Thanks to the efforts of a local tourism company, a coral reef in Nha Trang is being successfully rehabilitated. The coral reef is east of Hon Lao Island in Khanh Hoa province and it has recovered an area of 4ha, close to its original size.
In 1997 Long Phu tourism company was made responsible for the tourism management of the 33ha island. The company introduced methods to protect the reef to helps its recovery and minimise impact on the delicate ecosystem. It also educated the community to reduce fishing around the area. From 2006, Long Phu added tourism activities such as diving and educational tours of the coral reef to raise awareness about the ecosystem and its protection. The company has also added sight-seeing, recreational and entertainment activities on the island. It hopes that the rehabilitated coral reef will attract more marine species and therefore bring more tourists.
