The sand path is located approximately 200 meters from Thanh Lan Island and 4 kilometers from Co To by sea. According to Tran Van Nam, a tour guide on Thanh Lan, this path only appears about four to eight times a month, depending on the waves. “Not everyone from Thanh Lan can come here, so we call it the path of grace,” Nam said.
In the middle of the blue sea, the sand path emerges in the shape of a giant humpback whale, measuring about 300 meters long and 20 meters wide. The sand here is golden, smooth, and stunning on both sides.
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| Photo: Tran Nam |
39-year-old Dang Trang, a tourist from Hanoi, and her family visited Co To at the beginning of July and stayed for three days. After exploring the island, they booked a tour of Thanh Lan. “To reach the sand path, we had to start at 7:30 am and arrived there by canoe in about 10 minutes,” Trang said, adding that the 30-minute experience on the sand path was “the best experience of the whole journey.”
After visiting the sand path, Trang continued to explore other parts of the small island, such as watching seagulls, swimming, and fishing. These activities are offered to tourists in Thanh Lan at a reasonable price. “If tourists just want to explore the path and then go to Goat Island to catch snails, the tour will cost about VND400,000 (US$16.89) per person,” Tran Van Nam said.
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| Photo: Tran Nam |
In June 2023, the Co To island district welcomed 105,000 guests, with the number of stays reaching over 200,000, comparable to the same period in 2019. However, the average length of stay was longer, with each visitor staying for more than two nights. In July, the island is expected to welcome 70,000 guests.
Thanh Lan island, located in Thanh Lan commune, is the largest island in Co To district, covering an area of 27 km2 and situated approximately four kilometers from the main Co To island. The island is home to around 1,200 people, primarily engaged in fishing.
The largest and most beautiful beach on the island is Ba Chau, located about 4 km from the Thanh Lan Commune People’s Committee headquarters. Ba Chau beach boasts a 1.5 km-long sandy beach, making it an ideal place for swimming and camping.
To the right of Ba Chau beach, there is also a rocky beach with many unique shapes for visitors to freely capture photos.
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| Photo: Tran Nam |
The farthest beach is Hai Quan in village 3. To reach this beach, visitors must travel a 7 km-long road, with the blue sea on one side and the pristine forest on the other. On the way to Hai Quan Beach, tourists can stop at Vung Tron Beach. To reach the beach, they must walk along a winding trail through the forest, spanning nearly 400 meters.
The pristine beach appears after they cross the forest, offering a relaxing atmosphere for visitors to quickly forget any fatigue.
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| Photo: Soha |
The weather on Co To Island and Thanh Lan Island remains consistent throughout the year. From May to August, the ocean color is at its best, providing excellent opportunities for outdoor activities such as swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. However, be cautious of high temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius and avoid traveling on weekends to avoid high volumes of Vietnamese tourists. Additionally, be aware of the typhoon season, which occurs from late June to late September. Please check the weather forecast before traveling.
From September to December, local fishermen embark on night squid fishing trips, offering a unique and authentic fishing experience!
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| Photo: Soha |
Co To Island – Emerging Sea Tourism Destination
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.
Mong Rong Rock Area, a wonder of nature in Quang Ninh
Located in Co To, Quang Ninh province, Mong Rong (Dragon Claw) Rock Area is a favourite destination for visitors to the island.
Tourists enjoy the pristine beauty of Co To island
Located off the coast of Quang Ninh province, Co To island is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful places found throughout the north of the country during the summer, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each year due to its popularity.
Quang Ninh working hard to revive tourism
Quang Ninh provincial authorities have introduced a range of stimulus programmes in order for the local tourism sector to recover from the impact of COVID-19.
Domestic arrivals to Vietnam’s destinations increases sharply
The number of tourists visiting Ha Long Bay, Da Lat, Quy Nhon, Vung Tau, Phu Quoc…has risen during the past week after Vietnam launched a series of stimulus travel package to boost domestic tourism after Covid-19 is relaxed.
