Each winter afternoon, as the tide recedes along the shoreline of Giao Ninh commune in Ninh Binh, clusters of villagers wade into the frigid sea. The final months of the lunar year bring biting winds and water cold enough to sting the skin. “But once you start working, you sweat so much that your clothes get soaked - even in the cold wind. Each winter, residents of Giao Ninh commune brave freezing waters to collect clams from concrete blocks exposed at low tide. Collected clams are sold on-site to traders as aquaculture feed, with some workers earning over $40 in a single afternoon.

Source: VietNamNet News January 23, 2026 00:04 UTC