In recent years, Côn Đảo has become one of the most popular destinations in southern Vietnam. The island now welcomes around 2,000–3,000 visitors per day. While this surge brings positive economic benefits, it also poses significant challenges to the island’s ecosystem, environment, infrastructure, and quality of life for local residents.
Rising Visitor Numbers and Emerging Impacts
Many travelers report overcrowding at major attractions, especially at the historic prison sites and coastal areas. Upon arriving at Bến Đầm Port, visitors often find themselves in long queues for transportation to the town center. The peaceful atmosphere once characteristic of Côn Đảo is gradually being disrupted by the sheer number of tourists.
According to the Management Board of Côn Đảo National Tourism Area, the island received more than 210,000 visitors in the first half of the year—an increase of nearly 38% compared to the same period last year. The rapid growth has affected daily life. Water pressure drops significantly between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., creating difficulties for many households. Electricity consumption has also surged by 25–30%, leading to periodic rotating outages.
Waste management is another pressing issue. Côn Đảo now generates over 22 tons of household waste per day, 7–8 tons more than in previous years. However, the island’s small incinerator can only handle about 5 tons per day, causing waste to accumulate and threatening the local environment.
Additionally, a rise in irresponsible tourist behavior—such as occupying beaches for drinking parties, camping overnight in public spaces, littering, and even theft—has raised concerns about security and community safety.
Infrastructure Under Increasing Pressure
At present, five high-speed ferries connect Côn Đảo with Vũng Tàu and Trần Đề (Sóc Trăng), while daily flights bring another 800–1,000 passengers. In total, over 3,000 visitors arrive each day, yet the island only has about 1,200 hotel rooms with a maximum capacity of roughly 3,000 guests per night.
Although room shortages mainly occur during peak periods such as holidays and summer months, continued growth raises the real possibility of accommodation overload.
Bến Đầm Port—Côn Đảo’s main maritime gateway—is currently operating at full capacity while undergoing upgrades. Local authorities have proposed temporarily halting the approval of new passenger vessels until infrastructure improvements are completed. They have also recommended accelerating the launch of the new Côn Sơn Passenger Port to help ease congestion.
Water Shortages and Environmental Concerns
Local leaders warn that the island’s freshwater supply can only support about 2,000 visitors per day in addition to local residents. If tourist numbers continue to exceed this level, Côn Đảo may soon face water shortages.
To address this, the district is pushing for the construction of a new water treatment plant with a capacity of 3,000 m³ per day. Efforts are also underway to upgrade wastewater and solid-waste treatment systems and promote responsible tourism practices to safeguard the island’s fragile ecosystem.
