A travel piece in British newspaper The Telegraph on 10 beaches in Southeast Asia unspoilt by tourism lists two in Việt Nam: An Thới Islet off Phú Quốc Island and Bình Lập Island in Khánh Hoà Province.

Remarking on the “construction site soundtrack” that accompanies beaches on Phú Quốc, the article advises travellers to take a boat from the island’s port to An Thới, which has “secluded coves and colourful reefs almost completely devoid of humans”.

Fifth on the list is Bình Lập Island in Cam Ranh Bay, which it describes as secluded and “more Seychelles than Southeast Asia”.

Two beaches each in Thailand and Malaysia, one each in Hong Kong, Cambodia and the Philippines are also in the list.

Interestingly, it includes an island in landlocked Laos, “which only materialises in the November to April dry season as the Mekong River recedes.”

To prevent these and other unspoilt beaches from being ruined by tourism, The Telegraph article advises visitors to “be responsible by removing all of your own rubbish, don’t abscond with seashells or sands and use an ocean-safe sunscreen.”

The story starts with the cautionary tale of Thailand’s Maya Bay, which has been closed down indefinitely following devastation wrought by “overtourism”. — VNS