CO TO – THE PARADISE ISLAND
Co To Island fascinates visitors by pristine beaches with white sand and clear blue water. In addition to swimming, travelers can visit natural forests, lighthouses, jetties, fishing villages, bays, natural rocky beaches.
1. General introduction about Co To Island
Co To is an archipelago located in the east of Van Don Island, Quang Ninh province. The central place is District Co To with an area of 47.3 km² and a population of over 4,985 people.
Co To is likened to the “miniature Northern region” by the natural beauty that nature has bestowed on the island. Co To Island has not only the blue sea but also the green rice fields with the sound of frogs at night reminiscent of the peaceful Northern villages.
In particular, there are also small twisted roads through the forest, bends, and rugged cliffs of the Northwest mountains.
2. The ideal time to visit Co To Island
Co To tourism brings beauty in the bright sunshine. The blue sea is so clear that we can see down to the bottom. You can go to Co To any time of the year. However, the ideal time to travel to Co To is the sparkling sunny summertime, from April to September.
In case you have a plan, check out the weather forecast to avoid rainy or stormy days if you don’t want to be stuck on the island for a few more days.
3. Transportation to Co To Island
Co To is an island located offshore, so the only means of transportation is seaway. If you are from other provinces, go to Cai Rong port to rent boats to the island!
To get to Co To from Hanoi, you must first move to Cai Rong port. You can choose to travel by bus from Hanoi to Quang Ninh with the fare of about 100 – 120,000 VND (about 5-6 US dollars/ 500-600 yen). After that, you get off at Van Don Junction and continue to travel by bus, taxi or motorbike taxi to the port. When arriving at the port, you can move by boat or wooden boat to Co To Island with the fare of 95,000 – 250,000 VND (about 4-11 US dollars/475-1250 yen) for about 90-150 minutes.
The means of transportation on Co To Island include tram from 7 to 16 seats, cars from 16 to 29 seats, motorbikes, double bikes, single bikes, etc., with prices from 200,000 VND – 1, 2 million VND/day (about 10-60 US dollars/ 1000-6000 yen), depending on the vehicle.
4. Tourist destinations on Co To Island
– Cau My Stone Beach
A paradise that anyone comes to here cannot ignore is the area of Cau My Stone Beach in the south of Co To Island. Cau My has a sedimentary rock system eroded over tens of thousands of years by seawater, creating a rare wonder compared to other famous islands of Vietnam.
– Hong Van Beach
Co To is where the ‘original’ beaches are untouched by humans, and Hong Van is such a place. The beach is on the east of Co To Island, where the waves are calm and quiet because Thanh Lan Island is blocking the wind. The beach is beautiful, thanks to the clean, soft sand and blue water.
– Van Chai Beach
Located at the end of the island is beautiful Van Chai Beach with smooth sand beaches, charming waves. In particular, the sea here is always beautifully blue, reflecting the sun.; The blue water also changes different shades whenever small waves are stamping each other to the shore.
– Co To Con
As an uninhabited island, Co To Con attracts the most tourists of the Co To archipelago because of its beautiful pristine beaches. Co To Con Island is more than 1 km from Co To, so tourists do not need to apply for a permit and can rent wooden boats to Co To Con Island with the travel time of about 25-30 minutes. The price for renting a boat is 600,000 – 800,000 VND (about 30-40 US dollars/ 3000 – 4,000 yen) / 12 people. Here you can try the feeling of sleeping in a tent on the beach. Such a nice experience for those who love the new feeling!
– Co To Lighthouse
As a night-sea eye in the system of more than 30 light stations currently operating in Vietnam, this lighthouse has a history dating back to the end of the 19th century. To come here, visitors must overcome the challenge by steep turns and then 72 steps up the stairs. Standing on the lighthouse tower, visitors can zoom in to catch the full panoramic beauty of Co To Island, from the bustling town to the beautiful beaches or the lush green forests.
5. What to play on Co To Island?
– Co To Park
This place is a water park with many exciting and fascinating games suitable for both individual travelers and a group of friends to participate in team-building games. This promises to bring you a lot of laughter.
– Paragliding
Opened in April 2015, up to now, paragliding has attracted many people who love exploring Co To from above. However, this game requires you to be brave, not afraid of heights, and adventurous. Each 15-minute flight costs between 400,000 and 600,000 VND / person. ( about 20-30 US dollars/2000-3000 yen)
– Diving to see coral reefs
Co To has been famous for its diverse ecosystem of coral reefs and rare seafood. And it would not be any more wonderful to be able to dive deep and directly touch the coral reefs and to swim around with the colorful fish.
– Night squid fishing
You will rent a boat with the fishermen to catch squid at night.
– Canoe
The speed of canoes at sea can reach from 50 to 80km / h. You can overcome the waves as well as the vast of the sea.
6. Accommodation on Co To Island
– From Co To pier, you take a motorbike taxi to the central market, which is the busiest place in town to choose a guest house easily.
– In Co To, the power is often cut off, especially on weekends, so you should choose coastal motels to enjoy the fresh air. On the island, there are the Board Guest House and The Thanh Motel, which often run generators, so if you can make a reservation here, you will not have to lose power during the day.
– Besides, Co To has many motels with the prices range from 200,000 to 300,000 VND for a room of four people (about 10-15 US dollars/1000-1500 yen).
Hopefully, with the experience of traveling to Co To the article shared above will bring you memorable and interesting experiences on this beautiful island.
