Co To Island

Co To lies well out from the Quang Ninh coast towards the maritime boundary with China, and being that far from the river mouths its water is clear in a way that the water around Ha Long is not - which is the main reason people make the crossing. There are beaches at Hong Van and Van Chay, a lighthouse on the high ground, and a smaller island, Co To Con, reached by local boat. It is a domestic destination almost entirely, busy in the Vietnamese summer holiday weeks and quiet otherwise, with the season effectively closed by the winter monsoon.

What you actually see

• Clear water - far enough out from the river mouths.
• Beaches at Hong Van and Van Chay - the main stretches.
• A lighthouse on the high ground - with a view over the island.
• Co To Con - the smaller island, reached by local boat.

When to go

April to September; boats stop in the winter monsoon. Two to three days.

Honest expectations

Sailings are cancelled by weather and getting stuck is possible. It is packed in the domestic summer weeks and shut outside them. Accommodation is guesthouses. Litter is a problem in peak season.

Nearby

Quan Lan is south-west; Van Don and the mainland are beyond it.