Con Dao: Vietnam’s Unseen Paradise

While Vietnam is famous for its central and southern beach destinations, it also has a few outlying islands that offer some of the country’s most serene tropical escapes. Among these islands is Con Dao. Sitting 230 km from Ho Chi Minh city, Con Dao is actually an archipelago of 16 small islands, much of which is protected land/waters as part of Con Dao National Park. Despite its secluded location, Con Dao is slowly coming on the map as one of Vietnam’s hottest up and coming destinations. Top name resorts are slowly appearing on the island, offering guests a range of luxurious and contemporary options to choose from.

The islets are home to some of the country’s most stunning beaches, cerulean waters, dense mangrove forests and best diving options. Below the surface the region is home to beautiful coral reef, hawksbill and green turtles, dolphins and the otherworldly dugong. For anyone keen on combining a tropical getaway with some underwater adventure, Con Dao is the ideal, off-the-beaten-track place to visit. Additionally, for history lovers visiting the islands, Con Dao was once home to a prison camp that spanned decades and disputes between two countries (French and the US). An interesting and poignant glimpse into the tumultuous past of Vietnam and Con Dao.