Buzz
Coto Island is the farthest archipelago from Quang Ninh Province. Boat bans, power outages, thunderstorms – anything can happen during a trip to Coto Island. But no matter when you go, Coto always leaves behind unforgettable memories.
4-Day Adventure Amidst Storms on Coto Island
Day 1:
Transportation: I booked overnight tickets from Hanoi to Cai Rong port and took a high-speed boat to the island, totaling a 6-hour journey costing around 700k VND per person. Setting foot on the island in the early morning, I breathed in the fresh air of the small town, the truly beautiful and impressive paths. Despite the scorching heat in town at noon due to power outages, just a few steps to the sea, you'll enjoy the cool sea breeze here.
In the afternoon, I visited Hong Van Beach for a swim. This is one of the most beautiful beaches on Coto Island, with gentle waves caressing the shore.
Day 2:
The following morning, we chartered a wooden boat to Coto Con Island, where only a few households reside, resulting in a remarkably blue and clean sea. If you enjoy exploration, you can take a leisurely stroll around the island, or you can visit the floating house area for a variety of underwater activities.
In the afternoon, we continued to explore Van Chay Beach. Unlike Hong Van Beach, Van Chay Beach has much stronger and more intense waves. It's not safe to swim in less crowded areas due to dangerous offshore currents.
In the evening, we drove up to the town for beachside BBQ. Along the Love Road, there are many barbecue stalls adorned with sparkling lights, creating a romantic ambiance. Although the cost may be slightly higher, indulging in fresh seafood while listening to the sound of waves and feeling the cool breeze is truly an experience you should try when traveling to Coto.
Day 3:
On the third day, Coto Island experienced strong winds, gloomy skies, and intermittent rain, requiring us to wait a while for the weather to clear up. A must-visit destination during traveling to Coto is My Bridge Rock Beach, also known as Dragon Claw Beach. This landmark is famous for its massive rock formations eroded by the sea, creating a breathtakingly majestic scene. Climbing atop these rocks, you'll have a panoramic view of the crashing waves below and the surrounding sea.
According to the 4 p.m. schedule, we were supposed to board the boat back to the mainland, but receiving a ship ban order caused great distress among the group. This meant we had to stay on Coto for an extra day before we could return. Following the hostess's suggestion, in the evening, we went to dine at Uy Thanh restaurant – the most famous eatery in the area known for its reasonable prices and delicious fresh seafood. Afterwards, we strolled around the night market, sat by Love Beach drinking and chatting happily, then returned to the homestay for karaoke.
The next destination is this lotus pond, located within the precincts of the Ho Chi Minh Monument Heritage Site, built by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Coto district. Here, you'll smell the intense fragrance of the giant lotus pond, especially when summer arrives and the lotus blooms all over the pond, allowing you to capture dazzling and magical photos.
Next, we moved on to Au Port. This is a sheltered harbor for boats, located south of the island, in the same direction as Mỵ Bridge Rock Beach. The long, white road is lined with numerous gigantic concrete pillars along the embankment. A fun experience you should try here is cooking your own meals, as the seafood on the island is very fresh and not expensive. We bought fish, shrimp, crabs, and sweet potatoes, so we had a super delicious – nutritious – affordable seafood BBQ lunch. In the evening, we bought a large chicken and grilled it ourselves at the homestay, along with a sour soup and a plate of stir-fried vegetables, making it a perfect dinner.
Early in the morning, we drove to Bac Van port to catch the sunrise. This place is so peaceful and serene that it's hard to describe. The large and small moss-covered rocks around look truly strange, occasionally, the fishermen's boats dock bringing back a variety of fresh seafood, which is a sight to behold.
At noon, we were very fortunate to be treated to a sumptuous lunch by the homestay owner for all the guests staying there. The host and hostess were also kind enough to reduce the room rate, motorbike rental, fuel costs, etc., due to the ship ban incident. We truly appreciate their kindness, and if we return to Coto next time, we will definitely not hesitate to come back here.
Around 2 p.m., upon receiving news that the storm had passed and the ship was ready to return to the mainland, we quickly packed our belongings and took the electric car to the port. Outside the pier was crowded with people, as we were stuck on the island the longest, we were given priority to change our tickets first. When boarding the ship, we encountered a heavy rainstorm, the scene was quite chaotic, it was very difficult for us to get on the boat in a state of being soaked all over. Thus, officially concludes the Coto trip with beautiful and unforgettable memories.
By Hoang Thi Nhu Quynh
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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook
MytourOctober 23, 2019
