Bãi Cháy

Etymology

According to local legend, Bãi Cháy is the place where the Trần dynasty's forces, led by Trần Khánh Dư, burned the Mongols' vessels. A northeast wind then blew the fire toward the west side of the Cửa Lục Bay and inflamed the dry forest nearby. This story gives rise to the name "Bãi Cháy" (lit. 'burning beach').

Another local folk story tells that boats used to anchor at the west side of Cửa Lục. Fishermen gathered and burned Casuarinaceae's leaves around those vessels in order to deal with shipworm that bored into them. As people from Hồng Gai and elsewhere saw fire blazing up from this place regularly, they coined the term "Bãi Cháy" for the area. Under French rule, Bãi Cháy was named Vatchay or Ile aux buissons (lit. 'bush island').