Visit Con Dao Island, Vietnam

Discover the Beauty and History of Con Dao Archipelago, Vietnam’s Hidden Gem

The Con Dao island chain, located off the Southeast Coast of Vietnam is one of the most beautiful areas in the world, and over 80% of the islands are included in a protected marine and national park.

The World Wildlife Fund has been active in Con Dao for the last decade, protecting and monitoring this country’s most important sea turtle nesting areas. The waters around Con Dao are also home to the endangered Dugong and a wide array of marine life.

The main island is Con Son Island formerly known as Iles Poulo Condore, and it has a long and storied history marked by colonization, political turmoil, and nefarious acts. European settlers arrived as early as the 16th century. Eventually, the British East India Company took an interest, and the French colonized the island until 1954, turning a remote island into a penal colony for the Vietnamese revolutionary forces. The relentless nature of the confinement and treatment did not end until the end of the American War; the prison facilities were infamous for the level of abuse and torture inflicted upon the prison population.

Today, visitors to Con Son can enjoy the tranquility and remoteness of the beaches, jungle, and aspects of the violent history around the island, including scatted abandoned prisons and beautiful French villas. Con Son island is a quick fly from Ho Chi Minh City, only 45 minutes. For more inspiration on Vietnam’s stunning coastline, see our guide to the 10 Best Beaches Across Vietnam.