Experience a Day on Cô Tô Island

Cô Tô Island lies off the east coast of Vân Đồn, Quảng Ninh Province. Today, Cô Tô is a highly favored coastal tourist destination in the North. So, what makes a day on Cô Tô Island so special? Let's find out in the following article!

Experience a Day on Cô Tô Island

Beautiful Beaches Await

Cô Tô Island is a unique district of Quảng Ninh Province, with the youngest age, smallest area, and least population, yet it holds a crucial position in the Northeast region. Cô Tô Island boasts a series of stunning beaches such as Tàu Đắm, Hồng Vàn, Vàn Chảy, Bắc Vàn... but the most beautiful is undoubtedly Hồng Vàn Beach. Hồng Vàn Beach features long stretches of white silky sand, pristine waters, almost calm surface, and notably clear waters.

You should also not miss out on Vàn Chảy Beach, approximately 6km from the town center. Vàn Chảy offers fine sandy beaches, large waves perfect for water sports, and ample opportunities for snorkeling in the refreshing sea waters.

Exploring the Trails along the Rolling Hills

If you want to immerse yourself in nature, enjoy the beautiful scenery of hills, breathe in the fragrant aroma of flowers and grass, then taking a stroll along the trails will be a delightful experience.

Visit the Fish Market at the Pier

The island's inhabitants mainly engage in agriculture, fishing, and tourism. Getting firsthand experience of the coastal life of the locals is also an interesting aspect not to be missed. In the early morning, head to the boat piers to join the bustling fish market sessions. At the market, boats arrive laden with plenty of fresh catches from the night's fishing, and locals engage in direct trading right at the docks.

From 4-5 in the morning, the boats return to the pier, carrying the fruits of their overnight fishing endeavors. The freshest seafood is bought by locals and traders right at the dock. In the dawn of a new day, the image of diligent fishermen handing over their catch, the sounds of cheerful calls and discussions, the bright smiles... all contribute to the vibrant scene of the Cô Tô Island maritime area.

Learn about the Traditional Fish Sauce Making in Cô Tô

In the past, before the advent of power grids for food preservation, after fishing trips, people often had surplus fish and they made fish sauce to gradually consume as well as not waste fresh fish. Particularly, in Cô Tô, there is a profession of making fish sauce from anchovy. Firstly, the purchased fish must be selected fresh, of uniform size, then cleaned and placed in earthenware jars. People choose to ferment the fish sauce in earthenware jars to prevent salt from corroding the jars, ensuring food safety and hygiene.

Fish and salt are put into jars in a ratio of 30% salt, divided into two times, the first time about 20% salt is added, then more salt is added to achieve a salinity of 25 degrees. Anchovy fish sauce produces a thick red, fragrant, high protein liquid. To obtain the finished fish sauce, it must go through many intricate stages, with the time from start to fish sauce collection being 18-24 months.

Visit Cô Tô Lighthouse

Cô Tô Lighthouse plays a very important role for ships sailing offshore and is a tourist attraction. From the foot of the mountain to the lighthouse is about 2km winding under the lush, dense green forest canopy. The lighthouse is located on the mountaintop, 5km from the center, built since the late 19th century.

Cô Tô Lighthouse Station is one of over 30 “night sea eyes” operating across Vietnam. The lighthouse has a range of 28 nautical miles (60km). During the day, the lighthouse ensures safe passage for ships, and at night it provides light for ships to navigate safely in and out of the sea. Moreover, Cô Tô Lighthouse also plays a role in safeguarding national sovereignty and border security at sea.

Hồ Chủ Tịch Historical Site

The monument area with Uncle Ho's statue is nestled within lush gardens, trees, and ancient philodendron groves. The solemn statue of Uncle Ho faces the East Sea, symbolically safeguarding the land and people of Cô Tô. Cô Tô is also the first and only place where Uncle Ho agreed to have his statue sculpted while he was alive.

In 2005, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Quảng Ninh coal mines, the Uncle Ho shrine was built within the monument area in a traditional, simple style for officials, residents, and tourists to come and offer incense in remembrance of Uncle Ho.

Not far from Uncle Ho's statue is the Ho Chi Minh Memorial House, where Uncle Ho met with Cô Tô officials in the past. This is where artifacts from Uncle Ho's only visit to the island in 1961 are preserved and displayed.

Alongside images and artifacts associated with Uncle Ho's visit to Cô Tô, the memorial house also exhibits numerous visual materials of Party and state leaders' visits to the island. It also showcases images of the political, military, economic, and cultural achievements of the islanders.

So concludes a day filled with fascinating experiences on Cô Tô Island. Don't forget to follow Mytour to receive notifications about the latest Cô Tô tours deals!

According to Mytour

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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour