Ho Chi Minh City, April 26 -- Ngoc Lang Nam Hai in Ho Chi Minh City, widely known as the whale cemetery, has become a distinctive spiritual and cultural landmark for coastal residents, reflecting a long-standing belief system deeply intertwined with the lives of fishing communities.

Nestled beneath rows of casuarina trees along the breezy coastline of Phuoc Hai commune, the site serves as the resting place of whales-revered by fishermen as "Ong" (the Whale God) or "Nam Hai Deity." For generations, whales have been regarded as sacred beings believed to rescue fishermen in distress at sea.

The cemetery was established in 1991 on an area of about 6,000 sq m near the fishing village. Recognised in 2011 as the largest whale cemetery in Vietn...