13 Sep 2011
Co To, one of the farthest inhabited islands from the mainland, is over 100km from Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh. A 1.5-hour journey on high-speed boat brought us there.
The first beach we visited was Hong Van. It's hard for us to find words to describe the beauty of this place on the northeast of the island. White sandbanks stretch away to the horizon. Coral reefs are easily to be seen in the limpid water. With an islet nearby blocking winds from the sea, the water is as calm as a clear pond. Tourists visit this expansive beach to swim as well as to see locals catching oysters. After swimming here, we headed to Van Chai Beach on the west of the island, which appealed to us immediately with rocks of different shapes at either end of the beach. The middle of the beach is flat, the sand clean and smooth, and it offers the best place on the island to watch the sunset. Hearing rumours from other tourists about a port with a beautiful view, we decided to find it. The long wharf of the Bac Van military port has not welcomed any ships for a long time, and the lonely spot inspires photographers. If visiting it at night, you can see the young people of the island there catching crab, shrimp and squid. To get another panorama of Co To Island, we went to a lighthouse built in the 19th century. On the way, we enjoyed the fresh air of the forest, listened to the birds singing and photograph the flowers. From the lighthouse, we could see nearby Little Co To and Thanh Lan islands. A temple was built in 2005 on the occasion of his 115th birthday and to mark the 50th anniversary of his visit, and the site was recognised as a national historical and cultural vestige by the culture ministry. Some tourists visit the site and light incense to the late president when they first set foot on the island. Co To Island is one of the best choices for a getaway from noisy and crowded city life, suited to people looking to enjoy a holiday swimming, taking photographs, walking along the beach, cooking a beach BBQ and singing karaoke with friends. "It's a paradise for backpackers but tough for people who want to relax in comfort," she said. "They need to develop infrastructure here such as hotels and entertainment areas. I know that natural beauty is good, but most tourists want hotels with modern conveniences." Source - vietnamnet.vn