Known for its crystal-clear waters, dramatic rock formations and peaceful fishing village atmosphere, Nhon Chau commune has become an increasingly popular destination in recent years.
The surge in visitor numbers has encouraged many residents, once dependent solely on fishing, to turn to tourism-related services ranging from accommodation and transportation to food and recreational activities.
According to the Nhon Chau Commune People’s Committee, the island is expected to welcome about 35,000 visitors during 2024-2025, generating nearly 38.8 billion VND (about US$1.49 million) in tourism revenue and creating jobs for more than 560 workers. Tourism is gradually emerging as a new economic pillar alongside traditional fishing and aquaculture.
Yet rapid growth has also exposed challenges. Reaching the island remains difficult, particularly during rough weather. Strong winds and waves can delay docking, highlighting transportation constraints that continue to affect tourism development.
Despite these obstacles, Cu Lao Xanh’s appeal remains strong. Visitors are drawn to landmarks including the century-old lighthouse, Giếng Tiên, Bàn Cờ Tiên and a series of pristine beaches such as Bãi Nhỏ, Bãi Nam and Bãi Bổn, where much of the island’s natural beauty remains untouched.
At Gala Beach, one of the island’s growing tourism hotspots, business owner Nguyễn Thị Thùy Dương said demand has outpaced available services. Her facility recently welcomed more than 100 guests in a single day arriving on three speedboat trips.
“Visitors love being close to nature, lighting campfires and sleeping in tents to the sound of the waves,” Dương said. “But after the storm at the end of last November, all the beach huts were swept away. This summer, there are so many tourists, but we cannot accommodate more because we lack speedboats, shuttle vehicles and accommodation”.
Her experience reflects the broader limitations facing tourism operators on the island, where most businesses remain small family-run enterprises struggling to keep pace with rising demand.
To support economic development, local authorities have allowed residents to lease beachfront areas for tourism projects. However, limited capital and a lack of professional management mean many operators still rely heavily on partnerships with travel companies to attract visitors.
Hồ Nhật Duy, Vice Chairman of the Nhon Chau Commune People’s Committee, said the island currently has 12 accommodation facilities capable of hosting between 270 and 300 guests.
“This capacity mainly serves pre-booked tour groups, while independent travelers still face difficulties finding food and lodging on the island,” he said.
The tourism boom is also changing daily life across the fishing community.
Where residents once focused almost entirely on fishing activities, many now operate homestays, food stalls and tourism services. Women who previously helped support fishing operations are earning additional income by selling seafood, beverages and local specialties to visitors.
Lê Thị Phượng, a resident of Tây hamlet, said her family no longer relies exclusively on fishing. Alongside selling seaweed, dried squid and dried fish, her two sons have transitioned from fishing to operating tourist speedboats, earning around 12 million VND (about US$460) per month each.
“On busy days, I can make several million dong; on slow days, a few hundred thousand. Having this extra income means we are no longer entirely dependent on the sea”, she said.
In Trung hamlet, resident Ngô Thị Cúc has expanded her household income through tourism-related activities. In addition to selling groceries and dried seafood, she cooks for tour groups, while her husband now offers night squid-fishing experiences to visitors.
From June 15, the Quy Nhơn-Cù Lao Xanh inland waterway route officially operates at Mũi Tấn Wharf (Quy Nhơn Ward), helping to separate tourism activities from the fishing port area and improve service quality and the destination’s image.
The province is also accelerating investment and upgrading infrastructure to effectively tap Nhơn Châu’s tourism potential. As the island serves both military and civilian purposes and only welcomes Vietnamese visitors, strict checks are enforced on passengers, vehicles, and safety equipment.
According to Provincial People’s Committee Chairman Phạm Anh Tuấn, putting Mũi Tấn Wharf into operation is an important step in building a professional, modern image for local tourism.
Local cuisine has also become part of the island’s tourism appeal. Nguyễn Thị Năm, known for her squid pancakes, said demand has risen sharply as visitor numbers increase.
“I used to sell only to neighbors. Now, with more tourists, orders must be placed in advance,” she said, recalling a recent morning when she prepared more than 100 servings using 4 kilograms of rice, 6 kilograms of squid and 4 kilograms of shrimp.
Local authorities view tourism as a long-term development strategy. Dương Hiệp Hưng, Chairman of the Nhon Chau Commune People’s Committee, said transforming the island into a distinctive tourism destination is a key objective identified during the commune’s first Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term.
Under the plan, Nhon Chau aims to develop high-quality eco-tourism and community-based tourism built around its natural landscapes, marine environment and fishing village culture.
Future tourism routes are expected to connect beaches including Bãi Nhỏ, Bãi Bổn, Gala Beach, Bãi Nam, Bãi Đông and Thảo Nguyên Xanh rocky beach, as well as scenic sites such as Vũng Tròn and Hòn Két Cape. Additional routes on the eastern side of the island will link the lighthouse, Youth Flagpole, Bàn Cờ Tiên, Giếng Tiên and sunrise viewing points.
Local leaders say preserving the island’s defining assets will be critical as tourism expands. Clear waters, coral reefs, the quiet rhythm of fishing village life and the hospitality of local residents remain at the heart of Cu Lao Xanh’s appeal.
For Nhon Chau, tourism is not simply about attracting more visitors. It is increasingly becoming a community-wide effort to create new livelihoods while safeguarding the island’s marine and coastal resources for future generations.
As speedboats carry visitors back to the mainland each day, fishermen continue to head out to sea. Alongside those traditional routines, the island is embracing a new season, one driven by travelers eager to discover one of Vietnam’s emerging island destinations.