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Where to go when travel Con Dao?

Con Dao travel guide – Where to go?

Isolated from the mainland, Con Dao Islands is an archipelago of 16 islands and islets. This place is famous for lovely beaches with scenic bays and surrounded green tropical forests. Besides, it also gains much attention for Con Dao prison which detained thousands of prisoners during French rule and the American-backed regime. Among all the attractions in this stunning islands, which are the top sights to visit? Let’s check the Con Dao travel guide below now!

How to get to Con Dao Islands?

Dam Trau Beach

Considered as the most beautiful beach Con Dao, Dam Trau beach is located 12 km northwest of Co Ong airport. From Con Dao town center, it takes about 30 minutes to get to Dam Trau by motorbike or car. This beach is famous for its soft white sandy stretches, virgin forests with lush greenery and cliffs with unique shapes. At Dam Trau beach, visitors can swim as well as enjoy the beautiful scenery or dive to see the coral.

Dam Trau beach
Dam Trau – the most beautiful beach in Con Dao Islands

Hon Bay Canh – Con Dao Travel guide

Bay Canh is located in the East of Con Dao, has an area of 683ha. It consists of two islands connected by a tombolo in the middle called Cat Bai Beach. This is also one of the 14 spawning grounds of Con Dao sea turtles and is the beach with the largest number of turtles laying eggs in Con Dao. During the breeding season (from April to September every year), at night, there are at least 1 to 2 individuals. Many nights have from 20 to 30 mother turtles nest on the beach and laying eggs.

Cat Bai Beach – the tombolo attached to islands in Con Dao
Cat Bai Beach – the tombolo attached to islands in Con Dao

Con Dao Prison

Do you want to visit the place known as “hell on earth”? Come to Con Dao prison. This prison system was built by the French to detain prisoners who were particularly dangerous for French colonialism, such as political prisoners and death row prisoners. In the time of the French colonialists, this place detained communist figures and Patriots opposed the colonial government. Later, the United States used it to imprison prisoners during the American war.

A corner at Con Dao Prison
A corner at Con Dao Prison

The most famous place in the prison area is the “tiger cage”. The “tiger cage” is the harshest place in solitary confinement. Prisoners are detained in rooms which are only 5m² in size, with no beds. The prisoners were shackled and lay on the damp cement floor, poor sanitation and eating habits. They also were often tortured for interrogation. To avoid the public opposition, the “tiger cage” was isolated and kept secret. For a long time, no one outside knows the existence of the “tiger cage”.

One of the "tiger cages"
One of the “tiger cages” at Con Dao Prison

Hang Duong cemetery

This is the largest cemetery in Con Dao. Hang Duong cemetery is the place where graves of thousands of revolutionary and patriotic Vietnamese soldiers of generations in prison lies, from 1862 to 1975. There are more than 2,000 martyrs’ graves, including graves of famous patriots such as Vo Thi Sau, Nguyen An Ninh, Le Hong Phong, etc.

Hang Duong cemetery - the largest cemetery in Con Dao
Hang Duong cemetery – the largest cemetery in Con Dao

And the special experience you have to try when coming here is to visit the grave at 0:00. It is very different from what you are thinking about. Even at the midnight, the cemetery is still crowded by tourists. The stalls at the cemetery are still available to serve the need of buying incense of the visiting delegation.

Con Dao National Park

The National Park in Con Dao has an area of nearly 6,000ha on land and 14,000ha of water. Coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves provide a good environment for breeding, nursing and preserving marine species.

Currently, Con Dao is the home to the largest number of sea turtles in Vietnam. There are 17 sandbanks recorded as the spawning grounds of sea turtles. Up to four of which have 1,000 mother turtles laying eggs each year.

The spawning grounds of sea turtles
Con Dao islands – the spawning grounds of sea turtles

Coming to this place, you will experience many interesting activities with various activities such as fishing, diving, biking, walking or nature sightseeing.How about other things to do in Con Dao? Check the list of must-join activities when coming to this islands here.

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