Dolphins have been seen near Nha Trang and Binh Thuan beaches since tourist activities have been suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak. VNA/VNS Photo

Locals and experts believe the suspension of tourism and the absence of tourist boats may have caused dolphins to feel free to gather near the shore.

Nha Trang Bay in the central province of Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan City are well known worldwide for their beaches and attractions, including scuba diving.

They draw large crowds of foreign tourists, backpackers and more affluent travellers, as well as Vietnamese tourists.

Elsewhere in Vietnam in recent years, dolphins have appeared in groups in the waters off Hoi An Town in the central province of Quang Nam and on Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.

Whales and dolphins are considered sacred by Vietnamese fishermen. They believe that saving injured whales and dolphins and giving a proper burial to those that die ashore will bless them with luck, good weather, bountiful catches and protection while at sea. — VNS

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