Vietnam to ban tourism activities on ‘lobster island’ near Nha Trang

An island off the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa has emerged as a new destination for domestic and international ecotourists, but now islanders and holidaymakers may be upset to know that it is not zoned for tourism development out of national security reasons.

The Vietnamese government will ban all tourism activities on Binh Ba Island, according to a directive by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung that takes effect on November 6.

Binh Ba Island, around 60km from the provincial capital city of Nha Trang, is the largest island in Cam Ranh Bay, home to a military base of the same name.

The island, along with Chut Isle and Hoi Cape, also in Cam Ranh Bay, should be kept tourism-free to ensure security for the Cam Ranh Military base, the premier said in the directive released on September 22.

The developers of all investment projects in Khanh Hoa and the south-central province of Ninh Thuan, whose construction and implementation may be connected to Cam Ranh Bay and the military base, must ask for advisories from the Ministry of National Defense before seeking approval from the government or the prime minister, according to the document.

With sea and island tours becoming trendy in Vietnam, Binh Ba, also known as the “island of lobsters,” has attracted many holidaymakers in recent years.

Tourists will travel to Cam Ranh City and board passenger ships to get to Binh Ba, where they will explore the natural landscapes, clean beaches and fresh lobsters, and stay overnight at the local houses offering homestay service.

Many islanders have thus jumped into the tourist industry by offering homestay, dining and other services to embrace visitors.

A corner of Binh Ba Island. Photo: Tuoi Tre

“The coming ban on tourism development will have adverse impacts on the tourist service providers on Binh Ba,” Nguyen Van Hung, director of a travel firm that operates tours to the island, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Hung said there are no tourism facilities on Chut Isle and Hoi Cape, so Binh Ba will be the only out of the three to be affected by the governmental decision.

Dao Van Hoa, chairman of Cam Ranh City, said the local administration has recommended that people not invest in tourism on Binh Ba Island and in Cam Ranh Bay.

“Khanh Hoa authorities are in charge of licensing projects in these areas, but most of the tourism services on Binh Ba have been offered by islanders without obtaining a license,” Hoa told Tuoi Tre.

The Cam Ranh administration will consider providing support to help Binh Ba islanders switch to other types of business when they are forced to stop serving tourists, once the directive becomes effective, the official added.

Tran Minh Hai, deputy director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Planning and Investment, also said his agency has never licensed any tourism project on Binh Ba.

There are in fact two resort projects under construction on the island, a source with knowledge of the matter told Tuoi Tre on Tuesday.

Hai also said tourists must declare their visits to Binh Ba to local authorities, and they are not allowed to stay overnight there.

But it is common for tourists to spend a night on the island to enjoy the sunrise the following day.

An islander, however, told Tuoi Tre that only Vietnamese nationals are able to do so as foreigners and overseas Vietnamese are prohibited from staying overnight.

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Vietnam to ban tourism activities on ‘lobster island’ near Nha Trang

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