Son Tra Peninsula: Where to go, and what vehicles are allowed

The proposal comes as local authorities seek to make the rules clearer for businesses and tourists visiting Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang City, central Vietnam and ensure their safety during sightseeing and outdoor activities.

The approved sightseeing routes and destinations on Son Tra Peninsula include the Yet Kieu-Ban Co Peak-Bai Bac route, the Bai Bac junction-Son Tra Banyan Tree route, and the Tien Sa-Suoi Om-Ban Co Peak route, which is currently closed while authorities address damage caused by a recent storm.

Under the management plan aimed at ensuring visitor safety during sightseeing and outdoor activities on Son Tra, visiting hours are from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm from March through September, and from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm from October through February.

Sightseeing activities may be temporarily suspended when authorities issue warnings of dangerous weather.

Vehicle rules vary by route.

On the Tien Sa-Suoi Om-Ban Co Peak route, visitors are allowed to travel by bicycle, motorcycle, except scooters, or on foot.

The Yet Kieu-Ban Co Peak-Bai Bac route is one-way and is closed to bicycles, scooters, and vehicles with more than 24 seats.

The Bai Bac-Son Tra Banyan Tree route is reserved exclusively for sightseeing and outdoor activities on foot.

For sightseeing and outdoor activities on Son Tra Peninsula, businesses and tour operators are not allowed to organize, promote or take visitors to routes, destinations, areas or tourism activities that have not been approved by competent authorities or fall outside permitted operating areas.

They are also prohibited from using, coordinating with or promoting spontaneous, illegal or unlicensed tourism services, or services that do not meet regulatory requirements.

Businesses are required to instruct visitors to follow regulations and stay only in designated areas. Visitors should not enter prohibited or restricted areas or use unauthorized trails.

Visitors are prohibited from feeding, touching, chasing or otherwise disturbing wildlife, particularly monkeys. 

Other forbidden activities include littering, breaking branches, picking flowers, hunting or removing specimens from the forest.

Fires must not be lit or used indiscriminately, and eating, camping and recreational activities are not allowed in areas where such activities have not been authorized.

According to the management board, sightseeing and outdoor activities on the peninsula have become increasingly popular, attracting large numbers of local residents and tourists.

However, Son Tra has a distinctive natural ecosystem and rugged mountainous terrain, with cliffs, steep roads and areas directly exposed to weather conditions, waves and strong winds.

Several unfortunate incidents, including people getting lost, accidents and drownings, have occurred in recent years involving residents and tourists who entered areas or routes not approved by authorities, crossed the forest via informal trails or access paths outside the authorized sightseeing network, particularly in areas such as Huc Lo, Mui Nghe and Bai Da Den.

Such activities not only pose potential risks to the safety and lives of residents and tourists, but also affect efforts to protect the forest and conserve the ecosystem and natural resources of Son Tra.