Con Dao Islands
A Former French And South Vietnamese Prison Island Archipelago, Now Con Dao National Park (1984). Known For The Historical Prisons, A Sea Turtle Nesting Beach At Bay Canh, Quiet Beaches And Coral, And For The Cemetery At Hang Duong. Far Calmer Than Phu Quoc. · Con Dao, Ba Ria-Vung Tau
Con Dao is an archipelago of 16 islands about 230 km south-east of Ho Chi Minh City, with most of its land and sea protected as Con Dao National Park. Under the French and later the South Vietnamese government it held prisons where many thousands of Vietnamese prisoners died, and the former prison complex on the main island, Con Son, is now a solemn museum, with Hang Duong Cemetery nearby. Vietnamese pilgrims visit the graves, often at night, and visitors are asked to be quiet and respectful. The islands also have calm beaches, clear water, coral for diving and snorkelling, and a turtle nesting beach at Bay Canh. It is quiet and unspoilt compared with Phu Quoc, and most visitors are Vietnamese. Reach it by a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City, which is expensive and often changed by weather. Book early, carry cash, and expect few restaurants and high prices. Mosquitoes and rough seas in the wet months are part of the deal. Treat the prison sites as a place of mourning, not a photo stop, and plan the beach days around them.
Remote archipelago of 16 islands about 230 km south-east of Ho Chi Minh City, reached by a 45 minute flight, with the main island Con Son and its prison museums, Con Dao, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Vietnam
The islands are open all year, but the sea and flights depend on weather, and the rough typhoon months can cancel boats and planes. The prison sites, cemetery and museums keep daytime visiting hours and are closed on some days, and national park tours need a booking. Confirm before you travel.