Located close to the mainland, the small island of Con Co off Quang Tri Province has a long and interesting history of its own.
To describe the island from offshore, it looks like a plump pearl emerging amidst the ocean. Experts consider the island's geology, biology and scenery as a museum of diverse nature.
The evergreen island is 80% natural forest and that primeval forest despite the passage of time still remains in pristine condition. The island was formed by a volcano and the remaining vestiges are giant basalt rocks in weird shapes and many stunning and pristine beaches, making the island more charming and splendid.
The flora system on the island is diverse with a lot of giant trees with trunks measuring some 15 to 20 feet long.
Some of the trees are unique to islands, such as the stripped-trunk variety like dau mau, sam cau or nhau nhau and many kinds of wild potatoes with huge leaves.
The island is also home to enriched marine life with 113 coral, 57 seaweed, 19 crustaceans, 224 saltwater fish and 164 flora and 68 fauna species, and seafood such as oysters, lobsters, holothurians, crabs and mussels.
Especially, there are two crab species which are able to live on the ground or water and are strictly protected as they are endangered.
The island also has historical relics with a 20-kilometer-long military tunnel, many blockhouses along the beaches and firecracker houses.
People from the mainland came here to settle from the primitive ages with so many soldiers sacrificing themselves for the island.
The local authorities will invest about VND300 billion to develop an infrastructure system on the island to serve local living standards and promote tourism.
If you had gone to the more primitive Con Co several years ago, you would be certainly surprised at the island today. It now not only has heaving rocks, dense primeval forests and barracks but also high buildings, including the headquarters of the district's People's Committee, the police and tax offices, a health center, power and water services as well as television and telecommunications are also available.
However, it has no guest houses or hotels for tourists and other tourism services are still poor. In the next three years local authorities and residents will put great effort into making the island a tourist haven.