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

KHÁNH HÒA — Travel companies have been ordered to immediately stop organising and promoting tours in the south-central coastal province of Khánh Hòa to Bình Ba Island and Bình Hưng Island in order to safeguard the security of the Cam Ranh military base, following surge in popularity of these two islands.

The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that Mũi Hời islet of Bình Ba Island and Bình Hưng (also known as Hòn Chút Island), located in Nam Cam Ranh Commune, fall within the security and safety protection zone of the Cam Ranh military base.

The area was designated off-limits to tourism development under a Prime Ministerial decision issued on September 22, 2015, a restriction that was reaffirmed in Decision No 04/2025/QĐ-TTg dated September 30, 2025.

Travel companies have been instructed to urgently review and terminate all tourism operations in the prohibited area, refrain from organising sightseeing programmes and remove advertisements or promotional products related to these two islands.

The People's Committee of Nam Cam Ranh Commune is responsible for inspecting and strictly handling any violations by organisations or individuals within its jurisdiction.

According to the department, social media platforms have recently seen a rise in posts promoting trips to Bình Ba and Bình Hưng as ‘pristine islands accessible only to Vietnamese citizens’, a trend that has attracted significant attention from young travellers.

Although the tourism ban has been in place for years, many small tour operators and independent travel services have continued to openly market and organise trips through social media channels and websites.

Bình Ba Island, located about 60 kilometres south of Nha Trang, covers approximately three square kilometres and is known for its unspoiled beaches and crystal-clear waters. Bình Hưng Island lies just one kilometre offshore and is one of the four islands, alongside Bình Ba, Bình Lập and Bình Tiên.

The islands’ natural beauty and proximity to the mainland have made them persistent targets for unauthorised tourism activities despite the longstanding restrictions.

Previously, in 2024 and 2022, local authorities asked travel agencies to stop advertising the sale of tours and travel activities on the two islands from websites and social media platforms. — VNS