Several non-tourist sites and prohibited areas in Da Nang City, the capital of central Vietnam, are drawing young tourists, sparking concerns over environmental pollution and danger. 

Apart from sightseeing, these unexpected visitors camp and litter in prohibited locations, such as special-use forests, and dangerous beaches and streams.

Though local authorities have signs restricting people from accessing the sites, the situation remains rampant.

Thousands flocked to Son Tra Peninsula each day during the five-day holiday commemorating Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers’ Day (May 1) from Saturday last week to Wednesday this week.

Among these visitors were many who crossed special-use forests to access streams and beaches.

One day, X.Q., 24, and her friends went camping on Ghenh Bang Beach, 20 kilometers from downtown Da Nang. Q. and her friends traveled along a path through a forest to reach Ghenh Bang Beach.

“The path was rough, which made us want to conquer the site,” she said.

It is a headache as after young people’s visitors, several sites that are not open to visitors were filled with waste.

Ngo Truong Chinh, a forest ranger in Son Tra District, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that some beaches on the peninsula have yet to be exploited for tourism.

A man saved from drowning at Ghenh Bang Beach in Da Nang City on May 1, 2024. Photo: Doan Nhan / Tuoi Tre

However, the beaches are public places, so tourists are not banned from visiting the sites. Instead, many warning signs have been put near the beaches.

“To approach these beaches, visitors must travel across special-use forests, while prevailing laws regulate that people are banned from entering special-use and protected forests if they have not received permission from local authorities,” Chinh underlined.

Over the past few years, there have been several drownings at streams in Hoa Bac Commune under Hoa Vang District, according to a police officer in the commune.

On March 24, a 11th grader in Da Nang City drowned at the Vung Bot stream area while swimming with his friends.

Many other streams in the commune are dangerous, so local authorities have put signs of danger there to prevent visitors from swimming.

However, some tourists have ignored the warnings, said the officer.

Ghenh Bang Beach in Son Tra District, Da Nang City has yet to be exploited for tourism. Photo: Moon Black

Police officers conduct regular patrols to disperse groups camping near these streams to ensure the safety of tourists and protect the environment. Yet, some young people tend to enter the deep woods for camping and exploration.

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