“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous

Con Dao Island – story of the past and present

Location

Con Dao Island belongs to Ba Ria Vung Tau Province. The island is far from Vung Tau city more than 170km from the land. Con Dao Island has been well known by the location in the sea route of Europe and Asia. In many centuries in the past, there were the European exploders and world traders who were passing by and had stopped at this island. In the time war in Vietnam, Con Dao Island was the notorious prison where imprisoned patriots.
Recently, Con Dao Island is the very famous place for the beach holiday by the fresh air and wonderful nature. Con Dao Island is one of the important destinations in the country and it is called the paradise for beach holiday. Beside, the island is considered the value attraction to visitors who love to understand the country history.  


Island system: Con Dao Island is the general name for the system of islands in the area. There are more than 10 islands in different acreage. In those islands, Con Dao island is the main land where many habitants living.    
Tourist places: Con Dao Island, Ba Island, Bay Canh Island, Tai Lon Island and Bong Lan Island.
Climate: There are two seasons in Con Dao Island with the rain time from May to November and the dry time from December to April. The average temperature here is 27 C degree. The wonderful time in Con Dao Island for travelling is in the dry time.  
Transportation: Travel conveniently by waterway to the island and from it to other places.
The distance is for reference as below:
From Con Dao Island to Vung Tau City: 179 km
From Con Dao Island to Can Tho: more than 83 km
From Con Dao Island to Ho Chi Minh City:  230 km

Landscapes

Con Dao National Park: this is the rich nature area where you can have the short trekking to conquer the rain forest. And then you can come to Ong Dung Beach in the end of the trekking route to enjoy the purity of the nature, dive and see the color coral world in here.  
Island Lord House: Island Lord House was the place where the island lords lived and worked. There were 53 island lords who lived here through more than 100 years. At the present, the house is the small museum where displayed a lot of documents related to the island lords’ life here and also the situation when they lived.
Tiger Cages: this was the notorious prison system where detained the political prisoners in the war time in Vietnam by the French. The cells were established as a maze in which happened the tortures was so barbaric to the prisoners.
Lady Phi Yen Temple:  Lady Phi Yen was the wife of Emperor Gia Long. She was left by the King in this island. She was respected by the island habitants who built the shrine after her death. This is the sacred temple that was adored to the present. It is located far from island center about 2 km.  
Nhat Beach: Nhat Beach is the famous beach in Con Dao Island. It is attached with the mountain called Love Mouth impressed by the fascinated sunset.  
Ben Dam Port: this is the important port in Con Dao Island. It locates in Ben Dam Bay that not so far Con Dao Island’s center. Ben Dam Port is the main port of the island where is the boarding place for all vessels to Con Dao Island.
Ba Island: one of the famous islands in Con Dao Island system. The islet locates near Nhat Beach. It is the wonderful place attached with Love Mouth impressed by amazing sunset.
Nui Mot Pagoda: Nui Mot Pagoda is the very important pagoda in Con Dao Island. It is the place where you can understand more about the habitants’ spiritual life. The place is also the wonderful location for view of An Hai Lake, Con Dao Town and Con Son Bay.
Dam Trau Beach: Dam Trau Beach is considered the ideal beach for sunbathing and relaxing. This is the long beach with soft sand and light waves that many tourists love to experience their time here.
Bay Canh Islet: Bay Canh Islet is the wonderful place for visiting. This is the islet for exploring the world of turtles and coral.

Festivals

Memorable Date: this is the commemorate holiday in Con Dao Island to memorize the patriots who died in the war time and were left in Con Dao Island. It is on July 27th each year.
The Death Anniversary of Vo Thi Sau: Vo Thi Sau is the heroine who lied down in the war time. There is the Death Anniversary of Vo Thi Sau in January 23rd each year.
Lady Phi Yen Temple Festival: the festival is happened in October 18th in lunar time each year. It is organized in Lady Phi Yen Temple.
And there are many other unique festivals in the island.

Local specialties

Con Dao Island is famous with fresh seafood in which there are most delicious thing such as lobsters, red groupers and snails. There are different delicious dishes from fishes and snails that you should taste. Beside, the seeds of Terminalia catappa are also the specialty in the island.