Co To island – should-not-miss destination in North Vietnam

Quang Ninh (VNA) – Co To island in the northern province of Quang Ninh has been an attractive destination for years, thanks to its beautiful and pristine beaches, unique "check-in" corners, and the hospitality of residents.

Co To was formerly known as Chang Son (Chang Mountain) or "Cau Dau", a place with many mountains gathering in the middle of the sea.

The island district has an area of 46.2sq.km with about 50 islands, which Big Co To and Small Co To are the two most famous islands with pristine beaches and landscapes.

Big Co To has primeval forests with an area of 10ha. Many streets on the island are lined with trees, mainly casuarina and pine.

The best tourist attraction is the long beaches with white and smooth sand on the island, such as Hong Van and Van Chay. From Big Co To, tourists can go to Small Co To and Thanh Lan islands to discover untouched beaches.

The flora on the islands is quite plentiful and diverse. The natural forest has diverse types of wood. Planted forests are mostly casuarina, eucalyptus and pine.

Thanh Lan island also has orange, tangerine and banana, which have been popular in the province for many years, and a 100-strong community of yellow monkeys, pythons, and geckos. In addition, there are many kinds of rare medicinal herbs such as holy basil, Panax pseudoginseng, and Ricinus communis on every corner of the island.

Co To is said to have the richest biodiversity in Vietnam, with the presence of many typical ecosystems of tropical waters, including concentrated coral reef ones. The island is also home to rare seafood types with high values.

Some tourist spots visitors must not miss in Co To include Mong Rong (Dragon Claw) Rock Area with its special sediments that formed thousands of years ago. It is also an ideal place for watching the sunrise on the island, the road of love with casuarina trees along the two sides, and a wooden bridge at sea – a new attractive check-in spot for young people.

The Co To lighthouse, built in the 19th century, is also a must-go destination. It is one of the more than 30 "night sea eyes" operating in the territorial waters of Vietnam.

Tourists can visit the President Ho Chi Minh relic site at the district's centre. The President visited Co To island in 1961 and 1962. When he visited the northeast region, Hai Ninh Provincial Administration asked for his permission to build a statue of him on Co To Island, and memorial houses and steles where he visited. This is the only place President Ho Chi Minh agreed to have his statue erected when he was still alive.

Cau My rock area has a sedimentary rock system that has been eroded over thousands of years by seawater, creating a real wonder with a beautiful landscape and geological research value.

With its huge potential for tourism development, Hai Au Aviation Joint Stock Company is working with the People's Committee of Co To island district to launch a seaplane route linking the island with Quang Ninh province's Ha Long city.

Trial flights were conducted on April 20 and 21, 2022.

With the seaplane route, the travel time between Tuan Chau international wharf in Ha Long city and Co To is estimated at 20 minutes.

The route is hoped to diversify services and shorten travel time to Co To, thus meeting the demand of tourists in the high-end segment, especially foreign holidaymakers.

It will fly across famous destinations such as UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long and Ngoc Vung island, among others./.