# Cửa Lò

Cửa Lò (kɨ̰ə˧˩˧:lɔ̤˨˩) is a former district-level town of Nghệ An province and also the most important seaport of Vinh, in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam.

## History

By texts from Thiều Chửu, Dr. Lê Chí Quế and Trần Chí Dõi, its name Cửa-lùa (before) or Cửa-lò (in present) was a classical Annamese pronunciation of Malayo-Polynesian word keluar, or kuala, or simply k'la (kẻ-la, what is similar cổ-loa) which means the point where two rivers join or an estuary. It is often signed as Cualo in international phonetic documents.
As of 2018 the Cửa Lò Town (thị xã Cửa Lò) had a population of 75,260. The Cửa Lò urban district (quận Cửa Lò) covers an area of 28 km$^2$ and it is located 290 km south of Hanoi, 1400 km north of Saigon. In 4th of June 2024, Cửa Lò with four communes of Nghi Lộc district has merged into Vinh.
On October 24, 2024, the National Assembly Standing Committee issued Resolution No. 1243/NQ-UBTVQH15 on the arrangement of administrative units at district and commune levels of Nghệ An province in the period of 2023–2025 and in effect from December 1, 2024 to present, merging all 29,09 km2 of natural area and population size of 11,884 people of Cửa Lò Town into Vinh city as Cửa Lò Autonomous Port of Vinh City (Cảng tự trị Cửa Lò trực thuộc Thành phố Vinh).

## Culture

Under the aid of the SEV block in the 1980s, Cửa Lò went from a poor fishing village to become the leading eco-tourism and resort area in Vietnam. There are many beautiful scenes landscapes this district.
Since the beginning of the 2020s, the Cửa Lò government has directed and developed the "night economic" model (hình-mẫu kinh-tế đêm) according to experience drawn from the success of Saigon.

### Tourism
#### Vạn Lộc Village

The festival of Vạn Lộc Village takes place every year very well to honour the fishing profession and celebrate the harvest of bumper fish.

#### Song Ngư Island

Song Ngư Island ("two fish") is located in the sea, more than 4 km from the shore. The island consists of two small islands. The higher island is 133 m above sea level at its highest, with the lower island being 88 m above sea level at its highest. It has an area of 2.5 km$^2$, convenient for sightseeing. On the island there is the so-called Bai Pagoda, built in the 13th century with pagodas and temples; the temple has an upper pagoda and a lower pagoda, and each pagoda has 3 roofs with yin and yang; the beams are carved with sacred objects (dragons, unicorns, turtles and phoenixes), while the garden has many natural green trees such as porcelain trees, fish poison trees, duoi trees and a fresh water well called Jade Gem. The temple has two fish poison trees, both about 700 years old. Currently, there is a project to build a cable car that will connect the island to the mainland.

#### Cửa Hội

Located 5 km from Cửa Lò along the beach, Cửa Hội is the place where the Lam River flows into the sea. From here, Hòn Ngư Island can be seen directly. This area is full of casuarina, and the sea here is still uncontaminated and quiet different from the busier atmosphere in Cửa Lò from Cửa Hội. It is possible to follow the Lam river bank through the Cham forest (where there is rich vegetation and animal species such as birds and reptiles).

#### Bãi Lữ

Bãi Lữ is a resort that contains sea, mountains and a forest.
Besides : Cửa Lò Beach, Lan Châu Isle (or Toad Mountain), Cấm River, Temple of Duke Nguyễn Xí...

### Traffic

There are five roads connecting Cửa Lò and the center of Vinh, the capital of Nghệ An. Tourists can take the bus (Number 1) to the center square of the city.
Besides, Vinh International Airport is located 14 km from Cửa Lò, and is the fifth busiest airport in Vietnam. From this airport there are flights to and from Saigon, Hanoi, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and a few international flights connecting Vientiane and Bangkok.