Today Con dao has great historical import and attracts Vietnamese and increasing numbers of foreign tourists to the renovated prisons. Prisoners were kept in extremely overcrowded conditions on the island and as many as 20,000 are believed to have died here and this can be relived here. A guide from the nearby Revoltionary Museum is costs less than US$1 and includes an informative guided tour.
Con Dao is part of a maritime and national park and is made up of 20 or so islands. The islands are mostly rugged and still have a lot of original forest cover and associated flora and fauna. The most famous indigenous animal is the dugong or sea cow although it is rarely seen. Several species of rare squirrel and apes are found here and there is an important breeding program for turtles on Bay Canh island near to Con Dao island.
The islands have very nice beaches, great swimming and snorkeling opportunities and a very relaxed, colonial feel to them. Con dao is a nice antidote to the crowded cities.
The Turtle Tour can be booked at the national park office for 1,500,000 Dong and you may see a turtle laying eggs.
Rainforest hikes can be booked through the National Park Office. Most hikes require a guide, but for good reason. Many of the trails are unmarked, so having a native guide is essential.
Motorbikes can be rented through most hotels, and riding them up Con Dao's mountain roads can offer some of the best views for travelers looking to take in Con Dao's natural beauty and scenery.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Con Dao
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Con Dao - updated May 2024
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Con Dao Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
