Con Dao (Vietnamese: Côn Đảo) is an archipelago off the coast of Ba Ria – Vung Tau. This 76 km² archipelago includes 16 islands, the largest of which is Con Son Island. Besides being a spiritual tourism destination, Con Dao is a secluded paradise off the southern coast of Vietnam where you’ll find white sand beaches, scenic bays, coral reefs, vibrant jungles, and some of the best scuba diving in the region. Below are suggestions for your trip to explore Con Dao.
What is the best time to explore Con Dao?
Similar to many other islands in Vietnam, you should avoid exploring Con Dao during the stormy season – usually October, November, and December. The speedboats and canoes are also limited in rough seas or strong winds. However, the sea to the west and southwest of the big island remains calm, so visitors can switch their sightseeing to this area, which offers equally beautiful natural landscapes.
From March to September is the best time to explore Con Dao. Although it sometimes rains, the sea is calm, and the wind is light on the eastern and northeastern islands. Tourists should visit the remote island during the day, when it is filled with golden sunshine and a blue sky, making it ideal for scuba diving and photography. There are often showers in the afternoon, suitable for visiting covered monuments on the big island. Also, turtles come to lay eggs a lot from June to August, offering visitors a great choice to admire this amazing natural phenomenon.
How to get here?
The airplane is the fastest way to get from Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho to Con Dao (only about 55 minutes). And Vietnam Airlines is the only airline operating this route.
For the boat trip, you have to come to Vung Tau Harbor (Ho Chi Minh City) or Tran Đe Harbor (Can Tho City). The fare costs around 600,000 VND/ticket. Travel time is 3 hours and 30 minutes from Vung Tau (Ho Chi Minh City) or just over 1.5 hours from Soc Trang (Can Tho City). Although it takes longer, this will be an interesting experience for those who like to explore Con Dao by speedboat.
What to do on the islands?
The Con Dao is an archipelago of 16 islands and islets, some of them mostly uninhabited. This is a great destination for those looking to escape bustling city life, with plenty to see and do.
Con Dao National Park
Con Dao National Park was founded on March 31, 1993, with an area of 20,000 hectares. The ecosystem is classified as islands and tropical forests, and is divided into two main types of wood. The flora included 882 high-class plant species (562 genuses, 161 families).
Con Dao has 144 species, 14 of which are among the precious rare animals. The sea in Con Dao is divided into three ecosystems: seagrasses, mangroves, and corals, which are home to nearly 2,000 species of sea creatures, reptiles, and seabirds… In particular, sea turtles are abundant, and some marine species are listed in Vietnam’s Red Book, such as blue whales and dugongs.
Here, visitors can explore the park through a wide range of activities such as climbing, fishing, diving, trekking, riding, and sightseeing…
Visit the famous prison
Con Dao prison was built in 1862 by the colonial French and later run by the South Vietnamese and Americans.
It was hell on earth for people fighting for the independence of Vietnam.
Prisoners were held in several prisons and treated in horrible conditions. They were beaten, tortured, and kept in “tiger cages”. More than 20,000 people were executed at this prison. The prison is ranked a special historical relic of national importance by the government of Vietnam.
Furthermore, it’s preserved as a museum to tell future generations of the horrors endured here. Every year, thousands of Vietnamese, of all ages, come to visit and pay their respects to the former inmates of the prisons, many of whom are considered great national heroes.
Explore beautiful beaches and bays
Con Son Bay has 14 islands of varying sizes, many of which are ideal spots for coral viewing that tourists do not want to miss. With the location far away from the mainland, visitors will have the opportunity to explore beautiful beaches and bays, including:
Dam Trau Beach – the most beautiful beach in Con Dao, with its poetic scenery, is an ideal place for swimming and diving to see coral.
An Hai Beach has clear blue water, and you can see the sea bottom. In the morning, when the fishing boats return, visitors will witness the bustling life of people on the island.
Lo Voi Beach, with its pristine scenery, fresh air, and clear water that reflects the cloudy sky, is also the most beautiful beach at the island’s far end.
Dam Tre Bay is so wild and beautiful that visitors can also explore mangrove forests or watch swiftlets build nests during the breeding season.
The scenery of these beaches is very poetic, suitable for those who want to get away to explore and picnic, with many spots for people who like to take “virtual life” selfies.
Explore beautiful islands and islets
There are many different large and small islands and islets. Therefore, every tourist’s journey to explore Con Dao cannot be complete without visiting the beautiful islands.
Cau Islet is one of two freshwater islets in Con Dao. This place has white sand beaches surrounding the base of bow-shaped mountains. On the sandy shore, rows of coconut and maple trees sway in the wind. All create a pristine and peaceful scene.
Tre Lon Islet is the main breeding ground for sea turtles. This is also an ideal place for tourists to dive to see coral, an experience not to be missed for tourists interested in what fun Con Dao has to offer. The rich vegetation makes this place like a green paradise that many tourists look forward to exploring.
Bay Canh Islet has the second largest area among the islands in Con Dao. The islet is covered by a primeval forest canopy, so the climate is cool and fresh year-round.
This is where the most turtles lay eggs in Con Dao. Bay Canh Island is also a place for tourists to dive to see coral or splash in the cool water.
Also, there is only one way to travel between these islets – by boat. A boat trip to outlying islands can be arranged through some of the hotels or tourist agents.
Enjoy the specialties of Con Dao
Con Dao seafood you should try to enjoy is red lobster, shrimp, red grouper, dried squid, snails… and other types of sea fish.
Takeaway specialties are widely sold at Con Dao market, including fresh and dried seafood and souvenirs. Tourists like almond seed jam and ginseng wine the most. The taste of Con Dao ginseng is mildly sweet, pungent, and fragrant. The locals often use ground ginseng roots to soak in wine, stew chicken, and stew duck for nourishment…
Source: collected by An
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