city with Nhan tower, Chua river and Hung Vuong bridge

“Once upon a time there was a love story”, a film adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Nguyen Nhat Anh, directed by Trinh Dinh Le Minh, is currently in cinemas, with most of the scenes filmed in Phu Yen, expected to create a new wave of media effects for the province.

A land with mountains, rivers, plains and sea

Researchers compare Phu Yen to a giant room, with the Cu Mong range to the north, the border between Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, where the famous Ma Do tea variety is grown. In the south is Dai Lanh range, the border between Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen, with Thach Bi mountain known as “the first pillar of the south” (referring to the stone slab on Thach Bi mountain about 80m high, still visible from afar).

Dai Lanh is the image of Phu Yen carved into the nine urns under Nguyen Dynasty. In the west is a semi-mountainous area, gradually rising and then bordering the Central Highlands. Phu Yen has Van Hoa plateau with a cool climate, about 30km from Tuy Hoa city, which is likened by tourists to “Da Lat of the coastal region”. Here is Truc Lam Zen Monastery, the scale is only second to Truc Lam Zen Monastery in Da Lat. In the east of Phu Yen, “opening the room”, is more than 189km of coastline.

Regarding mountains, Thach Bi has been mentioned. Right in the heart of Tuy Hoa city, there is Nhan mountain, on Nhan mountain there is Nhan tower, a fairly complete Cham tower built in the 12th century. There is also Chop Chai mountain, which will be the focal point when Tuy Hoa city expands its space to the north and west. Chop Chai mountain is only 394m high but is likened by Phu Yen people to a barometer "Chop Chai wears a hat, clouds cover Da Bia, frogs croak, it rains heavily".

About the river, from an altitude of more than 1,500m on the top of Ngoc Ro mountain, Ba river is the largest river in the Central region, flowing through 3 provinces of Kon Tum, Gia Lai and Phu Yen with a basin area of ​​13,900km², pouring into the sea at Da Dien estuary, Tuy Hoa city. The journey from the source to the sea of ​​Ba river not only deposits alluvium on both banks but is also a heritage journey of numerous ethnic groups living for hundreds of years.

Along with Ba river, Dong Cam dam was designed, constructed and put into use by French engineers in 1932, helping Tuy Hoa field become the largest rice granary in the Central region. Numerous scenes in the movie "Once upon a time there was a love story" were filmed along the roads and canals along Tuy Hoa rice fields.

Phu Yen's coastline is long and dense with lagoons, bays, coves, beaches, and shores, with numerous places still very wild. Bai Tram Zannier Resort exploits this advantage to become a 5-star resort and is continuously ranked in the world's top 10 in numerous destination polls.

In addition, there are a series of coastal landscapes that are national-level scenic spots and historical relics, where there are products presented to the Kings under Nguyen Dynasty such as Cu Mong and O Loan lagoons, Xuan Dai and Vung Ro bays associated with the legendary route of the No-Number ships in the war of resistance against the US to save our country.

Da Dia Reef with its unique geological formations, and Nhan tower, are two special national relics of Phu Yen. 

A land with an abundant history and unique culture

In addition to the natural ecosystem, Phu Yen is also a land with an abundant history of over 400 years with glorious feats and landmarks through two resistance wars such as At-Lang campaign against the French, Hoa Thinh uprising, the victory of Thi Thung hill tunnels, the victory of Route 5... in the fight against the US, saving the country.

Regarding cultural heritage, Phu Yen also has unique representatives such as Bai Choi singing (along with a number of South Central provinces recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity), Ba Trao singing, Thi Thung hill horse racing, Tuy An stone instrument...

In particular, Phu Yen has unique heritages that the whole country does not have such as 2 stone trumpets, the late professor Tran Quang Hai (the eldest son of the late professor Tran Van Khe) identified that they are stone horns, which, as far as he knows, the whole world has only discovered in Indonesia and Vietnam. Then the musical instrument of the double drum, triple and five gongs, a “marriage” in the musical field of the two Cham and Ba Na ethnic groups, living in the two mountainous districts of Dong Xuan, Phu Yen and Van Canh, Binh Dinh.

In addition, Phu Yen cuisine is also extremely diverse and unique, such as one-sun-dried beef, ocean tuna eyes, Song Cau jumping snails, O Loan king crabs, and Da Trang mangoes for the King... Moreover, Phu Yen people are simple, gentle, hospitable, and loyal... considered a unique “specialty” of this land.

At a recent conference on tourism organized by Phu Yen Provincial Party Committee, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Trung Luong, an expert in the field of tourism, suggested that Phu Yen should choose a new slogan for tourism: “Phu Yen, a resort destination and a distinctive experience”.

After the film “I see yellow flowers on green grass”, up to now, there have been 20 film projects filmed in Phu Yen. Hopefully, in addition to the two feature films “I see yellow flowers on the green grass” by director Victor Vu, adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Nguyen Nhat Anh, filmed in Phu Yen, which has created a good “yellow flowers on the green grass” media effect over the past 8 years, and “Once upon a time there was a love story”, Phu Yen will keep welcoming other filmmakers, further exploiting the cultural heritage and historical depth of this land, to help the public better understand the land that our ancestors wished for more than 400 years ago: Rich land, peaceful sky!

Translated by Hai Loan