Whale skeletons in Ly Son attractive to visitors
The two whale skeletons aged over 200 years preserved at the Lang Tan relic site in Dong An Vinh village, Ly Son island in the central province of Quang Ngai, which were completely restored in 2020, have been attracting tourists.
According to researchers, these are the two largest intact whale skeletons preserved in Vietnam.
The larger one, measuring over 22 metres in length, is named "Dong Dinh Dai Vuong”, while the smaller one, measuring 18 metres in length, is referred to by locals as "Duc Ngu nhi vi ton than". Each skeleton consists of 50 vertebral bones, with the skull measuring 4 metres in height and the tusk measuring 4.7 metres in length.
Since 2021, the whale skeletons and the whale worshipping rituals and beliefs have become unique tourism products in Ly Son.
According to the Ly Son Department of Culture and Information, the relic site welcomed 150,000 visitors last year.
Chairwoman of the district People’s Committee Pham Thi Huong said the worshipping of whales is a unique cultural belief among local fishermen.
The local administration is currently preparing documents and completing procedures to submit to the Vietnam Record Organisation for officially recognising the two whale skeletons at the Lang Tan relic site as the largest in Vietnam, she added.
