Con Dao Island Travel Guide: Things to do and see

Located hundreds of kilometres from the mainland, with many natural incentives and historical values, Con Dao Island (or Con Dao Archipelago) is a must-see destination for domestic and international tourists. To gain the most practical knowledge for a vacation in Con Dao Island, please read this article. Let's discover this beautiful archipelago together!

1. General information about Con Dao

Con Dao, an archipelago in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, has an area of 76km2 and consists of 16 small and large islands, the largest of which is Con Son Island. Con Dao is 185km from Vung Tau, 230km from Ho Chi Minh City, about 83km from Can Tho. However, the closest place on the mainland to Con Dao is Soc Trang, only 74km away.

Because of its isolated location far from the mainland, Con Dao once was chosen by the French to build the most inviolable and infamous prisons in Vietnam, which are regarded as an "earthly hell", a place that "you go but never return".

Nowadays, Con Dao is one of Vietnam's famous beach destinations for its white sands, clear turquoise water, favourable climate, and absolutely pristine, rich biodiversity. It is indeed a nature lover's paradise, proudly being the place that has the largest number of sea turtles laying their eggs.

If you come to Con Dao, you will be fascinated by this beautiful island that is full of history.

2. Things to do in Con Dao Island

2.1. Discover the wonder of nature in Con Dao

The nature of Con Dao is truly a gift from Mother Nature, which is why Con Dao is always listed among the lists of the most appreciated natural places in Vietnam as: The 10 Most Beautiful National Parks in Vietnam and The 10 wonderful islands in Vietnam for your beach vacation. So what can you do and see in Con Dao Island?

• Snorkeling

Hidden beneath the stunning waters of Con Dao are interesting coral reefs with about 219 species of corals, etc. The density of coral in this sea is estimated to be among the best in Vietnam with an average coverage of more than 42%. In addition, there are more than 1380 species of marine life, creating an extremely rich underwater ecosystem from animals to plants. Thanks to its pristine sea, the island offers an enchanting experience for those who want to snorkel in Vietnam and be among the best places to do this water sport.

• Trekking in Con Dao National Park

For those who love walking, a trek in Con Dao National Park is a must with many interesting circuits. It is one of 33 national parks in Vietnam with a total area of about 15,000 hectares, comprising 6,000 hectares of land and 9,000 hectares of sea and islands. Trekking in the primary forest, admiring the huge trees with intricate roots, watching the life of small animals in the tropical forest makes you fall in love with this land.

• Exploring the paradise beaches

An Hai Beach: located right in the heart of this archipelago, An Hai Beach offers crystal-clear waters sparkling in the sun alongside a long stretch of white sand. With only a 10-minute walk from the centre of the island, this beautiful beach will appear right before your eyes.

Lo Voi Beach: is a completely pure beach with its white sands, moderately sloping coastline.

Dam Trau Beach: has a cool atmosphere, with a colourful and unique coral system. This beach will fascinate visitors as soon as they arrive, and it is also a great place to watch the sunset in Con Dao.

Ong Dung Beach: has a very different beauty from other beaches in Con Dao with the impressive rocky beach on the coast created by nature.

Nhat Beach: is one of the most favourite beaches in Con Dao with the cool water and waves hugging the scattered rocks, making all travellers feel peaceful.

• Take a trip to the small islands in the archipelago

Bay Canh Island is the second largest island of the 16 islands in Con Dao. Located in the eastern part of Con Dao, this island is covered by primary forest, the tropical island's very rich mangrove ecosystem. Before you leave, Con Dao forest rangers explain rules to conserve and protect the forest on Bay Canh Island, don't miss this useful information! It is also an important place in conserving rare marine species such as sea turtles.

Ba Island is the third largest island in Con Dao, whose coral reef resources are a treasure for explorers and people who enjoy snorkelling. 

Hon Cau Island is located 8km away from Con Son Island, the largest island in Con Dao. Like Bay Canh Island, the ecosystem on Hon Cau Island is still very well preserved, making it a must-see attraction in Con Dao with coral reefs, primary forest and mangroves,... 

Hon Tre Small Island: located west of Con Son Island, 2km from Ong Dung Beach, Hon Tre Small Island has an area of 11 hectares. The vegetation on the island is mainly bamboo - "three" in the Vietnamese language. Hon Tre small island is a seaside bird sanctuary, where every year from May to September, thousands of northern migratory birds come there to nest and lay their eggs such as crested terns, gulls, sea terns...

Hon Tre Large Island has a natural area of 77 hectares, located west of Con Son Island. Hon Tre Lon has a small, smooth, white sand beach, which is the second place where there are more sea turtles laying eggs (after Cat Long beach on Bay Canh Island).

• Other scenic sites not to be missed: 
  • Dam Tre Bay
  • Bird Promontory - Mui Chan Chim
  • Shark Promontory - Mui Ca Map
  • An Hai Lake

2.2. Visit historical sites on Con Dao island

Not only such an enchanting natural destination, Con Dao is also known for historical sites that are related to the patriotic history of Vietnamese people. 

• The prison system in Con Dao

In Con Dao there is not only one prison individually but even five prisons: Phu An, Phu Hai, Phu Son, Phu Tuong and Phu Binh. During colonial time, the prison system in Con Dao was built continuously and when one prison was full, the colonists built the other one. So many Vietnamese patriots exiled and imprisoned here during the war against the French and Americans. The name Con Dao or Con Lon or Con Son (other names for Con Dao) became a nightmare for many Vietnamese at that time
Now, tourists who come to Con Dao can visit this site, seeing the darkness of the war as much as the strong spirit of Vietnamese patriots.

• Con Dao Museum

Con Dao Museum is where historical and cultural artefacts of the land and people of Con Dao through historical periods are preserved, displayed, and presented.
Now there are 4 exhibition halls at the museum, each at Con Dao Museum will provide a piece of the exciting picture of 113 years of Con Dao history. Which are:

Hall 1: Con Dao, nature and people
Hall 2: Con Dao, the earthly hell
Hall 3: Con Dao, school
Hall 4: Con Dao today

• Con Dao governor's palace

The Con Dao governor's palace was built in the late 19th century and was the residence and workplace of 53 governors of the island, including 39 French during colonial times and 14 Vietnamese during the war against the Americans.

• Cemeteries in Con Dao

There are 2 cemeteries in Con Dao dedicated to those who died during the war: Hang Duong Cemetery and Hang Keo Cemetery. You can visit them to pray for Vietnamese patriots.

2.3. Other Con Dao attractions

• Van Son Pagoda

Van Son Pagoda or Nui Mot Pagoda, located at Mt. Mot, a distance of 1.6 km from the centre of Con Dao district is the only pagoda in this archipelago. In 1964, the Americans proclaimed to build a pagoda to serve the spiritual and religious activities of their officials and soldiers who lived and worked on this island. Later, prisoners serving life sentences in Phu Hai Prison were sent to transport the building materials for this pagoda, all by human power, without mechanical support.
Now the pagoda is a famous religious and scenic site in Con Dao because of its natural beauty and its viewpoint that gives a wonderful scenery to the area.

• An Son Temple

The temple is also called Lady's Temple - Mieu Ba is located at Ba Island in the Con Dao archipelago. The temple was built in 1785 dedicated to Lady Phi Yen, the wife of King Gia Long - the first King of the Nguyen Dynasty to honour her moral quality as well as her patriotism. It is believed that after her death, she was deified and often appeared in the dreams of locals to foretell hardships, helping the people of Con Dao.
The An Son temple festival is held on the October 18th of the lunar calendar.

In addition to this temple, there is also the Mieu Cau temple on Con Son Island, dedicated to the son of Lady Phi Yen.

3. When to go to the Con Dao archipelago?

3.1. Best time to visit Con Dao

The climate of Con Dao is divided into 2 distinct seasons like other countries in southern Vietnam with tropical Xavan climate. The dry season starts from November until April while the rainy season lasts from May until the end of October. 
Unlike other southern islands in Vietnam, the best time to visit Con Dao is the rainy season. Despite the rainfall, which is often concentrated in the afternoon, during this period the sea winds are not too strong as in the dry season, and this encourages tourist activities in this archipelago. Also at this time, the vegetation in Con Dao develops strong so trips to Con Dao National Park or snorkelling activities would be more interesting.

3.2. Con Dao sea turtle breeding season

The sea of Con Dao is known as an ideal place for sea turtles, especially in the breeding season. It is noted that there are about 10-40 turtles that arrange eggs on the beaches of Con Dao in this season every night. Therefore, so many tourists come there at this time to watch this magnificent scenery. The turtle breeding season normally falls from April until November, and the most concentrated time is between July and September. Note this period well when planning your stay in Con Dao.

4. Transfers 

4.1. How to reach Con Dao?

To reach Con Dao from Ho Chi Minh City, please read more practical information in this article: How to get from Ho Chi Minh city to Con Dao island?
However, you can also leave for Con Dao immediately after the trip to the Mekong Delta by taking a speedboat from Soc Trang and making a 2-hour transfer. 

Suggested itinerary:
Day 01: Sai Gon - Ben Tre- Can Tho
Day 02: Can Tho - Soc Trang
Day 03: Soc Trang - Tran De Pier - Con Dao

4.2. How to get around on Con Dao?

Motorbike
Riding a motorbike on the coastal roads of Con Dao is a very pleasant experience, basically the island is quite small, so renting a motorbike to take a trip around the island is a nice idea. You can ask your hotel or homestay about the price and details, note that the rental price is often excluding gasoline.

Electric car
If you are a family or a group of 3, renting an electric car to get around the island is highly recommended. You will have the opportunity to enjoy the fresh sea air, admire breathtaking views, and visit tourist sites without worrying about getting lost.

Taxi
If you want to get around by taxi, you can make the references of these companies:
Mai Linh: 0254 3850850
Con Son: 0254 3908908
Sai Gon - Con Đao: 0254 36363636

Canoe
If you wish to go to nearby islands, you can rent canoes with ease or book day tours to islands such as Cau Island, Bay Canh Island,...

We hope that with this Con Dao Island travel guide, you will already have plenty of information to plan a perfect vacation in this land.