Con Dao is now the ninth locality in Vietnam to join the global “Plastic Smart Cities” network initiated by World Wide Fund for Nature and is working toward becoming the country’s first truly plastic-reducing tourist destination.
Building a green tourism culture
After returning from a recent trip to Con Dao, Le Thi Dung from Lam Dong Province said she was advised before boarding the ferry not to bring single-use plastic items to the island. Upon arriving at smaller islands, visitors were also reminded to limit the use of plastic bags and disposable plastic products.
She described the approach as highly civilized, saying that reducing plastic waste is essential to preserving Con Dao’s peaceful atmosphere, pristine environment and rich biodiversity, qualities that few places still retain today.
The “plastic-reduction destination” campaign has been implemented widely across the island. One initiative receiving strong support from visitors is the “Green Offering Basket” model at Hang Duong Cemetery.
Tran Thi Vinh, a tour guide from the Ba Ria–Vung Tau Museum and Library responsible for the Con Dao area, said that religious offerings at the cemetery once generated large amounts of waste, particularly floral foam, plastic bags and votive paper.
Now, environmentally friendly offering baskets are being used, significantly reducing waste and smoke pollution, she said.
At the same time, campaigns to clean the seabed, collect waste in mangrove forests and protect marine conservation areas are regularly organized with the participation of forest rangers, volunteers and local residents.
Public awareness has also gradually improved. Local people have adopted habits such as sorting waste at source and limiting the use of plastic bags in daily life. Many tourists now carry reusable water bottles and cloth bags or refuse single-use plastics during their stay on the island.
These small actions are helping shape a new “green tourism culture” in Con Dao.
Many hotels and accommodation providers have also proactively replaced plastic water bottles with glass bottles and switched to paper straws, paper bags and other environmentally friendly materials.
Residents and visitors join the effort
Long known as a tropical island paradise, Con Dao has also faced mounting pressure from plastic waste. Plastic debris appears not only on beaches but also in mangrove forests and coral reefs, posing direct threats to marine ecosystems.
Mr. Phan Trong Hien, Chairman of the Con Dao Special Zone People’s Committee, said that in March 2022, local authorities and the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam) signed a commitment to implement the “Con Dao – Plastic Reduction Destination” campaign.
To realize this goal, a wide range of activities has been carried out in recent years.
“Plastic Reduction Week” has been organized island-wide with activities including waste-for-gift exchanges, the “Plastic Sea Adventure” exhibition, beach cleanups and coral reef waste collection campaigns.
In schools, the “Plastic-Free School” model has been introduced through extracurricular activities teaching students how to sort waste, recycle used items and reduce single-use plastics.
These sustained efforts have delivered visible results. After just four years, 95 percent of vendors in Con Dao no longer use non-biodegradable plastic bags, while all 145 accommodation establishments on the island have committed to reducing plastic consumption.
The locality has also eliminated 6.7 tons of styrofoam used in services and processed 50 tons of waste locally through recycling programs.
The message “Arrive without plastic — leave with love” has become more than just a slogan displayed at airports, ports and beaches. It is gradually evolving into a new tourism lifestyle.
Guidebooks promoting plastic reduction in Con Dao, along with posters encouraging visitors to avoid single-use plastics, are now commonly placed in hotels, restaurants and resorts to raise awareness from the moment tourists arrive.
According to Chairman Phan Trong Hien, Con Dao aims to ensure that 100 percent of household solid waste is collected and properly treated every year, while all medical waste is handled safely in accordance with regulations.
The locality also targets having 90 percent of households sorting waste at source by 2028 and achieving full participation by 2030.
Con Dao’s journey toward reducing plastic waste serves as a reminder of humanity’s responsibility toward nature. Step by step, the island is transforming itself into a model for green tourism in Vietnam.
With the determination of local authorities and the support of businesses, residents and visitors alike, the dream of a “plastic-free” island is gradually becoming a reality.
In the end, the most meaningful souvenir visitors may bring home is not only photos of blue seas and white sandy beaches, but also the feeling that they helped preserve a paradise in the middle of the ocean.
