Two foreign tourists touched the hearts of local residents in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Nam after the pair joined in to fortify a local dike near the famed tourist city of Hoi An on Wednesday.

The dike along Cua Dai Beach, near the city’s Hoi An Ancient Town, was on the verge of collapse at dawn on Tuesday when heavy rains and rough seas hit the area.

Local authorities immediately sent work forces to fortify the dike with sandbags.

Work on the dike continued until the afternoon of the following day when David, a Canadian, and his girlfriend Petra, a Slovakian, saw the workers and decided to lend a helping hand.

According to a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper correspondent at the scene, Petra held the bags open while David filled them with sand and carried them to the dike.

Both their faces were lit with smiles during the work, despite the dirt and sweat that accompanied the hard job.

During a short break, Petra explained that the couple had been visiting Hoi An for two days and were enjoying their last moments in the tourist town when they saw the dike protection efforts.

The Slovakian said they both wanted to help the locals and were happy to be doing something meaningful. “This is certainly an unforgettable memory,” she said.

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