Exploring Con Dao - What You Need to Know

Exploring Con Dao - What You Need to Know

Untouched beaches, fresh delicious seafood, sincere local people, an island free from theft, and above all, a majestic historical landmark.

Before setting off, I was warned by many, saying things like 'the island has a lot of negative energy', 'there's nothing to eat, it's deserted', 'you'll be bored after a day.' But the result is, it's been a long time since I've had such an exciting trip. What makes Con Dao unforgettable for me is the feeling of peace and safety. On my first day on the island, I was amazed when the rental guy said: 'After using the bike, just leave it parked with the key in front of the hotel.' Throughout the night, and the next morning, the bike was still there. Here, you can shed all worries and sorrows, people live at their kindest and most peaceful. Some advice below will help you have an even better trip.

1. Transportation

Air Travel

Currently, only Vietnam Airlines in collaboration with Vasco operate flights to Con Dao. You can fly directly from Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho to Con Dao. If you're coming from Hanoi, you'll need to transit at one of the aforementioned locations. From Ho Chi Minh City, there are usually 4-5 flights per day, with passengers allowed a maximum of 20 kg for checked baggage and 7 kg for carry-on luggage free of charge. The flight duration is approximately 55 minutes.

Sea Voyage

In addition to flights, passengers also have a more budget-friendly option, which is taking a passenger ship from Cat Lo port (Vung Tau) to Dam port (Con Dao) and vice versa. The ships are specially designed to carry passengers and lightweight cargo, and they can also accommodate motorcycles.

– Con Dao 09 Ship has a capacity of approximately 238 berths, consisting of dormitory-style rooms with around 30 beds per room.

– Con Dao 10 Ship has a capacity of 140 berths. Each room has between 6 and 10 beds.

However, there's one point to note when choosing this mode of transportation, and that is the possibility of seasickness during the journey. During the calm sea season (from April to August every year), taking a ship to Con Dao is an interesting experience; however, from September to March, taking a ship can be quite challenging, especially for those prone to seasickness.

The ship departs at 5:00 PM and arrives at Ben Dam port - Con Dao at around 7:00 AM the next morning, and vice versa. There's a small pantry on the ship serving bottled and canned drinks. The main food options are instant noodles and boiled eggs. From Ben Dam port to the center of Con Son town is about 12 km.

Ticket price: 350,000 VND per way (departure from Vung Tau)

Furthermore, according to the latest information from Superdong - Kien Giang High-Speed Ship Joint Stock Company, the Superdong high-speed ship from Soc Trang to Con Dao with a capacity of 306 passengers started operating on July 14th, with a travel time of 2.5 hours.

Superdong High-Speed Ship Schedule Con Dao - Soc Trang Route:

* 8:00 AM from Tran De Port (Soc Trang) → Ben Dam Port (Con Dao).

* 1:00 PM from Ben Dam Port (Con Dao) → Tran De Port (Soc Trang).

Starting from Q1/2018, there will be 2 ferries operating between Tran De Port ↔ Ben Dam Port at 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM.

* Journey time: about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Ticket reservation phone: (0299) 3.843.888 / (0299) 3.843.999

In Con Dao: Con Dao tourism benefits from cool fresh air, spacious deserted roads, romantic nature, perfect for leisurely motorcycle rides. You can rent a bike at hotels or various rental points, priced from 100,000 VND to 150,000 VND/bike/day.

2. Accommodation and Dining

If you're looking for beachfront accommodation, consider choosing Con Dao Resort on Nguyen Duc Thuan Street, very central and convenient for dining. Hotels like Saigon Con Dao Resort and ATC Resort on Ton Duc Thang Street offer magnificent sea views, cleanliness, and excellent service, although they don't have private beaches. To swim, you'll have to cross the road. The average room price here ranges from 1-1.5 million VND per room. Therefore, be careful when booking online, not all 'resorts' have private beaches as assumed. For a tranquil retreat, Six Senses Con Dao Resort is an excellent choice, although it's located near the airport, far from the town center, making it inconvenient for dining and entertainment. Another good, cheap option is small hotels, motels priced at only around 300,000-500,000 VND.

Seafood on the island is very fresh and delicious. A must-try dish is red grouper, a specialty of Con Dao. Priced around 700,000-800,000 VND per kilogram, the fish is white, firm, and very fragrant. Make sure to also try lobster and mantis shrimp, although they're not cheap compared to the mainland at 1.5 million VND/kg for lobster, they're very fresh. Squid cooked in sunlight is also worth trying.

What's special is that the prices of restaurants here are relatively similar, so there's no need to choose too much. Based on recommendations from friends who have been to Con Dao, I also chose Tri Ky, and indeed the food is fresh, well-prepared, served quickly, and professionally. You can also eat at Phuong Hanh, a small restaurant in the town, sitting under lush mulberry trees, cool and pleasant, the food is delicious but seems less professional than Tri Ky. There are also many good seafood markets, but the cooking is slow, and the service is a bit sloppy because of the few staff.

Water spinach and morning glory on the island are very crispy and delicious. If you're more particular, you can bring fruits from the mainland as the fruit prices on the island are a bit high due to transportation from Ho Chi Minh City.

Con Dao doesn't have too many eateries and services, but the comfortable thing is that from the owners to the staff, everyone is very honest, there's no shouting prices, and doing business cunningly like other tourist areas.

3. Spiritual and Historical Tourist Attractions

The grave of martyr Vo Thi Sau at Hang Duong Cemetery is an unmissable spot. You can pay your respects at midnight without worrying as the cemetery is bustling. Offerings and fruits should be prepared from home as there are no shops selling worship items. A must-have offering is incense. If you can bring fresh flowers, even better, white flowers are preferred. Miss Sau is regarded by Con Dao locals as a saint, offering protection and alleviating sorrows. Newlyweds also visit her grave, lighting incense and seeking her blessings.

Visitors often leave offerings at the cemetery, not taking them back. For extra caution, you can leave a garlic clove in your pocket for peace of mind. The cemetery is very clean and peaceful. Don't forget to light incense at the 1912 memorial monument for the martyrs buried at Hang Duong Cemetery and light plenty of incense for the nearly 2,000 graves of martyrs here.

The shrine of Lady Phi Yen, also known as An Son Temple, is also a place worth visiting and paying respects. She was the wife of King Nguyen Anh. When the king intended to invite the French to help fight against the Tay Son rebels, she advised against it, saying 'one should not carry a snake to kill the family's chickens'; the king, enraged, imprisoned her on a deserted island, now called Hon Ba. When the Tay Son army approached the island, the king fled with his harem. In the chaos, Prince Cai cried for his mother, so the king angrily threw him into the sea. The prince's body washed ashore, and the people buried and built a shrine for him. After being rescued, Lady Phi Yen had a house built next to the tomb to care for her son. Later, during a village festival, because of her radiant beauty, a man attempted to assault her, but she only touched his hand, shouted, and the villagers captured him. She severed the arm that the assailant had touched. Overwhelmed by grief, she committed suicide to preserve her integrity at the age of 25.

The shrine and tomb of Prince Cai near Co Ong Airport are also worth visiting.

Nui Mot Pagoda, the temple with the most beautiful Feng Shui in Vietnam. The temple leans against the mountain and overlooks a cool, wide lotus pond. The architecture of the temple is spacious and serene.

Historical relic Con Dao Prison: There are 19 historical sites divided into two periods, the French colonial era prisons and the American - pseudo prisons. The French colonial prisons: Phu Son, Phu Hai located right in the center are very convenient for visiting. The cowshed area, tiger cage are earthly hells. The cowshed area still retains the stench of dung, urine-filled pits where prisoners were immersed up to their chests.

4. Exploration Tourism

On the main island, you must visit Dam Trau Beach, with its white cliffs and mountains embracing the beach in a crescent shape, making the beach very calm, with white, silky sand. What's special is that the beaches on the island always combine distant green forests, white sand, and rocky shores.

You should rent a boat to visit Bay Canh Island, the second largest island after the main Con Lon Island. Here, there are flooded forests and beautiful beaches. You can dive to admire the coral reefs around the island. However, there are no food facilities here, so if you want to stay overnight, you have to bring your own food.

Specialties that can be bought as gifts on the island are roasted bangu seeds and various types of dried fish, fresh fish, cheap and delicious.

Ha Minh

***

Mytour Travel Guide – Article by author Ha Minh

***

Reference: Mytour Travel Guide