Bright sunlight filters down through the clear and calm Phú Quốc waters, illuminating a lush meadow just below the surface. Blades of strikingly green seagrass undulate in the currents: this is what so-called Rạch Vẹm's treasure. This scenery is rare. So if a day in the Starfish Bay stilt-house holds a happiness index of 100/100, then with the appearance of seagrass, it will surely increase to 1000/100!
(Photo by Tài Phạm)
Seagrasses are marine plants with the same structure as land plants: both have root systems and produce flowers. They grow in shallow coastal waters with sandy or muddy bottoms and low wave energy. Seagrass beds in Phú Quốc are considered as typical beds in region 4 with a wide species diversity and distribution.
They’re too often out of sight, overshadowed by colorful coral reefs and mighty mangroves. Yet this invisible ecosystem, once you do see it, has a primal if uncanny draw, feel like a dream of a fresh and clean submerged meadow. They efficiently filter out polluting chemicals, oxygenate the water and pull carbon dioxide into the seafloor. This rich underwater landscape is also home to many lovely marine creatures, and especially the favorite food of the "mermaid" dugong. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9589349/)
We jokingly call seagrasses are the forgotten ecosystem. But this vast, mostly invisible ecosystem shapes life on Earth, from the food we eat to the air we breathe. The more I get to them them, the more I realize they’re are gradually disappearing, not only in Phú Quốc but all over the world. Seagrass are quite sensitive to water quality. So we recommend you prepare more organic products (coconut oil instead of sunscreen, organic detergents, bath oils. shampoos with natural ingredients, etc.). If you're all ready, let's start the journey to the Starfish Bay stilt-house to witness and enjoy the magical scenery of the green meadow gently swaying underwater.
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