Tam Thanh is a coastal village in Vietnam, 45 km (28 miles) south of Hoi An and close to Tam Ky City. It is about a mile long and just a few blocks wide, with mostly one story houses – similar to the numerous other villages dotting the coastline of the South China Sea. But in 2016, the humble fishing village of Tam Thanh was transformed into a captivating canvas of colors and creativity.
Tam Thanh was chosen to be the first painted village in Vietnam. The idea was to revitalize the community through the transformative power of art. With support from the Korean Community Art Exchange Program and the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, a team of talented artists embarked on an ambitious project to turn the village into an open-air art gallery. The Korean-Vietnamese collaboration was called “Art For a Better Community”, and hoped to bring art into the real world and create a destination for tourists.
Our Journey to See the Murals of Tam Thanh
We started our journey to Tam Thanh on a cloudy morning, with the hope that the rain would hold off for the day. From our location in Cam Ha, we drove past famous An Bang Beach and then through Cam Thanh Coconut Village. The village is renowned for its nipa palms and its basket boats. Plenty of tourists were lined up to experience a ride through the mangrove in these traditional round boats. Along the roadside, palm leaves were laid out to dry before being used to thatch the roofs of the village houses.
Next we passed over the Cau Dai Bridge, the easternmost bridge on the Thu Bon River. It crosses the river at one of its widest points, nearly 1.5 km (1 mile) wide.
There are two roads leading south from the Cau Dai Bridge. The main highway, Duong 129 (Duong Ven Bien) was four lanes wide and had a sidewalk on both sides. The sidewalk was lined with equally spaced palm trees for most of the way – miles and miles worth. The road is in good condition and the drive goes quickly, although a bit monotonous. Past the highway was a sandy scrubland with a mix of grasses, non-native prickly pear cacti, and beach pines. There were not many villages or buildings along the route, but there were countless cemeteries. Following Duong 129 for the whole way, it takes a little over an hour to reach Tam Thanh.
An alternate road, Thanh Nien Road, runs closer to the ocean – close enough to smell the salty air, even though you only get an occasional glimpse of the water. The road is narrower and not as well maintained, so it will take longer to reach Tam Thanh. However, it winds through several small towns and offers a chance to peek into the lives of the Vietnamese. It is possible to cross over from Duong 129 to Thanh Nien Road at several points, so you can decide how much extra time you want to spend. At most, it will add about 30 minutes to your drive.
The Art of Tam Thanh
There is no official start to the murals of Tam Thanh. On the outskirts of town, the art work is limited to a wall here or there. But as you near the center of the village, it seems as though every wall, alleyway, and facade showcases intricate murals that depict the rich culture, daily lives, and traditions of the village’s inhabitants. Themes range from colorful depictions of local fishermen battling the sea’s waves, to intricate portraits of women in traditional attire, and scenes depicting the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. Each stroke of the paintbrush tells a tale, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the unique narratives that define Tam Thanh Painted Village. There are scenes depicting the New Year celebration, complete with fireworks and a dragon floating above the celebrants. We saw the schematics of a sailing boat drawn on the side of one building. Then there are more whimsical art pieces: a little girl with balloons skipping along, a giraffe peering into a window, whales transforming into a row boat. There is more than just murals to be found in Tam Thanh. In the southern part of the town, large clay pots and coracle boats have been painted with colorful designs.
We truly enjoyed exploring Tam Thanh! It was a bit like a scavenger hunt, trying to find all of the art pieces. Some of them had been incorporated so naturally into the buildings that we didn’t even realize they were there at first glance.
Local Impact: Was the Tam Thanh Mural Project a Success?
The “Art For a Better Community” project was designed in part to revitalize a local community by bringing in tourism money. So the question is, has it worked here? In 2018, two years after the project started, HiddenHoiAn wrote: “The village is gaining popularity and is on the teetering point of becoming a well-known tourist attraction for travellers to the area.” Their blog referenced a villager who invested in a sugarcane press and sells juice, a tailor that sells tote bags, and other locals selling handmade goods. It seems as though the project was successful.
Unfortunately, the 2020 pandemic that stopped tourism worldwide for almost two years had a huge effect on the gaining popularity of the Tam Thanh Painted Village. We saw none of the entrepreneurism mentioned by HiddenHoiAn during our visit. In fact, we met the woman featured in the large mural of the tailor’s family. She was very kind but she did not try to sell us a tote bag or anything else. The other villagers were friendly enough, offering a smiling “hello” when they saw us on the street, but there were no handicrafts for sale. We saw a handful of other travelers stop to take pictures on their way through the town, but it was definitely not a bustling tourist destination. And truly, for us, that was part of the charm. It would be a shame to see tour groups taking over the village.
As of now, if you do want to support the local community, the best option would be to frequent one of the restaurants in town. We ate at Ben’s Restaurant, overlooking the ocean. The meal was basic and local – grilled scallops served on seashells and fresh squid lightly steamed served with homemade rice tortillas and spicy sauce. My conscience regarding contributing to the village was assuaged when we paid 400,000 VND ($17) for the meal – probably three times what a local would have paid for the same thing. At least I know it will stay in the community!
What Else is Near Tam Thanh?
While the mesmerizing murals of Tam Thanh Painted Village steal the limelight, the area’s natural beauty further enhances the experience. The village is surrounded by picturesque beaches, lush greenery, and breathtaking landscapes, making it an ideal destination for those seeking both artistic inspiration and natural tranquility. After our meal, we headed down for a swim in the ocean. The beach was practically deserted – there was only us, a local trawling for crabs, and a stray dog who was just a bit too interested in our stuff. (Yep, he peed on our beach towel.) The entry into the ocean is very shallow here. We waded out over fifty feet and were still standing in water only waist deep. It was refreshing to take a dip in the cool water after a hot day. And so far, every day in Vietnam has been hot!
