Northern tourists who do not have the time and conditions to vacation in faraway places can choose islands in Quang Ninh or Hai Phong.
VnExpress chooses islands located in the North, mainly concentrated in Hai Phong and Quang Ninh, with the criteria of having beautiful beaches with clear blue water, white sand, the ability to stay overnight, convenient transportation, and full services for tourists.
Cat Ong Island (Hai Phong)
A corner of the resort on Cat Ong Island. Photo: AgodaAbout 2 km from the center of Cat Ba by sea, Cat Ong is one of the islands that still retains its pristine beauty. While Cat Ba is crowded, Cat Ong is located deep in Lan Ha Bay, with an area of about 0.5 km2, isolated and quiet. Tourists come here to have fun and eat during the day or stay overnight in a system of 20 bungalows overlooking the sea.
Cat Ong beach has white sand and clear blue sea water. The island is surrounded by vegetation with a diverse primeval forest of trees, systems, and marine life. On the island, there are also trails through the canopy, exploring the wild beauty of the island. Tourists can kayak, SUP, dive to see coral, trek, and organize BBQ parties on the beach.
Co To Island (Quang Ninh)
Coastal road on Co To Island. Photo: Le TanCo To Special Zone has nearly 50 large and small islands, of which tourists mainly explore the large Co To island cluster, Co To Con, and Thanh Lan. On the large Co To island, there are beautiful beaches such as Van Chay, Tinh Yeu (also known as Tau Dam beach), Hong Van, and Bac Van. Co To Con Island has Nam Beach and Dong Beach. The most attractive point here is the long beaches, white sand, and clear water.
Not only are the beaches in Co To ideal for swimming, but they are also beautiful places to watch the sunrise and sunset. Early in the morning, visitors can go to the local market to buy seafood, and in the evening, have a BBQ party on the beach. On the island, there are also walking streets, night markets, and historical sites. To get to Co To Island, visitors take a speedboat from Ao Tien and Cai Rong ports, taking from 90 to 120 minutes, depending on the type of boat.
Quan Lan Island (Quang Ninh)
Eo Gio, where visitors sit and drink coffee while enjoying the scenery. Photo: Mai TrangQuan Lan is a small island in Bai Tu Long Bay, part of Van Don Special Zone. The island has an area of about 11 km2, with many long beaches, white sand, clear water, and pristine nature. Traveling to Quan Lan is faster and more convenient than traveling to Co To because of the short distance and no big waves. Visitors take a speedboat for about 40-60 minutes, departing from Ao Tien or Cai Rong ports.
In addition to swimming and relaxing, visitors can ride motorbikes or electric cars across the island, check in at "The White Sand River", dig for sea worms, zipline along the beach, stroll around the night market, or drink coffee and sightsee at Eo Gio.
Cai Chien Island (Quang Ninh)
Cai Chien Island is located about 60 km northeast of Van Don center, about 15 minutes by canoe. Cai Chien has many long, smooth sand beaches such as Van Ca, Dau Rong, and some other small beaches. The area of the primeval forest is about 500 hectares, home to many species of birds and wild animals.
The island is a suitable destination for slow-paced, relaxing, and enjoying fresh air tours. Cai Chien has electricity and Internet, but is still quite wild, without many recreational activities. Currently, there is only one hotel on the island; the rest are mainly homestays and motels. Tourists can relax and visit Khe Dau Lake and go to the market to buy fresh seafood.
In addition, some islands can be reached by boat for a day of rest and entertainment, but there are no accommodations, and overnight stays are not allowed, such as Dragon Eye Island, Monkey Island (Ha Long, Quang Ninh), and Freedom Island (Cat Ba, Hai Phong).