Co To is the island tourism paradise of Northeast Vietnam. It has clear blue beaches, white sand along, and beautiful scenery of virgin forests or lakes. Not only that, but Co To is also one of the pioneer islands, the sacred watchtower of the country's borders. Let's refer to the extraordinarily detailed Co To travel experiences shared by Top Ten Reviews in this article!
Where is Co To Island?
Located in the northeast of Quang Ninh province, it takes about 60 nautical miles from Co To Island to the land. Co To Island is a complex of 50 small islands with two center islands. The island district includes Co To Town, Dong Tien commune, and Thanh Lan commune.
Co To Island is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the summer. In addition, Co To also has primeval forests on mountainous terrain and historical relics with extremely significant positions in terms of national defense and security, marking the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland.
Visiting Co To, you will enjoy the landscape of a beautiful island, clear blue beaches, fresh climate, and the pride of standing on sacred territory, proud of the S-shaped Fatherland.
The best time to go to Co To
The peak time for Co To tourism is in the summer months from May to August, but few people know that the most beautiful time for Co To is in September, the end of summer. At this time, the seawater is clear and blue, with light sunshine. In this period, the fewer tourists, the easier you can enjoy the comfort, solitude, and freedom to explore the Island.
Depending on your plan, you can choose to go to Co To from April to October. But if you go in the summer months, on weekends, remember to book hotels and services early to avoid some problems such as running out of hotel rooms.
How to go to Co To?
Going to Co To from Hanoi
- From Hanoi to Co To
- Ride from Hanoi to Tuan Chau / Ha Long or Cai Rong (Van Don)
- Take a speedboat from Tuan Chau / Ha Long / Cai Rong to Co To
- Coach/Car from Hanoi to Ha Long
- Route: Highway 5B Hanoi - Hai Phong - Ha Long
- Distance: 150km Time: 2 hours – 2.5 hours
- Car brands: Hoang Phu limousine, Aloha car, Hoang Cong, Ha Vy limousine
- Ticket price: 180.000 VND – 240.000 VND (~7,84 - 10,45 USD)/person/1 way
- Coach/Car from Hanoi to Cai Rong (Van Don)
- Route: 5B highway Hanoi –– Ha Long – Van Don
- Distance: 200km Time: 3 hours – 3.5 hours
- Car company: Van Don Xanh, Cua Ong Limousine, Xuan Truong limousine
- Ticket price: 220.000 VND – 260.000 VND (~9,58 - 11,32 USD)
- Tuan Chau - Co To high-speed train
- Type of ship: Tuan Chau Express (2-hull ship to limit seasickness)
- Time: 2 hours
- Ticket price: 390.000 VND (~16,99 USD)/ person / 1 way
- Cai Rong - Co To high-speed train
- Type of ship: Tuan Chau Express (2-hull ship to limit seasickness) & single-hull composite ship
- Time: 2 hours
- Ticket price: 300.000 VND (~13,07 USD)/person/way (VIP Tuan Chau Express train), 200.000 VND (~8,71 USD)/person/way (1 boat with composite hull)
Going to Co To from Saigon
- From Sai Gon to Co To
- Fly from Saigon to Van Don (Quang Ninh) (2 hours)
- Take a high-speed train from Cai Rong to Co To (1 hour)
If you fly to Noi Bai airport, you will follow the instructions to go from Hanoi to Co To I listed above.
Currently, to get to Co To, by speedboat, you can take the Tuan Chau Express high-speed train from Tuan Chau International Port or Ha Long Port (Bai Chay) instead of going to Cai Rong Port (Van Don) longer distance than before.
Beautiful beaches on Co To Island
Traveling to Co To Island, a wild and beautiful island, the best experience is having fun swimming on the beaches. Big Co To Island, Little Co To Island, and Thanh Lan Island all have beautiful beaches, white sand, clear blue water, stretching, and much more attractive than beaches on the mainland.
Hong Van beach is located in the east, 6km from Co To Town. The beach is gentle, stretches, white sand, clear blue water. From the beach, you can see the vast sea and Thanh Lan Island, Co To Island.
Previously, Hong Van beach was quite famous, with many homestays and bungalows located right on the coast, creating an extremely wonderful resting place on Co To Island. However, the cottages and homestays were later moved inward to keep the landscape for the beach and serve tourists and people on the Island.
Van Chay beach has a long, gentle, and clean sandy beach. The beach is 6km south of Town. Van Chay beach does not have white sand like Hong Van beach but has big waves, 2m - 3m high. The wide sandy beach here is very suitable for team building activities, gala organization.
From Hong Van beach, you go straight to the right; near the end, you will meet Vung Tien beach. Vung Tien Beach has rocky strips lying on the sand running to the sea, looking like small dragons winding. Here, you will see the sand and rocks under the water under the clear water.
Located on Thanh Lan island commune, the big Island of Co To, Ba Chau beach is about 4km from the Center of Thanh Lan commune. Ba Chau Beach has a comprehensive and gentle coastline, stretching 1km with fine white sand, surrounded by mountain systems on both sides, giving the beach an arc shape.
Above the coast is an ancient forest, green apricot trees, or rows of seawater spinach growing on the sand, contributing to embellishing the wild beauty of Ba Chau.
Experiencing attractions on Co To Island
- Dragon's Stone Beach (Cau My Rock Beach)
- Co To Lighthouse
- Truc Lam Co To Pagoda
- Little Co To Island
- Europe port - new check-in point
- Walking Street & Ho Chi Minh Historic Site
Mong Rong rock beach, also known as Cau My rock beach, covers more than 40 hectares, about 2 km long, stretching in the northeast-southwest direction of Co To Island. The beach has rocky capes protruding into the sea, a system of sedimentary rock layers that have been eroded by seawater over thousands of years.
The rocky beach has cascading shapes like stairs with impressive colors of sea sediment. Mong Rong rock beach is the place to welcome the beautiful sunrise and sunset on Co To Island.
Located in the east of Co To Town, the Co To Lighthouse is one of more than 30 "night eyes" that play an essential role and operates in Vietnam's territorial waters. This station was built in the late 19th century, with a light of 118m above sea level. To climb to the top of the Lighthouse, you will follow 72 spiral stairs.
When standing on the top of the Lighthouse, tourists can zoom their eyes into the distance to see the peaceful and beautiful Co To Island.
Truc Lam Co To Pagoda was built in the TV hill area, next to the historical monument of Dai Doi Ky Con temple. The pagoda has 5ha divided into zones: Tam Quan Gate, Bell Tower, Khanh Lau, Tam Bao Building, established church, monk house, model church, guesthouse, and landscaped campus.
Truc Lam Co To Pagoda is a spiritual project on the Island with an important position, carrying many meanings and pride in the sacred headland of the country.
Little Co To Island is a small island, uninhabited, but only has a military guard post. The Island is only about 1km from Big Co To, about 15 minutes away by wooden boat. The price to rent a boat is 600,000 - 800,000 VND (according to the route). On the Island, there are two gorgeous beaches, East and South beaches, with clear blue water that can be seen at the bottom.
Due to the lack of inhabitants and the central Island, the sandy beaches on Co To Island are very unspoiled.
Located about 2km from the Center of Co To Town to the south, a turn to Mong Rong rock beach on the left, follow on the right, you will reach the port area. The place was built for boats to avoid storms and a harbor where you can board a ship to Thanh Lan. The port has a beautiful landscape, in the middle of Co To sea is an exciting check-in point.
The road from the Town to Au Tau is quite attractive; you should cycle here. Sitting on the breakwater, watching the life and landscape of Co To Island will surely delight you.
Located in the Center of Co To Town, 205m long, the pedestrian street is a place where visitors can comfortably stroll, enjoy food and enjoy the bustling evening atmosphere on Co To Island.
Not far away is the Ho Chi Minh historical relic, where the memory of Uncle Ho's visit to the Island is kept. That is also the only place where Uncle Ho agreed to erect a statue when he was still alive.
Sightseeing routes on Co To Island
- Route 1: Co To Town – Dong Tien commune
Mong Rong Rock beach – Fishery logistics center – Co To market – President Ho Chi Minh relic site – Don Cao relic site – Love road – Co To Lighthouse – Truong Xuan lake – Hong Van beach – Primeval forest – Bai Van Chay
- Route 2: Co To Town – Co To Island
- Route 3: Co To Town – Thanh Lan Island: Co To Town – Thanh Lan Island – Ba Chau Beach – Mai Cong Dam Jellyfish Processing Facility
Hotels and Homestays on Co To Island
Hotels on Co To Island include budget motels, 1-star, 2-star, 3-star hotels, and several homestays and small resorts. In general, Co To has a small scale that is suitable for the seasonal characteristics of Co To island tourism.
After surveying, I found that hotel service quality is lower than that of hotels on the mainland. For many reasons related to personnel, management, and seasonality, the hotels are at an acceptable level; you should also consult before coming to Co To.
Hotels are most distributed in Co To Town; the rest are scattered in Hong Van beach, Van Chay beach, Mong Rong rock beach, pier, or Dong Tien commune center. Prices for hotels and homestays range from 300.000 VND (~13,07 USD) to 1.000.000 VND (~ 43,56 USD)/room, depending on the time of visit.
There is a remarkable thing: with 3-star hotels, almost every hotel has a dedicated area for groups to organize gala sessions. The service of managing team building at the beach is also quite diverse and professional.
Hotels in the town center area
Tuan Vu Hotel is the largest 3-star hotel in Co To with 69 rooms. The room has a large area, sea view at Co To wharf area. Hotel located right in the Town Center, just a few minutes by tram from the Cruise Port. The hotel has a Tuan Vu restaurant area right behind, close to the beach.
Address: Zone 4, Co To Town
Number of rooms: 69 rooms 3-star standard hotel
Contact: 0203 3887 555
Room rate: from 700.000 VND (~30,49 USD)/night
Golden Co To Hotel in the town center area is a 3-star hotel with 58 rooms, 500m from Co To wharf. Golden Co To Hotel does not have a sea view, but in return, the hotel is surrounded by an empty area, so it is pretty open and has a comprehensive view.
Address: Zone 2, Co To Town
Number of rooms: 58 rooms 3 star standard hotel
Contact: 0203 350 7777
Room rate: from 700.000 VND (~30,49 USD)/night
Hoang Trung Co To Hotel, with 58 rooms, is located in the Center of Co To Town. The hotel has a large skylight area in the middle, so all rooms have open corridors overlooking the outside, windows overlooking the city, and a sea view. The hotel has a gala restaurant on the first floor and the rooftop.
Address: Zone 3, Co To Town
Number of rooms: 58 rooms 3-star standard hotel
Contact: 0203 388 9686
Room rate: from 750.000 VND (~32 USD)/night
Dong-A Hotel is a new 3-star hotel in Co To Town. The hotel's location is not in the city center, but in Truong Xuan, Dong Tien, 2km from the city, the surrounding landscape is airy. The hotel is rated as having good facilities, better room equipment than the old hotels in Town.
Address: Truong Xuan, Dong Tien, Co To
Number of rooms: 57 rooms 3-star standard hotel
Contact: 3515,445
Room rate: from 750.000 VND (~32,67 USD)/night
Homestay in Hong Van & Dong Tien beach area
Co To Village is a bungalow located right next to Hong Van beach. The resort's location is 5km from Town, is a tranquil place, and has a stunning landscape. The bungalows all have a sea view, a quiet sea area, shelter from storms of ships on the Island. Co To Village gives you the comfort of space but is very quiet and deserted. If you come here, you should invite your whole group of friends to come along to chill in this spacious space comfortably.
Address: Hong Van Beach
Number of rooms: 46 bungalows
Contact: 0978781423
Room rate: from 1.200.000 VND (~52,27 USD)/bungalow/night
Coto Life is a small resort located under the canopy of ancient forest on the Island, overlooking Vung Tien beach, with 100% wooden bungalow design and natural materials to create a feeling of closeness to nature. Coto Life Resort has two types of rooms: Wood Bungalow and Bamboo. In the bungalow, there are airy windows, especially the bathroom has an open space, very close to nature.
Address: near Hong Van beach, Dong Tien
Contact: 098 872 26 88
Room rate: from 1.000.000 VND (~ 43,56 USD)/bungalow/night
Homestay Co To Center is the only homestay on Co To island with a modern Villa-style design with 03 separate apartments. It includes large bedrooms, single rooms, double rooms, dormitory rooms, complete dining services, vacation, motorbike rental, electric car, and consulting services. Homestay is located in the Center of Dong Tien commune, 4km from the Town.
Co To Center has a modern style suitable for young people and families who want a comfortable and convenient resting place.
Address: Vu Van Hieu, Dong Tien, Co To
Number of rooms: 6 rooms Villa with three separate apartments
Contact: 0962 616 898
Room rate: from 700.000 VND (~30,49 USD)/night
Homestay in Mong Rong rock area
- Co To Jade Homestay & Bungalow
Jade's house is located in the middle of a slight slope next to rock - the place to check in to welcome the most beautiful sunrise in Co To. The bungalows at Jade Homestay are made of wood. From the homestay to the rocky beach, it takes only 2 minutes to walk. Bungalows are beautiful tiny wooden houses, fully equipped with 3-star standards.
- Address: Area 4, Co To town (next to Cau My rock beach)
- Number of rooms: 20 rooms
- Contact: 0962.620.583
- Room rate: from 700.000 (~30,49 USD)/night
Restaurants on Co To Island
Co To Island in the offshore sea has high salinity, so it is very famous for delicious seafood, such as Co To squid, Nail snail, sea cucumber, shellfish, sea snail, crab. The bowl also has a higher price than the seafood sold inside.
Coming to Co To, you can visit restaurants in Town, restaurants serving BBQ at the beach, or restaurants at your hotel. The dishes served at the restaurant are mainly Co To seafood; you can also order pork, chicken, beef-like in the mainland.
Restaurants on Co To Island are mainly located in the town area, on Love Beach (the beach next to the harbor). Restaurants on Hong Van and Van Chay beaches serve BBQ, Gala, Restaurants at hotels.
We recommend some restaurants for your reference:
- Uy Thanh Restaurant, a long-standing and famous restaurant in Co To Town. Address 33, Le Quy Don street, Area 3, Co To Town.
- Sao Bien restaurant, near the jetty Ngoc Quynh Restaurant (Van Chay beach) – 0914201580
- A row of restaurants along the beach near Co To wharf Hai Au restaurant: zone 3, Co To Town – 0918 848 890
- Co Nghia restaurant (breakfast), area 3 of Co To Town.
Coffee shop, the bar on Co To Island
To Island does not have as many options for bars or cafes as in the mainland. You have a few choices about the restaurant as follows:
Tea world: teas and fruit juices are pretty diverse. You find tea quite ordinary in the city because it is available everywhere, but when you go to the Island, you find such a tea shop in the middle of the sun, it is worth it. There are about three tea shops; The Gioi Tea shop is the best, the rest is standard.
Cafe has a few shops dotted around Town, but of course, it's nothing special.
Golden Pub: the pub of the owner of the Golden Co To the hotel, a small space is serving beer, all kinds of drinks, with a DJ Santorini Bar & Cafe at Love beach, the beach bar is unique. One side is DJ music; one side is sea waves, calm wind. In the afternoon, you can also come here to sit and enjoy a cafe.
Tour schedule to visit Co To Island
- Tour schedule 2 days one night
- Day 1: Hanoi - Tuan Chau - Co To - Co To Lighthouse - Hong Van Beach
06:00 Departure from Hanoi to Ha Long
08:45 Arrive at Tuan Chau International Cruise Port, prepare to board Tuan Chau Express to Co To Island
11:00 Arrive at Co To Island, have lunch, and check-in hotel
03:00 Visit Co To Lighthouse then go to Hong Van beach, swim, participate in entertainment games and team building games
06:30 Enjoy Dinner on the beach, organize Gala shows
08:30 Back to the town center, go to the night market, free to play
- Day 2: Dragon's Stone Beach - Co To Market - Tuan Chau - Hanoi
06:30 Sunrise on Love Beach
07:30 Visit Mong Rong rock beach (Cau My rock beach), then go to the Au Tau area to take pictures and check-in.
09:00 Visit Co To market, buy seafood as a gift or sit at a coffee shop watching Co To the beach, free to explore Co To Town
11:30 Have lunch at a restaurant in Town
13:30 Boarding speedboat back to Tuan Chau Port
16:00 Arrive at Tuan Chau Port, get on the bus to Hanoi
18:30 Arrive in Hanoi
- Tour schedule 3 days two nights
- Day 1: Hanoi - Tuan Chau - Co To - Co To Lighthouse - Hong Van Beach
06:00 Departure from Hanoi to Ha Long
08:45 Arrive at Tuan Chau International Cruise Port, prepare to board Tuan Chau Express to Co To Island
11:00 Arrive at Co To Island, have lunch, and check-in hotel
03:00 Visit Co To Lighthouse, then go to Van Chay beach, swim, participate in entertainment games and team building games
06:30 Enjoy Dinner on the beach, organize Gala shows
08:30 Back to the town center, go to the night market, free to play
- Day 2: Little Co To Island – Love Beach – Co To Town
07:30 Go to Hong Van beach and board the boat to Co To Island
08:00 Free time to explore, swim and play on the shores of Co To Island
11:30 Lunch on Little Co To Island
02:30 The boat takes you back to Hong Van beach; rest and have fun
04:00 Back to Town, free to explore, walk Love Road, beach, jetty, Co To Church
07:00 Dinner at a restaurant in Town
- Day 3: Dragon's Stone Beach - Co To Market - Tuan Chau - Hanoi
06:30 Sunrise on Love Beach
07:30 Visit Mong Rong rock beach (Cau My rock beach), then go to the Au Tau area to take pictures and check-in.
09:00 Visit Co To market, buy seafood as a gift or sit at a coffee shop watching Co To the beach, free to explore Co To Town
11:30 Have lunch at a restaurant in Town
13:30 Boarding speedboat back to Tuan Chau Port
16:00 Arrive at Tuan Chau Port, get on the bus to Hanoi
18:30 Arrive in Hanoi
Co To travel expenses
- Travel expenses
Limousine Hanoi - Tuan Chau: 200.000 - 250.000 VND (~8,71 - 10,89 USD)/person/1 way
Tuan Chau Express high-speed train: 390.000 VND (~16,99 USD)/person/1 way Tram/Motorcycle traveling on the Island: 250.000 VND (~10,89 USD)/person
Boat to Co To the child: 500.000 – VND 700.000 VND (~21,78 - 30,49 USD)/boat
- Hotel expenses
3-star hotel: 350.000 VND (~15,24 USD)/person/night
2-star hotel: 250.000 VND (~10,89 USD)/person/night
Bungalow: 500.000 VND (~21,78 USD)/person/night
Food cost 150.000 VND (~6,53 USD)/ person/ 1 main meal
The cost of admission tickets to most of the attractions is free.
So, it will cost you from 2.000.000 VND (~87,11 USD) to 2.500.000 VND (~108,89 USD)/person for a two-day one night visit to Co To Island.
With the information about Co To Island tourism for self-sufficient travelers in this article, Top Ten Reviews hopes you have enough information to plan a trip to this summer island.
