A school of dolphins spotted around Co To island
A pod of 30 dolphins surfacing in the sea approximately 2-3 km off the coast of Co To island was sighted at 12 noon on January 20 by some fishermen.
In mid-December last year, border guards in Co To district recorded a video showing a pod of dolphins swimming in the waters off the island, some six nautical miles from the beach, while they were patrolling the coast.
Apart from dolphins, whales and sea turtles are also often spotted off the island.
Local fishermen discovered a group of dolphins swimming for several hours near the local Nam Hai beach in November, while a rare sea turtle weighing around 20kg made an appearance at Dong beach in August 2022.
In order to build a sustainable green tourism environment, from September 1, 2022, the People's Committee of Co To island district piloted regulations that tourists should not bring plastic bottles, plastic bags, and materials with risks of environmental pollution. Tourists visiting the Co To Island have been subject to a new rule: no plastic bags or single-use plastic items allowed since September 15, 2023.
Administrative bodies, schools, markets, businesses, and fishing vessels within the island district have been prohibited from using plastic bags and disposable plastic items.
To implement this regulation, authorities have set up a checkpoint at Co To Port, where transport operators, passenger trains, tourism services, and accommodations have been required to educate visitors about the new rules and replace plastic items with eco-friendly alternatives.
Dozens of trash bins have been installed at public places, beaches, and markets. Households on the island have been also provided with environmentally friendly bags to reduce the use of plastic.
