Con Dao Island

Location: Con Dao District, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.
Characteristics: Con Dao Island is also famous for its nice beaches shaded with evergreen trees, fresh air, clear blue waters, and primitive forests.

Looking at a map, Con Dao Island looks like a bear rising from the sea to south east of Viet Nam. Originally a prison for patriots and revolutionists during the French and American resistance, Con Dao Island sheltered brave revolutionary spirits of the Vietnamese people. More than 22,000 prisoners who dedicated their lives to national independence were incarcerated on the isolated island of Con Dao.

 

Con Dao was recognized as a nature reserve in 1984 and a national park in 1993. The total protected area of the park is 20,000ha, including 14,000ha of sea and 6,000ha of forest on 14 islands. There is also a buffer zone that is 20,500ha wide. Con Dao National Park encompasses oceanic and coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, coral reefs and sea grasslands. Over 1,300 species of sea animals have been identified here. The park is the most important egg-laying area in Viet Nam for sea turtles. The island also has many precious animals, the most important being dugong (called "sea cows" by locals). Between late 1996 and early 1997, officials at the park counted 10 dugong in the sea surrounding the island. With high oceanic biodiversity, Con Dao is classified as one of the areas given optimum priority in the world's system of oceanic reserves.

 

 

The best time to visit Con Dao Island is from March to June, when the sea is calm. Some of those beaches include Dam Trau, Hang Duong and Phi Yen where visitors can relax and enjoy the warm temperature. The ocean around Con Dao Island is a heaven for sea life and the splendid forest cloaks the land. This is ecotourism at its best. Clean, smooth sand banks, blue sea, dolphins jumping and racing after boats, tropical almond trees swinging in a cool sea breeze, peaceful narrow roads, and forest covering most of the island, make Con Dao seem like heaven to visitors from far and wide.

 

Con Dao is one of the few places in Viet Nam that is home to rare dugong, sea turtles, and dolphins, and to varieties of orchids found nowhere else in the country. In addition, the island has large and diverse coral reefs comparable to the most famous ecotourism spots in the region. Visitors will arrive there to enjoy themselves in an intact natural environment and have a good time with dugong, sea turtles and dolphins playing freely around the island paradise.

 

TRANSPORTATION

Air: Con Dao Airport (Resident Area 1, Con Dao Dist.; Tel: (84-254) 3831 973)

There are flights connecting Con Dao Island with Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.

 

Boat: Visitors can take boats at Cau Da pier (126 Ha Long St., Vung Tau City) for Con Dao Island.  It takes 12-14 hours.

ALBUM
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Con Dao National Park

Ba Ria - Vung Tau

Vung Tau City

Ba Ria - Vung Tau

Ho Coc Beach

Ba Ria - Vung Tau

Thich Ca Phat Dai

Ba Ria - Vung Tau

WHERE TO STAY
Phi Yen Hotel

Add: 34 Ton Duc Thang St., Con Dao Dist.

Tel: (84-254) 3630 111

Con Dao Camping Resort

Add: 2 Nguyen Duc Thuan St., Con Dao Dist.

Tel: (84-254) 3831 555

Con Dao Resort

Add: 8 Nguyen Duc Thuan St., Con Dao Dist.

Tel: (84-254) 3830 939/ 3830 979

Six Senses Con Dao Resort

Add: Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist.

Tel: (84-254) 3831 222

Sai Gon Con Dao Resort

Add: No 18-24,Ton Duc Thang St., H. Côn Đảo

Tel: (84-254) 3830 336

WHERE TO EAT
Nam Dinh Restaurant

Add: Ngo Gia Tu St., Con Dao Dist.

Tel: (84-254) 3831 180