On the secluded island commune of Tam Hai in Danang City, more than 500 whales have been laid to rest over the past five centuries in what is regarded as the largest whale cemetery in central Vietnam.
Located about 100km south of central Danang, Tam Hai Commune covers more than 13 square kilometres and is home to over 10,000 residents, most of whom rely on fishing for their livelihoods. Alongside the Ban Than-Hon Mang-Hon Dua geological complex, whose rock formations date back around 400 million years, the island preserves a rich maritime culture and several historic sites.
The whale cemetery is situated in Thuan An Village, more than 100 metres inland from the shoreline. Spread across 2,000 square metres of white sand beneath rows of windswept casuarina trees, it contains more than 500 graves marking the resting places of whales that have washed ashore over hundreds of years.
The whale cemetery in Tam Hai Commune, Danang City, is considered the largest in central Vietnam (Photo: Binh An).
The graves are arranged in neat rows, covered with sand and marked by laterite stones at either end. Local fishermen say the burials follow a carefully planned layout, with the size of each grave reflecting the size of the whale.
According to historical records, the cemetery has existed for more than 500 years. Historians from the Nguyen Dynasty recorded that Emperor Gia Long was rescued by a whale after his boat was caught in a storm. After unifying the country, he ordered temples to be built in honour of whales and instructed that dead whales be buried with great respect. Since then, coastal communities have worshipped Ca Ong, the whale deity, believing the animals protect fishermen at sea.
The cemetery was recognised by the former Quang Nam Province People's Committee as a provincial historical and cultural relic (Photo: Binh An).
Nguyen Tan Long, 90, has spent decades documenting local stories about whales rescuing fishermen and washing ashore to die.
Nguyen Tan Long, 90, records stories of whales saving people and of the animals coming ashore to rest (Photo: Binh An).
According to Long, many fishermen believe whales have guided damaged boats through rough seas and helped sailors return safely to shore. The animals are revered almost as members of the family. Tradition holds that the first person to discover a whale that has washed ashore assumes responsibility for organising its funeral rites and observes a 100-day mourning period, believing the whale's spirit will bring safe voyages and plentiful catches.
Nguyen Ngoc Tho, Party cell secretary of Thuan An Village, said that when a whale is found on the beach, villagers carry it ashore before elders choose a dry, elevated site facing the sea for the burial. Rituals are then performed to seek permission from local deities and ancestral spirits before the whale is laid to rest.
Three days after the burial, villagers hold another traditional ceremony known as mo cua ma, or "opening the grave". Throughout the mourning period, neighbouring fishing communities bring offerings and help with the funeral as a mark of gratitude to the revered guardian of the sea.
In 2008, the whale cemetery was recognised as a provincial historical and cultural relic by the former Quang Nam Province People's Committee. Today, it remains both a sacred spiritual site and the focal point of the annual Cau Ngu Festival, held on the 20th day of the first lunar month, one of Vietnam's most enduring maritime traditions. The cemetery has also become a popular destination for visitors seeking to explore the island's distinctive cultural heritage.