Co To Island

Phuotcafe · CC BY-SA 4.0

A frontier archipelago in the north-east with white sand, clear water and a lighthouse looking out to open sea.

More than eighty kilometres of sea from the mainland, Co To keeps what many closer beaches have lost: water clear to the bottom and long stretches of sand that never fill up. Van Chay and Hong Van lay fine sand under casuarina trees, while Cau My in the south is a whole shelf of sediment that the sea has planed into strange banded rock. On the hilltop, the Co To lighthouse sweeps this frontier water every night; climb it late in the afternoon and the scattered islands appear across a red horizon. This is also the only island where Ho Chi Minh allowed a statue of himself to be raised in his lifetime.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Co To Island?

April to June, calmest and clearest water

How long do you need at Co To Island?

2 - 3 days

What are the opening hours of Co To Island?

Year-round

Did you know

The archipelago holds around 50 islands and lies over 80km of sea from the mainland.
It is the only place Ho Chi Minh permitted a statue of himself during his lifetime, in 1961.
Cau My rock beach is known for sediment layers planed into bands by the sea.
The Co To lighthouse crowns a hill overlooking the whole archipelago.

Travel tips

Book the fast ferry from Ao Tien port ahead — summer weekends sell out.
Watch the July–September storm forecast: sailings can be suspended for days.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cô_Tô_Island

Updated: 2026-08-05