A mother sea turtle heads back to the sea after laying her eggs on Hòn Bảy Cạnh Island. — VNA/VNS Photos Hoàng Nhị

HCM CITY — Côn Đảo National Park has introduced new regulations limiting the number of visitors for sea turtle watching experiences to minimise adverse impacts on the natural ecosystem.

Sea turtle watching is one of iconic ecotourism products of the southern archipelago an area historically known for its infamous 20th-century war prison, and is permitted on the islands of Hòn Bảy Cạnh, Bãi Dương, Hòn Cau, Hòn Tài, Hòn Tre Lớn and Bãi Đất Thắm.

Visitors may observe turtle nesting from 6pm until 6am the following morning, while baby turtle releases take place between 5.30am and 7.30am. Visitors are organised into groups or shifts during each activity to ensure order and enhance the quality of the experience.

Each nesting site will host no more than 50 visitors per night, divided into groups of approximately ten.

For baby turtle releases, a maximum of 100 visitors is allowed at each location simultaneously, split into two groups of 50.

Groups exceeding these limits will be rescheduled to another time or site.

A group of visitors observe the release of baby sea turtles on Hòn Bảy Cạnh Island.

To ensure smooth operations, the national park’s Department of Ecotourism and Environmental Education has been assigned to manage registrations, organise groups and coordinate with local tourism stations to guide visitors.

Staff on duty are required to provide warm, attentive service and clearly communicate rules, regulations and instructions before the experiences.

Visitors must comply with regulations, including paying entrance fees, avoiding littering, limiting single-use plastics, sitting in designated areas, keeping quiet and following instructions.

Other service providers, such as transport operators or tour guides, must also coordinate with the management board, present service receipts as required and are not permitted to provide separate commentary to visitors.

Director of Côn Đảo National Park Nguyễn Khắc Pho said the new regulations aim to enhance professionalism in ecotourism, preserve the natural ecosystem and protect rare sea turtles in the area.

The archipelago off the coast of HCM City, designated as a special administrative zone, is a popular tourist destination in Việt Nam, with nearly 400,000 visitors in the first half of 2025. — VNS