Inside Vietnam’s Tidal Flats | How 10 Women Harvest 5 Tons of Clams

At 2 a.m., while most people are still asleep, 10 women gather at a small boat dock on the northern coast of Vietnam, preparing for another day of clam harvesting. After a 40-minute boat journey, they arrive at the tidal flats, nearly 4 miles from the mainland. While waiting for the tide to recede, they rest in a small stilt hut before beginning their work at sunrise. The women then board a small traditional boat to reach a higher sandbar, where they spend hours harvesting clams by hand. Nearby, the men use powerful water pumps to move sand and level the clam beds. As the tide begins to rise, the workers must transport the harvested clams to their boats before the tidal flats disappear beneath the water. By the end of the day, the team has harvested approximately 5 metric tons (11,000 pounds) of clams. Each woman earns around 400,000 Vietnamese dong (about $15) for her work. This is everyday life on Vietnam's tidal flats, where hard work, changing tides, and a close-knit coastal community shape each day. Experience the real life of Vietnamese coastal workers through natural sounds and everyday moments, filmed on the tidal flats in northern Vietnam. #vietnam #clamharvesting #tidalflats #ruralvietnam #coastallife