Diving to catch and eat sea urchins on Pirate Island, Phu Quoc

The Pirate Islands are not as famous as Phu Quoc or Nam Du but still attract tourists thanks to their pristine scenery. The archipelago belongs to Tien Hai commune, Ha Tien district, Kien Giang province. 

From the pier in Ha Tien City, it takes more than an hour to get to the island, the speedboat ticket price is 100,000 VND one way. The archipelago has 16 large and small islands, of which Hon Tre Lon or Hon Doc is where a large number of people live. One of the experiences that attract tourists when coming here is taking a boat to the sea to fish for squid, fishing, and diving to catch sea urchins. 

Before going to the diving or fishing site, the boat owner will take you to explore small islands. Urchins usually breed in March - June of the lunar calendar. In the waters of the Pirate Islands, skilled seafarers will know the holes and rocks where sea urchins reside to catch them. Catching sea urchins must be done properly, otherwise it will be dangerous because of the thorns. After catching them on the boat, Mr. Thanh continued to put the sea urchins in a large basket and shook them vigorously under the sea to remove the spines. 

Then, he used scissors to cut off all remaining thorns. Because there are no grills at sea, sea urchins are often eaten raw. Sea urchin meat is light yellow in color and has a fleshy taste. Depending on the size, the meat inside will be more or less. Visitors can apply a little mustard and eat it or like Mr. Thanh, just squeeze a slice of lemon with a little salt and chili to enjoy deliciously. To get to the island, visitors can depart from the pier in Ha Tien City. 

Trains often depart early in the morning, visitors should check the schedule before planning to explore. Accommodation services on the island are currently not developed. However, you can still find overnight accommodations for 150,000 VND for 2 people. 

In addition to the experience of boating for squid and fish fishing and diving to catch sea urchins, guests can rent motorbikes to visit some attractions on the island and explore the lives of local people.

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