Quang Ninh (VNA) – Van Chay beach onthe Co To resort island has been verified as meeting the requirements for atourist beach, according to Tran Nhu Long, Chairman of the island district’sPeople’s Committee in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

The recognition was issued by the provincialPeople’s Committee and will be valid for five years from the date of issuance.

This is part of the province’s efforts tostandardise and improve the quality of local beaches to better serve tourists.

To be eligible for the status, the beach mustsatisfy a set of requirements regarding the quality of sand, transportinfrastructure leading to the beach, supply of electricity and fresh water,safety signs, and rescue forces.

Quang Ninh now has many eligible touristbeaches, including five in Ha Long city. The best among them are the 200,000sq.mbeach in Ha Long Ocean Park in Ha Long City, and the 15,000sq.m Luong NgocBeach in Cam Pha city.

Co To, a popular tourist destination off thecoast of Quang Ninh, is renowned for its pristine beaches and abundant fresh,diverse seafood. The island, dubbed the “green pearl”, is one of the farthestinhabited islands, located 80km from the mainland. From Cai Rong port in VanDon, travellers can take high-speed boat trips that take just an hour and ahalf.

The island district is comprised of Co To Lon(large Co To) island, Co To Be (small Co To) island, and 15 islets.

Its attractions include its turquoise sea andtranquil beaches, along with a tropical forest eco-system almost in its primaryconditions.

Large stretches of untouched, white sandy beaches are a key feature on HongVan, Van Chay, Co To Be, and Thanh Lan islands, where the best beaches of Co Toare found.

Thanks to such spectacular nature, the islanddistrict has been experiencing soaring tourism development. Statistics showthat the number of tourists to Co To has surged in recent years. In 2013, thedistrict welcomed some 56,000 visitors, with the figure going on to double inthe following years.

Last year, the island served 320,000 tourists.During peak holiday months, Co To can welcome some 7,000-10,000 tourists perday.

Recently, a master plan for the socio-economicdevelopment of Co To towards 2020 was approved, aiming to make the islanddistrict a national-level eco-tourism and resort area. This would place ittogether with the high-end sea and island eco-tourism area of Van Don, and becomea key destination on the popular Cat Ba-Ha Long-Van Don-Co To-Mong Cai-Tra Cotour with diverse tourism products, including sports and entertainment centres.

A plan for tourism development for 2020 with a vision to 2030 has also beenapproved, along with an action programme to make tourism a spearhead sector ofthe district. –VNA