Vietnam Unveils Bold Green Island Vision for Con Dao with Mangrove Restoration, Coral Protection and Sustainable Tourism Development

Vietnam is advancing its sustainable tourism ambitions through an extensive environmental conservation programme on Con Dao, where authorities are expanding green spaces, restoring marine ecosystems and introducing environmentally responsible practices at historic and spiritual attractions. The island, now administered as a special zone of Ho Chi Minh City, is being developed under a long-term vision centred on a green, smart and liveable destination. Following the approval of Ho Chi Minh City’s 2025–2050 master plan by the municipal People’s Council on 30 October 2026, Con Dao has gained greater prominence in plans for ecological tourism, heritage preservation, low-emission infrastructure and responsible visitor development. hdnd.hochiminhcity.gov.vn+1

The transformation reflects Vietnam’s growing emphasis on protecting natural resources while developing high-quality tourism experiences. Con Dao, an island group off the country’s southern coast, combines tropical forests, coral reefs, mangroves, marine wildlife and historically significant sites.

The destination has traditionally attracted visitors seeking coastal relaxation, nature-based activities and opportunities to pay tribute to those who died during Vietnam’s struggles for independence and national reunification.

However, increasing tourism demand has also created environmental pressures. Waste management, freshwater availability, energy supply and the protection of marine habitats have become important considerations for the island’s future.

Local authorities and conservation organisations are responding through practical initiatives, including environmentally friendly ceremonial offerings, mangrove restoration, coral rehabilitation, marine waste collection and biodiversity protection.

The objective is to preserve Con Dao’s natural and historical character while supporting an economy increasingly connected to ecological tourism.

Con Dao Green Tourism Development Gains Importance Under Ho Chi Minh City’s Long-Term Plan

Con Dao’s development is receiving greater attention following the adoption of Ho Chi Minh City’s long-term master plan.

On 30 October 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council approved the city’s overall planning framework for 2025–2050, incorporating a strategic vision extending over the following century.

The planning framework identifies Con Dao as one of five satellite centres within the city’s wider development structure.

Its future development is oriented towards ecological tourism, historical and cultural heritage, nature conservation, scientific research and sustainable economic activity.

The approach recognises that island environments require different development models from large urban centres.

Con Dao’s limited land area, freshwater resources and waste-processing capacity create challenges that are not directly comparable with those facing mainland destinations.

The city’s planning authorities have also emphasised the protection of Con Dao National Park as part of a wider green and blue ecological network.

Under this approach, urban development and tourism activities must respect the environmental carrying capacity of sensitive ecosystems.

Importantly, approval by the People’s Council forms part of the planning process. The city’s official announcement stated that the master plan would subsequently require approval by the chairman of the municipal People’s Committee.

The framework therefore establishes a major policy direction rather than confirming the completion of every proposed infrastructure and conservation project.

For the tourism industry, the implications are significant. Future investment must increasingly consider environmental protection alongside accommodation, transport and visitor facilities. hdnd.hochiminhcity.gov.vn+1

Con Dao Welcomes Hundreds of Thousands of Visitors While Protecting Its Natural Identity

Con Dao has developed into an important destination for domestic and international travellers interested in nature, history and coastal tourism.

The island has welcomed approximately 500,000 to 600,000 visitors annually in recent years, according to the reporting supplied on its development.

Historical government planning data recorded 523,515 tourist arrivals in 2022, demonstrating that visitor demand had already reached substantial levels before the latest conservation initiatives.

The island’s appeal differs from that of large commercial resort destinations.

Its landscape includes forested hills, beaches, surrounding islands and marine environments that support diverse wildlife.

Visitors also travel to historical memorials, cemeteries and former prison sites associated with Vietnam’s national history.

This combination creates a tourism economy closely linked to both environmental and cultural preservation.

Growing visitor numbers can support hotels, restaurants, transport operators, guides and other local enterprises.

At the same time, additional activity increases demand for freshwater, electricity, accommodation, transport and waste management.

The environmental challenge is particularly important because islands have limited physical resources and more complicated supply arrangements than mainland cities.

For Con Dao, maintaining the natural conditions that attract tourists is therefore a central economic consideration rather than simply an environmental objective.

The island’s long-term plans seek to balance tourism development with the protection of forests, beaches, heritage sites and marine ecosystems. quyhoach.xaydung.gov.vn

Con Dao Introduces Greener Cultural Tourism Through Environmentally Friendly Offerings

One of Con Dao’s most distinctive sustainability initiatives concerns the way visitors pay tribute at historical memorial sites.

Hang Duong Cemetery, Hang Keo Cemetery and other commemorative locations attract large numbers of people seeking to honour those who died during Vietnam’s history of conflict and imprisonment.

Traditional memorial activities have involved incense, flowers and ceremonial offerings.

However, the use of disposable decorations, plastic containers, foam materials and votive paper created concerns about waste and air pollution.

Earlier local reporting indicated that approximately 1,500 sets of votive paper offerings were being burned daily at historical sites before stronger restrictions were introduced.

Authorities recognised the need to preserve the dignity of memorial practices while reducing their environmental impact.

The response was an initiative known as the Green Offering Basket.

Rather than using disposable synthetic materials, the programme encourages offerings prepared with environmentally friendly alternatives.

Wood, bamboo, woven reeds, water hyacinth and natural plant materials can replace plastic trays, polystyrene and other non-biodegradable products.

Flowers may be arranged on young banana stems, while drinking water can be presented in paper cups or other suitable alternatives.

The initiative demonstrates how environmental protection can be incorporated into culturally significant activities without removing their commemorative purpose.

For visitors, it also provides a practical example of how small changes in behaviour can reduce pollution at heavily visited heritage destinations.

Green Offering Basket Initiative Becomes a Daily Practice Across Con Dao

The Green Offering Basket programme has developed through several implementation stages.

Initial awareness campaigns encouraged residents, visitors and businesses to reduce the use of votive paper and disposable plastic products at historic sites.

During 2024, Con Dao introduced designated Green Offering Basket days to help visitors become familiar with the new approach.

The programme subsequently expanded to selected weeks each month.

From 1 January 2025, the initiative entered a year-round implementation stage at designated historical sites.

The shift marked an important change in the management of memorial tourism.

Visitors were encouraged to avoid burning votive paper and use offerings made from environmentally responsible materials.

Official local tourism information also specified that offering baskets should be compact and respectful, with dimensions generally not exceeding 50 centimetres in height, length or width.

The programme’s early results were encouraging.

Figures published through Con Dao’s official tourism information service show that Hang Duong Cemetery received 27,663 visits during the first 11 weeks of the Saturday Green Offering Basket campaign, between 6 July and 14 September 2024.

During that period, 10,642 ceremonial baskets and floral offerings were recorded.

Of these, 10,470 met the programme’s environmental criteria, representing 98.38% of recorded offerings.

This was a historical compliance measure for a specific period, not a claim that every subsequent offering on Con Dao has met the same standard.

The figures nevertheless demonstrate how quickly a targeted environmental campaign can influence visitor behaviour.

The local programme also involved communication with traders and residents, recognising that changes to traditional offering practices affect businesses selling ceremonial products. condao.com.vn+1

Reducing Plastic Waste and Smoke Helps Protect Con Dao’s Historic Memorial Sites

The environmental benefits of the Green Offering Basket programme extend beyond the appearance of ceremonial offerings.

Burning large quantities of votive paper produces smoke and ash, while disposable decorations create waste that requires collection and treatment.

At heavily visited memorial sites, these activities can place pressure on local cleaning services and surrounding environments.

By discouraging votive paper burning and replacing disposable materials, Con Dao is attempting to reduce these impacts.

The programme also provides an example of sustainable heritage tourism.

Historical and spiritual destinations must protect their cultural significance while addressing the environmental consequences of visitor activity.

In Con Dao, the changes are particularly sensitive because memorial visits are deeply connected with remembrance and national history.

Authorities have therefore sought to introduce environmentally responsible alternatives rather than remove the underlying traditions.

For local businesses, the transition has created a need to adjust products and materials.

Traders who previously sold conventional ceremonial offerings must increasingly consider biodegradable or reusable alternatives.

The initiative illustrates that sustainable tourism often depends on changes across the visitor economy, including suppliers, small retailers and local services.

Environmental protection becomes more effective when it is incorporated into everyday business practices rather than confined to occasional clean-up campaigns.

Con Dao National Park Expands Mangrove Conservation Across Its Islands

Con Dao National Park plays a central role in protecting the archipelago’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

For nearly two decades, the park has undertaken programmes to conserve, restore and expand forest habitats.

Mangrove restoration has been a particular priority.

According to the supplied November 2026 report, conservation work began around 2008–2009 with planting activities on Hon Ba Island.

Restoration subsequently expanded to Duong Beach on Bay Canh Island.

The report attributes nearly 10 hectares of cumulative mangrove planting to these two areas.

Mangrove forests provide important ecological functions.

Their roots create sheltered habitats for marine organisms and support breeding and nursery areas for fish and other species.

They also connect coastal land environments with surrounding shallow marine ecosystems.

The development of healthy mangrove habitats can therefore support wider biodiversity conservation.

National park conservation work is particularly important because Con Dao’s tourism appeal depends heavily on the quality of its natural surroundings.

Mangroves also contribute to the ecological diversity that makes the island suitable for environmental education and nature-based tourism.

However, the area planted should not automatically be interpreted as the same area of fully established, surviving forest. Long-term monitoring is needed to assess restoration success.

For Con Dao, protecting existing mangrove habitats remains as important as expanding planting activities.

Coral Reef Restoration Becomes a Major Focus of Con Dao’s Marine Conservation Efforts

Coral reef conservation is another important component of Con Dao’s environmental development programme.

The island’s surrounding waters support coral communities that provide habitats for fish and other marine organisms.

These ecosystems also contribute to the destination’s appeal for nature-based tourism, including snorkelling and diving.

According to the conservation programme described in the November 2026 report, Con Dao National Park is developing a coral nursery involving 10,000 coral cuttings.

The project is intended to cultivate coral fragments before using suitable specimens for restoration at Ong Dung Beach and Dat Tham Beach.

The figure represents the planned scale of the nursery, not a confirmed total of successfully transplanted or surviving corals.

Coral restoration requires careful monitoring because survival depends on water quality, environmental conditions, handling and the suitability of planting locations.

The nursery represents an attempt to strengthen reef rehabilitation while supporting the wider protection of marine biodiversity.

For tourism, healthy reefs are important because they provide underwater experiences that attract visitors interested in marine ecosystems.

However, restoration cannot replace the need to prevent pollution, damaging visitor activities and other pressures on existing reefs.

The conservation programme therefore forms part of a broader approach involving marine habitat monitoring, waste removal and environmental management.

Marine Waste Collection Protects Coral Reefs and Coastal Habitats

Con Dao National Park has also undertaken operations to remove waste from sensitive marine environments.

An officially published August 2024 conservation update documented clean-up activities around Bay Canh, Hon Cau and Hon Ba.

The waste included fishing nets, ropes, packaging materials and other discarded equipment trapped among coral reefs, underwater vegetation and mangrove roots.

Such debris can damage marine habitats and create hazards for wildlife.

Removing submerged waste is more complicated than cleaning beaches because materials can become entangled in living ecosystems.

Conservation teams must therefore balance waste removal with the risk of disturbing coral and other marine organisms.

The park’s work demonstrates that protecting an island destination requires action both above and below the water.

Beaches may appear clean while submerged environments continue to contain significant quantities of discarded material.

For Con Dao’s tourism industry, marine waste management is directly relevant to the quality of coastal and underwater experiences.

It also reinforces the importance of preventing new waste from entering the sea.

The national park’s work shows that sustainable tourism depends not only on maintaining attractive landscapes but also on protecting the ecological systems beneath them. condao.com.vn

Sea Turtle Conservation Strengthens Con Dao’s Position as an Ecotourism Destination

Sea turtle protection is one of the most established conservation activities associated with Con Dao National Park.

The archipelago contains important nesting beaches where sea turtles return to lay eggs.

Park authorities undertake monitoring, nest protection, egg relocation where necessary and controlled hatchling releases.

An official conservation update published in May 2026 reported that more than 5,600 sea turtle hatchlings had been released into the sea during a monitoring period covering December 2025 to March 2026.

The same update recorded the rescue and relocation of 64 nests containing 5,687 eggs, alongside 108 nests that hatched during the reporting period.

These figures demonstrate continuing conservation activity rather than the total number of turtles protected during the entire year.

Sea turtle conservation also creates opportunities for carefully managed visitor education.

However, nesting beaches are sensitive environments. Uncontrolled access, artificial lighting, noise and physical disturbance can interfere with wildlife.

Con Dao National Park therefore applies specific conditions to authorised turtle-watching experiences.

Official visitor rules provide for group-size restrictions, supervised activities and designated viewing periods.

These measures illustrate the relationship between ecotourism and conservation.

Wildlife experiences can help visitors understand environmental protection, but tourism must be managed around the needs of the animals rather than the convenience of visitors. condao.com.vn+1

Vietnam’s Green Island Vision Places Environmental Limits on Tourism Development

Con Dao’s future development is increasingly being discussed in terms of environmental carrying capacity.

This principle refers to the level of activity an ecosystem and its supporting infrastructure can accommodate without unacceptable damage.

For an island destination, the issue extends beyond the number of hotel rooms or visitors.

Freshwater supplies, electricity generation, waste treatment, transport systems, coastal habitats and protected forests all influence development capacity.

The November 2026 report highlights concerns that conventional urban expansion or unrestricted mass tourism could place excessive pressure on Con Dao’s resources.

It also describes increasing construction activity in the island’s central area.

Although Con Dao has retained much of its natural character, further development will require careful decisions about land use and infrastructure.

Ho Chi Minh City’s long-term planning framework responds to these concerns by placing ecological protection within the wider development model.

The authorities are seeking a destination that combines economic opportunities with responsible resource management.

This does not mean tourism development will stop.

Instead, the intended approach gives greater importance to the type, location and environmental impact of new investment.

High-quality accommodation, ecological experiences and cultural tourism can form part of that model, provided development remains compatible with conservation objectives.

Green Infrastructure and Clean Energy Form Part of Con Dao’s Long-Term Ambitions

The planned transformation of Con Dao also involves infrastructure.

The city’s development vision emphasises green facilities, cleaner energy and reduced environmental impacts.

These priorities are important because islands face particular challenges in supplying essential services.

Electricity, freshwater, transport and waste collection must operate reliably despite geographical isolation and limited available land.

Additional tourism development can increase demand across all these systems.

For example, accommodation expansion may require greater water consumption and electricity supply.

More visitors can also generate additional solid waste and wastewater.

Sustainable infrastructure therefore needs to be planned alongside tourism capacity rather than introduced only after demand increases.

Cleaner energy and improved resource efficiency could reduce some environmental pressures, although the specific results will depend on the projects implemented.

Similarly, digital management and monitoring could help authorities understand visitor activity and resource use.

The green and smart island concept is therefore broader than tree planting or environmental campaigns.

It involves integrating conservation into transport, utilities, tourism investment and the everyday management of the destination.

These remain long-term development priorities, and individual projects should be assessed against their confirmed implementation status.

Why This Matters

Con Dao’s environmental initiatives illustrate how Vietnam is seeking to link tourism development with the protection of natural and historical resources.

The Green Offering Basket programme demonstrates that traditional visitor activities can be adapted to reduce waste and pollution.

Mangrove restoration and coral conservation address the condition of ecosystems that support marine biodiversity.

Sea turtle protection shows how wildlife tourism can operate under conservation-based restrictions.

Meanwhile, the 2025–2050 planning framework gives environmental protection a more prominent role in long-term decisions about infrastructure and economic growth.

For travellers, the significance lies in the type of experience Con Dao is seeking to maintain.

The island’s natural landscapes, historical sites and marine ecosystems are central to its identity.

For local businesses, sustainable tourism may create opportunities in accommodation, guiding, transport and visitor services, but future growth must remain compatible with available resources.

The challenge is ensuring that environmental commitments produce measurable conservation outcomes while supporting the people who live and work on the island.

Con Dao’s approach is especially relevant to other island destinations facing similar pressures from visitor demand and infrastructure expansion.

What Travellers Should Know

Visitors planning a holiday to Con Dao should expect environmental protection to play an increasingly important role in tourism activities.

The island remains a destination for coastal holidays, historical visits and nature experiences, but certain sites and activities operate under conservation requirements.

Before Booking

Travellers should confirm transport arrangements and accommodation availability before visiting, particularly when planning activities that require specialised operators or access to protected areas.

Those visiting Hang Duong Cemetery and other memorial sites should follow the Green Offering Basket requirements, avoid votive paper burning and use environmentally responsible ceremonial materials.

Visitors participating in marine activities should follow national park guidance and avoid disturbing coral, sea turtles and other wildlife.

Official turtle-watching arrangements published by Con Dao National Park include limits of 50 overnight participants per authorised location, divided into smaller groups, with specific viewing and hatchling-release periods.

These arrangements should be reconfirmed when booking because participation depends on permitted access, operational conditions and wildlife activity.

Travellers are also required to avoid littering and disposable plastic products during designated national park experiences.

Environmental rules are not simply visitor preferences. They form part of efforts to protect the habitats that make Con Dao attractive for nature tourism.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Vietnam planning for Con Dao’s tourism development?

Vietnam is directing Con Dao towards a green, smart and liveable island model, with emphasis on ecotourism, heritage preservation, marine conservation, green infrastructure and responsible development.

How is Con Dao reducing pollution at historical sites?

The island has introduced the Green Offering Basket programme, promoting biodegradable or reusable ceremonial materials and restricting votive paper burning at memorial locations.

What environmental restoration projects are taking place?

Con Dao’s conservation work includes mangrove restoration, coral reef rehabilitation, marine waste removal, biodiversity monitoring and sea turtle protection. A coral nursery involving 10,000 cuttings is among the projects described in the November 2026 report.

Why is Con Dao National Park important for tourism?

The park protects forest and marine ecosystems, including mangroves, coral reefs and sea turtle nesting habitats. These natural resources support the island’s biodiversity and carefully managed ecological tourism experiences.

Will Con Dao allow unrestricted tourism expansion?

The city’s long-term planning direction emphasises development within environmental carrying capacity. This means future tourism growth should take account of infrastructure limitations and the condition of protected ecosystems. It does not establish a single confirmed island-wide visitor cap.

Con Dao’s Green Transformation Creates a New Direction for Vietnam’s Island Tourism

Con Dao’s conservation initiatives are reshaping the relationship between tourism, heritage and environmental protection.

The island is moving towards a development model in which its natural landscapes and historical importance are treated as assets requiring long-term protection.

The transition is already visible in practical activities.

Environmentally friendly ceremonial offerings are changing visitor behaviour at memorial sites. Mangrove restoration is supporting coastal habitats, while coral rehabilitation and marine waste removal are addressing pressures beneath the sea.

Sea turtle conservation remains another important example of how carefully managed tourism can exist alongside wildlife protection.

The Ho Chi Minh City planning framework approved by the municipal People’s Council in October 2026 establishes a wider direction for this work, identifying Con Dao as a satellite centre with a distinct ecological and heritage role.

The next challenge will be turning planning commitments into effective management, infrastructure investment and measurable environmental improvements.

For Vietnam’s tourism industry, Con Dao represents an important example of how an established island destination can seek economic development without placing visitor growth above the preservation of its natural identity.

Its long-term success will depend on maintaining that balance as tourism demand, investment and infrastructure requirements evolve.

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