Travel ban imposed on two islands in Khánh Hòa Province to ensure security of military base

Bình Ba island, near Cam Ranh City, in the south-central province of Khánh Hoà. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo

KHÁNH HOÀ — Tourists and tourist activities will no longer be allowed on Bình Ba Island and Hòn Chút islet of Bình Hưng Island, in the south-central coastal city of Cam Ranh, to ensure the safety and security of the Cam Ranh military base, according to a notice from the local government.

In a document issued on Friday, Cam Ranh City People’s Committee asked travel agencies to remove and delete all posts advertising the sale of tours and travel activities on the two islands.

The document was also addressed to the Department of Tourism, the Department of Information, the Nha Trang-Khánh Hoà Tourism Association, and the Khánh Hoà Province Tourism Promotion Information Centre, to ensure that no tours or travel would be available to these two islands.

According to the Cam Ranh People’s Committee, a Government order issued on September 22, 2015, clearly stated that no development of tourism and travel would be allowed on the Bình Ba and Hòn Chút islands to ensure the safety and security of the Cam Ranh military base.

Projects in Khánh Hoà and Ninh Thuận provinces that are related to Cam Ranh military base area must have the opinion of the Ministry of National Defence before submitting to the Government for approval.

In recent years, the two islands’ beautiful landscapes, as well as cheap seafood, have made them a big attraction to tourists and travel tours are publicly available. New hotels have popped up while many residents in the traditional fishing occupation have switched to tourism and accommodation-related jobs. — VnExpress News