Do Son, Cat Ba keep waters clean to build green tourist destinations

More frequent waste collection in key areas

This summer, Do Son has welcomed more than 2 million tourist visits. While bringing economic benefits, the large crowds at beaches, restaurants and entertainment venues, especially on weekends, have generated more household waste, affecting the environment and landscape of the tourist area.

At locations where waste often washes ashore, local authorities, Youth Union members, residents and businesses regularly organize cleanups. The waste is collected and transported immediately, helping prevent it from accumulating along the beaches.

The locality is also considering restricting the use of tables, chairs and food on the beach to reduce waste, preserve the landscape and protect beach spaces. Meanwhile, residents, restaurants and Youth Union members in the area continue to collect waste daily at the end of the beach, where household waste and floating debris often wash ashore.

In Cat Ba, environmental management is more challenging due to the area’s wide scope, which includes residential areas, the tourism center, beaches, bays and waterways. In addition to waste generated by residential and tourism activities, the bays are also affected by waste carried by currents, from watercraft and aquaculture activities.

In the bays, the Cat Ba Archipelago Bays Management Board has deployed more than 10 vessels and a permanent workforce of more than 20 people to collect waste in three key areas: Cat Ba Bay, Ben Beo Port and Lan Ha Bay during this summer.

The special zone also requires vessels transporting tourists to provide waste containers, sort and securely seal waste, and bring it to the collection point at Ben Beo Port. Managing waste directly on board helps reduce waste discharge into the bays while gradually encouraging more responsible tourism habits among visitors.

From waste collection to green transformation

According to Le Quoc Tien, Secretary of the Do Son Ward Party Committee and Chairman of the Ward People’s Council, the environment is one of the key factors determining a destination’s appeal. Therefore, alongside strengthening management, the locality is encouraging residents and visitors to protect the landscape and become “environmental ambassadors” in every activity at the tourist area.

In practice, awareness of environmental protection on the beaches has improved. Many restaurant and service business owners proactively clean the areas around their premises before welcoming customers, while many visitors collect their own waste after leisure activities and swimming.

According to Vu Huu Vung, Vice Chairman of the Cat Hai Special Zone People’s Committee, a new feature in 2026 is that environmental protection in Cat Ba has been incorporated into a long-term green transformation program. Resolution No. 03-NQ/DU of the Special Zone Party Committee identifies sustainable ecotourism as a key pillar, with green transport and a green environment as breakthrough areas.

By 2030, the special zone aims for all tourist attractions, accommodation establishments and service businesses to stop using single-use plastic products and hard-to-decompose plastic bags, while all household solid waste will be collected and treated in accordance with applicable standards and technical regulations.

Cat Ba also aims to control tourism carrying capacity in Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba National Park through e-tickets, vessel journey monitoring, conservation zoning and visitor flow management.

Clean beaches, clear streets and a Lan Ha Bay free of floating waste are the visible images that shape the impression of Do Son and Cat Ba as green, clean and beautiful marine tourism destinations in summer 2026. They are also a positive sign that Do Son and Cat Ba are enhancing their competitiveness and moving toward sustainable tourism development.

BAO NAM

BAO NAM