Mui Ne beach choked with over one kilometer of trash

Rang beach in Mui Ne ward inundated with trash, causing pollution and impacting tourism.

For over two months, Rang beach in Residential Group 8, Mui Ne ward, has been inundated with trash. From the sand to the embankment, various types of waste, including fishing gear, footwear, bottles, and clothes, cover many sections, stretching over one kilometer.

The most severely affected area is the bathing beach behind Rang church's coconut garden, also in Ham Tien ward. Trash piles up nearly half a meter thick, covering the area and emitting foul odors. Locals and tourists cannot step onto the beach.

Residents report that most of the accumulated trash originates elsewhere. During the South wind season, from June to October, household waste from river mouths flows into the sea, and fishing boat refuse is carried by currents into Mui Ne Bay.

"This year, trash has accumulated for over two months without any cleanup vehicles, which is why there's so much of it," said Nguyen Van Ne, 78. He noted that locals avoid swimming "for fear of itching."

Access paths to accommodations along Rang beach are also covered in trash, impacting business and tourism.

Bao Thu, a homestay manager, said that during this season, tourists often complain about being unable to swim or stroll along the beach. Some visitors arrive but leave quickly, unwilling to stay long due to the trash.

Thu explained that the sheer volume of trash on the beach overwhelms cleanup efforts by local accommodation staff. "Only if local authorities mobilize a strong force with excavators and dump trucks can we hope to clean this beach," she stated.

A female tourist walks on trash near a luxury resort on Nguyen Dinh Chieu street.

Seeing the polluted beach, on the morning of 19/9, a group of tourists and foreign residents in Mui Ne used social media to organize a volunteer beach cleanup. They brought bags and gloves to manually collect trash. "It's horrible; we need to protect Mui Ne beach immediately," said Alex, a Russian wearing a red shirt.

On the same day, the People's Committee of Mui Ne ward mobilized about 100 people, including Border Guard forces, commune militia, and youth union members, to clean up the trash. Beach waste was collected into large bags, moved to the road, and awaited dump trucks for offsite disposal.

"In response, the unit sent 12 officers and soldiers to join the community cleanup," said Lieutenant Colonel Le Hoang Phuc, political commissar of Mui Ne Border Guard Station.