Ô Loan Lagoon
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| Đầm Ô Loan | |
|---|---|
| Ô Loan Lagoon | |
 | |
| Location | Đắk Lắk Province |
| Coordinates | 13°16′14″N 109°16′36″E / 13.27056°N 109.27667°E |
| Type | Coastal lagoon |
| Basin countries |  Vietnam |
| Surface area | 1.570 ha (15.7 km²) |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Đầm Ô Loan | |
Ô Loan Lagoon (Vietnamese: Đầm Ô Loan) is a brackish water lagoon located in Đắk Lắk Province, Vietnam. Covering an area of about 15.7 km², the lagoon lies around 22 kilometers north of Tuy Hoà. It is separated from the South China Sea by a narrow sand dune. There is a small creek connecting the lagoon to the sea.
The lagoon has been recognized as a National Scenic Site of Vietnam. Ô Loan Lagoon is also known for its abundance of seafood, particularly blood cockles, which are considered a local delicacy.[1]
According to local legend, long ago, there was a beautiful fairy named Loan who loved to wander and explore. One day, she borrowed a ô thước bird (a mythical black bird believed to be a crow or magpie) to fly down to earth for sightseeing. Captivated by the beauty of the world, she didn’t notice that the bird had grown tired. When they flew over the lagoon in Tuy An district, the bird could no longer continue and fell down. Later, people combined the bird’s name with the fairy’s name to create the name Ô Loan Lagoon.[2]
Ecology
The lagoon hosts a rich ecosystem of brackish water species, including shrimp, crab, fish, and blood cockles. The mangrove vegetation around the lagoon provides a natural habitat for many birds and aquatic organisms, contributing to the ecological balance of the coastal area. Therefore, Ô Loan Lagoon was recognized as a national scenic site on September 27, 1996.[3]