Bà Lụa Islands

There are several different interpretations to the name of the islands. Some sources explain that Bà Lụa is the Chinese Vietnamese wife of an influential Frenchman coming here to exploit the area; since all of related legal papers were in her name, the islands was named Bà Lụa.{{cite web |title=Thử làm "ROBINSON" Tour du lịch chỉ có ở Kiên Giang |trans-title=Try doing "ROBINSON" Tour only in Kien Giang |author=Trần Văn Linh |publisher=Kien Giang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Website |date=20 June 2011 |language=vi |url=http://www.kiengiangvn.vn/portal/index.php?pageid=401&topicid=77&pagenum=1 |accessdate=14 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925142719/http://www.kiengiangvn.vn/portal/index.php?pageid=401&topicid=77&pagenum=1}}{{cite news |title=Quần đảo Bà Lụa trong vịnh Hà Tiên |trans-title=Ba Lua Islands in Ha Tien Bay |language=vi |url=http://www.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/dulich/diemden/56146/Quan-dao-Ba-Lua-trong-vinh-Ha-Tien.html |author=Đặng Hoàng Thám |publisher=Saigon Times Online |date=30 June 2011 |accessdate=14 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925153214/http://www.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/dulich/diemden/56146/Quan-dao-Ba-Lua-trong-vinh-Ha-Tien.html |archive-date=25 September 2013}} Author Anh Dong claims that Bà Lụa ("Lady Silk") is the name of a female general in charge of military logistics who established a silk mill on the islands in order to supply Nguyễn Trung Trực's militia force.{{harvnb|Anh Dong|2010|p=48}} Another source says that around 1858, a feudal mandarin married a beautiful and gentle wife who wanted to stay away from the officialdom and eventually settled on the islands. Every day she raised silkworms and wove silk, so the islands has been called Bà Lụa ever since.{{cite web |url=http://www.cinet.gov.vn/uploadfile/html/baoton_baotang/ditich/chitiet/kiengiang/danhlam/daobalua2l.htm |title=Đảo Bà Lụa |trans-title=Ba Lua Island |language=vi |author=KG |publisher=Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam's Website |accessdate=14 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 September 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130926100034/http://www.cinet.gov.vn/uploadfile/html/baoton_baotang/ditich/chitiet/kiengiang/danhlam/daobalua2l.htm}}

File:Quần đảo Bà Lụa 1.jpg

The archipelago, formed from lower-mid Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, consists of about 34{{cite web|url=http://www.mdulich.com/p/ba-lua.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811105531/http://www.mdulich.com/p/ba-lua.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2017 |title=Bà Lụa |language=vi |publisher=Vietnam Institute of Lexicography and Encyclopedia |accessdate=13 May 2013 }} (or 42) islands spreading out over a {{convert|70|km2|sqmi|adj=on|sp=us}} water area. The area of the islands is about {{convert|5|km2|sqmi|sp=us}}. Hòn Heo is the largest entity. Re Lớn has the highest peak of {{convert|124|m|ft|sp=us}}. Apart from Hòn Heo, none of the rest have a highest point exceeding {{cvt|100|m|ft}}.{{cn|date=August 2023}} The most populous islands are Hòn Heo, Hòn Ngang and Hòn Nhum. The sea area around the archipelago is shallow, and in many places, people can even walk from island to island during low tide.

Hòn Heo (literally "Pig Island") is the largest island of Bà Lụa. It is approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|sp=us}} in circumference and has an area of {{cvt|1.5|sqkm|sqmi|1}}.{{cite news |title=Đến thủ phủ "vịnh Hạ Long phương Nam" |trans-title=To the capital of "Southern Ha Long Bay" |language=vi |author=Đăng Khoa |url=http://www.mdulich.com/p/en-thu-phu-vinh-ha-long-phuong-nam.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811005552/http://www.mdulich.com/p/en-thu-phu-vinh-ha-long-phuong-nam.html|url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2017|publisher=Tuổi trẻ online |date=7 August 2008 |accessdate=14 May 2013 }} with a peak of {{cvt|102|m|ft}}. Its name originates from the fact that the French built a piggery on the island in 1918.{{harvnb|Anh Dong|2010|p=49}} Here lies the People's Committee Head Office of Son Hai Commune.

;Incomplete list of islands{{cite web |url=http://gis.chinhphu.vn |title=Bản đồ hành chính. Phần bản đồ hành chính tỉnh Kiên Giang, huyện Kiên Lương. |trans-title=Administrative maps. Part of the administrative map of Kien Giang province, Kien Luong district. |language=vi |publisher=Vietnam Government Web Portal |accessdate=13 May 2020}}

{{div col|colwidth=12em|style=font-size:95%}}

• Hòn Heo (largest island)
• Hòn Ba Rồ
• Hòn Bờ Đập
• Hòn Chướng
• Hòn Dê
• Hòn Dứa
• Hòn Đá Bạc
• Hòn Đầm Lớn
• Hòn Đầm Dương
• Hòn Đầm Giếng
• Hòn Đồi Mồi
• Hòn Đụng
• Hòn Đước
• Hòn Khô Cát
• Hòn Lò 1
• Hòn Lò 2
• Hòn Lò 3
• Hòn Ngang
• Hòn Nhum Bà
• Hòn Nhum Giếng
• Hòn Nhum Ông
• Hòn Nhum Tròn
• Hòn Ông Triều 1
• Hòn Ông Triều 2
• Hòn Ông Triều 3
• Hòn Sơn Tế 1
• Hòn Sơn Tế 2
• Hòn Thạch Mỏng
• Hòn Thơm 1
• Hòn Thơm 2
• Hòn Thơm 3

{{div col end}}

• On 14 January 1983, Kiên Hải District was formed with six communes including Bà Lụa Commune{{cite web |url=http://vbqppl.moj.gov.vn/vbpq/Lists/Vn%20bn%20php%20lut/View_Detail.aspx?ItemID=3590 |title=Quyết định của Hội đồng Bộ trưởng số 4/HĐBT ngày 14 tháng 1 năm 1983 về việc thành lập huyện Kiên Hải thuộc tỉnh Kiên Giang |trans-title=Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 4/HDBT dated January 14, 1983 on the establishment of Kien Hai district in Kien Giang province |language=vi |publisher=Ministry of Justice's Portal (Vietnam) |accessdate=13 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925072844/http://vbqppl.moj.gov.vn/vbpq/Lists/Vn%20bn%20php%20lut/View_Detail.aspx?ItemID=3590 |archive-date=25 September 2013 |url-status=dead}} that administered Bà Lụa Islands.
• On 27 September 1983, Bà Lụa Commune was renamed to Sơn Hải Commune (Kiên Hải District).{{cite web |url=http://www.vietlaw.gov.vn/LAWNET/docView.do?docid=9086 |title=Quyết định của Hội đồng Bộ trưởng số 107-HĐBT ngày 27-9-1983 về việc phân vạch địa giới một số xã, phường và thị trấn Kiên Lương thuộc tỉnh Kiên Giang |trans-title=Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 107-HDBT dated September 27, 1983 on the demarcation of some communes, wards and towns of Kien Luong in Kien Giang province |language=vi |publisher=Cơ sở dữ liệu Luật Việt Nam |accessdate=13 May 2013}}
• Since 17 August 2000, Sơn Hải Commune has been under the administration of Kiên Lương District.{{cite web |url=http://www.chinhphu.vn/portal/page/portal/chinhphu/hethongvanban?class_id=1&_page=461&mode=detail&document_id=8027 |title=Nghị định số 33/2000/NĐ-CP của Chính phủ : Điều chỉnh địa giới hành chính huyện Kiên Hải và huyện Kiên Lương tỉnh Kiên Giang |trans-title=Decree No. 33/2000/ND-CP of the Government: Adjusting administrative boundaries of Kien Hai and Kien Luong districts, Kien Giang province |language=vi |publisher=Vietnam Government Web Portal |accessdate=13 May 2013}}

• Nam Du Islands

{{reflist}}

• {{citation |title=Sổ tay địa danh Kiên Giang |trans-title=Handbook of places in Kien Giang |author=Anh Dong |publisher=Hanoi National University Publishing House |year=2010 |isbn=978-604-62-0291-2 |language=vi}}

{{commons category|Bà Lụa Islands}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130925151835/http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/Home/travel/travelguide/19009/ Cruising Ba Lua Archipelago], 31 August 2011, Saigon Times Online
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=10.179105,104.532166&spn=0.01829,0.030384&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=29.025693,61.171875&t=h&z=15 Satellite image of Hòn Heo (Bà Lụa Islands)], Google Maps

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Category:Archipelagoes of Vietnam

Category:Landforms of Kiên Giang province

Category:Islands of the Gulf of Thailand