An old church by the sea has received a special new title. It stands on Hai Ly Beach in Ninh Binh, northern Vietnam. The church is about one hundred years old. Today its bell tower rises right next to the water. It is now the country's first climate change heritage tourism site.
The sea in this area has moved closer year after year. Storms and strong waves broke the old dikes many times. Over the last century, the sea took almost one kilometer of coastal land. Villagers had to build new dikes farther from the beach. The church now reminds visitors of the changing coast.