Water hyacinth, plastic bottles, nipa palm husks, large tree trunks, even mattresses and tarps, drifted ashore.

Tan, a resident of Vung Tau Ward, said he has bathed at Bai Sau daily for more than 20 years but has never seen trash levels this severe. According to him, the waste not only makes the beach unsightly but also turns the nearshore water murky and debris-filled, taking away any sense of comfort while swimming.