Vietnam Lifts Travel Restrictions on Foreign Visitors to Co To Island

Pack your bags: Quang Ninh province officials recently lifted travel restrictions for foreigners visiting Co To Island.

One of Vietnam’s best-kept travel secrets, the northern island’s location was previously considered an “important strategic position” due to its proximity to the Chinese border. As a result, foreign travelers had to request permission from local authorities in order to visit Co To.

Video via YouTube user Phan Vu.

However, according to VnExpress, this special permission is no longer required. Quang Ninh provincial officials recently deemed Co To an official “tourist attraction” which, by government decree, means both foreign and domestic tourists must be granted access to the area without additional paperwork.

If past tourism numbers are any indication, the island will see a rise in visitors at least in part thanks to its new status. Even with the previous foreign visitor restrictions, Co To saw 56,000 tourists in 2013 and a whopping 100,000 in 2014, nearly doubling its annual tourism revenue in a single year.