Vietnam border, seas, islands

In recent years, Co To Island has become a favourite destination of tourists who want to enjoy its primitive natural beauty and long white sandy beaches.

In early June, we and a group of young people went on a tour to Co To Island organised by Chung Tourism Joint-stock Company. From CaiRongPier, we bought tickets at 200,000VND/person, to get on a fast speedboat to Co To.

Arriving on the island, we saw great changes with many hotels and restaurants built to meet the increasing demand of tourists. We stayed at Co To Mini Resort which has 17 rooms with views of Hong Bang Beach. The prices for each room vary from 800,000-2,000,000VND.  To explore the island, we hired motorbikes for 125,000VND/each/day.

High-speed boats are used to travel to and from the island.  The beautiful way to Co To.

Small wooden houses on Hoang Van beach. Mong Rong Rock Ground is a must-see destination on Co To Island. Panoramic view of the fishing village and the logistics area on Co To Island. Discovering the life on the island.

The first stop on our tour was Co To Lighthouse. After driving on steep hill in a forest for about half an hour, we arrived at the lighthouse. We then climbed 72 steps of the spiral staircase to the "roof" of the island where we had a panoramic view of an area with small islets, beaches and lush green forests.

During our stay in Co To, we were advised to see MongRong (Dragon Claw) Rock Ground. It was really amazing to see unique formations of large rocks and mountains reaching out to the sea which looked like dragon claws.

According to the locals, the rocky ground, also called Cau Mi, covers more than 40ha and has a length of 2km, stretching northeast-southwest of the island. The ground consists of sedimentary rocks eroded by sea water. For thousands of years of geological tectonics, layers of rocks have become unique shapes with different colours. It is considered the best place for watching the sunrise on the island.

When talking about the island, it is impossible not to mention Van Chay Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on this island. During summer vacation, the beach is always crowded with tourists.

When you reach that lighthouse, which is 70 metres above sea level, you can hear the breath of the ocean and fill your mind with the peaceful scenery of Co To. Sometime during harvest time, you can even smell the fragrance of oranges from the nearby Thanh Lan Island, which has turned a splendid orange-yellow color.

The perfect ecotourism tours in the forest of Co To Island are another option to consider when you stay in Co To. Besides, you can actually hire a boat to discover the islands, go fishing or snorkelling (in the company of the boatman, of course!). When you are tired of walking around, sit down and enjoy the incredibly tasty seafood. You can choose to either cook by yourself or to hire a native to cook for a very good price

Despite being the furthest island from the mainland, Co To Island with its transparent blue sea, white smooth sand, golden sunshine, and green mountains and forest, is one of the best selections for relaxing.

Tourists on Co To Lighthouse.  At the station of Co To Lighthouse which was built late 19th century. The panoramic view of Co To from Co To Lighthouse. Co To Con and Thanh Lan islands seen from the lighthouse. The sea in Co To is clear and fresh.

Tour:  999,000VND/person

Chung Tourism Joint-stock Company

Address: Floor 16, Building ICON4, No. 243 De La Thanh, Lang Ha Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi

Tel: 0868146656

Website: www.dichoichung.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dichoichung