Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has accepted an initiative by the People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Tri on opening tourist routes to its Con Co Island District.

The Deputy PM tasked Quang Tri authorities, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and related agencies, with developing plans and constructing technical facilities to serve for tourism to the island and ensure good performance in combining the tasks of local socioeconomic development with building and consolidating national defence in the province.

Con Co Island is located about 30km off the eastern shoreline of Vinh Linh District, which occupies the south of the Gulf of Tonkin and serves as a demarcation point between Vietnam and China in maritime delimitation in the gulf.

The Con Co Island District was established in October 2014 in an area of approximately 2.3km2. Crossing the 17th Parallel with a key position and an important role as an international shipping line and aviation gateway, the island is considered the nation’s outpost.

It has also been rated one of the most beautiful islands in the Central Region with a rare ecosystem and rich potential for tourism.

Tourists to the island will have a chance to visit a traditional room storing artefacts that reconstruct the history of the army and people in the island district over the last 55 years or climb to Hill 37 to reach a memorial dedicated to fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the island.

Visitors can also enjoy swimming and coral snorkelling at Ben Nghe–Mom Ho Beach, visit a primeval forest and a lighthouse on the island and enjoy dishes prepared by islanders.

According to the Government Portal, in April, the Quang Tri People’s Committee allowed Con Co, in coordination with Quang Tri Commercial JSC, to run a pilot tour of the island.

Initially, each week there are to be three trips taking visitors to the island. At that time, the company will open up a day trip, each for 10-30 guests.

The two-day-and-one-night Con Co Island tour costs VND2 million (US$90) per passenger. Quang Tri residents will enjoy a preferential price of VND1.5 million each. The first tour opened on April 21.

Nhan Dan