Community-based ecotourism: a new livelihood and hope for islanders

Hon Yen (Swiftlet Island) is in Phu Yen province, on the southern coast of Viet Nam. The island is famous for its beauty. With 27 hectares of coral reefs the island itself is surrounded by several other islands bursting with biodiversity, a diverse landscape of hills covered by green grass, cacti, a rock island of seaweed, blue water and white sandy beaches, and lush rice fields inhabited by flocks of white storks and other birds. The island is rapidly emerging as a popular tourist destination, with the potential to attract a high number of visitors to Phu Yen province. In 2022, the number of visitors to Phu Yen reached 2.2 million and is projected to continue to rise.