Con Dao, the most beautiful island in Vietnam, is an ideal destination for those who want to explore the wild beauty, learn about history and want to experience unforgettable moments with the blue sea and white sand in the ocean.

Con Dao is also known by different names such as Con Son, Con Lon or Con Non, also known by the Khmer as Koh Tralach, is an offshore archipelago in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, 45 nautical miles from Hau River and from City. Vung Tau 97 nautical miles.

Con Dao, in the past, was known as a hell on earth, a place where the history of a period of national struggle that was both heroic and tragic still left its mark on this land.
Con Dao today has become an ideal tourist destination for those who want to explore the wild beauty and learn about the history of Vietnam. Here, you can wander to deeply feel the past and explore the ocean world with colorful coral reefs and primeval forests with rich flora and fauna, and most of all, to escape from life. urban noise.

From a “hell on earth”, Con Dao quickly transformed into one of the most charming islands on the planet, able to make every visitor lose their step when setting foot on this beautiful island. Along with the beauty of “top 10 most charming islands on the planet” voted by Lonely Planet travel magazine, Con Dao is also mentioned as “one of the most mysterious islands on the planet” by travel magazine. Travel and Leisure. Thanks to its charming beauty and inherent mystery, Con Dao has truly become an attractive destination not only for domestic tourists but also for international tourists.

Regarding geographical location, Con Dao is located near the island so it has a tropical climate, hot and humid all year round, creating two distinct seasons: rainy season and dry season. The average temperature during the year is about 26.9 degrees Celsius. The average rainfall reaches 2,300 mm and the average sea water temperature in a year ranges from 25 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius. The highest humidity in the air reaches 80% and the lowest is only 48% because the average annual evaporation is lower than the average annual rainfall.

Con Dao’s rainy season starts from May to the end of November, lasting nearly seven months. This season has up to 90% of the total rainfall of the year and the rainiest month falls in October (average rainfall 344 mm). Speaking of the rainy season, a lot of rain falls but it is very intermittent, not like it rains continuously from morning to night. The rains often come and go very quickly, at most lasting within 1 hour. The remaining sky is still sunny and the wind is blowing gently.

Con Dao’s temperature fluctuates during this time from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius. During the rainy season, May is considered the hottest month because the temperature can reach up to 35 degrees Celsius due to air compression. In the rainy season, the southwest monsoon is mainly influenced by the frequency of 60-70%, the wind speed never exceeds 30 meters/second, so it is not high. Although there will be many thunderstorm days (May alone has 20 thunderstorm days), storms occur very rarely. At this time, the weather is not hot, there is moderate wind, and there are no storms, so swimming is very popular with tourists.

The dry season starts from October to April of the following year, lasting five months. This season has very little rainfall, accounting for only 10% of the yearly rainfall. The weather is very dry, but it is the “windy season” because of big waves and rough seas. The dry season, also known as Winter – Spring, is mainly affected by the Northeast monsoon with a frequency ranging from 30-50%. The wind sometimes reaches level 6-7, causing rough seas and big waves. Traveling to Con Dao in the dry season, please come and visit in March and April. Firstly, the weather is in late spring and early summer, pleasant, extremely cool, clear blue sky, warm golden rays of sunlight… all together create great photos.

However, traveling to Con Dao in any season is not a problem for tourists because in general the weather here is quite pleasant.

Con Dao with countless beautiful beaches along with Con Son Bay includes 14 small and large islands of different sizes gathered like a big family, creating an amazing natural picture that can make every step of visitors nostalgic. feet come here.

From March to September is the best time to explore Con Dao. Although it is still in the rainy season, the sea is calm and the wind is small on the eastern and northeastern islands. Tourists should visit the remote island during the day, where it is filled with golden sunshine and blue sky, suitable for scuba diving and taking photos. There are often showers in the afternoon, suitable for visiting covered monuments on the big island.

July-September is the breeding season for sea turtles. The remaining time, from October to March next year, is the monsoon season, the waters of Con Son Bay have big waves. However, the sea to the west and southwest of the big island is still calm, without rain, so visitors can switch their sightseeing to this area with equally beautiful natural landscapes.

Ship: To travel to Con Dao by ship, you can travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Cat Lo port of Soc Trang or Tran De port of Soc Trang. From here, you will catch the train to Con Dao. Currently, there are many high-speed boats going to Con Dao.

Specifically, the Superdong Soc Trang-Con Dao high-speed boat departs from Tran De port, Soc Trang to Ben Dam port, Con Dao. Departure time: Soc Trang-Con Dao: 8:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.; Con Dao-Soc Trang: 13:00-15:30.
If traveling by boat CQ-03, visitors go to 1007/36 April 30 Street, Ward 11, Cat Lo port area, Vung Tau City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. Departure time: Vung Tau-Con Dao: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Con Dao-Vung Tau: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m. the next morning.
Another train is Con Dao 09 and Con Dao 10, going from Cat Lo port, Vung Tau to Ben Dam port, Con Dao. Departure time: 5:00 p.m. daily.
Visitors can also choose the Greenlines train. Address: Cat Lo port area, Vung Tau – Ben Dam port, Con Dao or Bach Dang port, Ho Chi Minh City – Ben Dam port, Con Dao

Plane: Vietnam Airlines operates 2 routes from Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho to Con Dao with a frequency of 3 flights/day. If you depart from Hanoi, you need to travel to Tan Son Nhat airport or Can Tho airport and then fly straight to Co Ong airport of Con Dao.

Explore beautiful nature: If you are a nature lover and like to explore new lands, then Con Dao is definitely the ideal destination for you. “Wild”, “majestic”, “unforgettable” will be the feelings of visitors when setting foot on this island. This place has beaches with endless stretches of white sand that have not been exploited much, large mountain ranges, greening the entire island district, helping visitors return to fresh, cool nature.

Con Dao National Park: Some famous destinations in Con Dao you should explore are: Dam Trau Beach, Nhat Beach, Suoi Nong Beach, Bay Canh Island, Tai Island, Ba Island, Con Dao National Park, etc. ..

Visit famous historical and spiritual relics: Not only is this place blessed with beautiful nature, this place also has many unique historical and spiritual relics that attract tourists. Spiritual places in Con Dao you should not miss are: Hang Duong cemetery where the grave of hero Vo Thi Sau is located, Van Son Tu, Cau temple, Ba Phi Yen temple, Mot mountain pagoda.

According to experience traveling to Con Dao, if you plan to visit Hang Duong cemetery, you should prepare offerings in advance because people around this area do not sell gold coins. Another small tip is that tourists and people will often visit Ms. Sau’s grave in the most numbers from 9:00 p.m. – 11:59 p.m., so please arrange your schedule properly to fully experience it.

Not only famous for its entertainment and tourist attractions, Con Dao cuisine also has many unique characteristics such as snails, sea worms, lobster, mackerel, shark salad…

Nang Nang Snail: When talking about Con Dao, we must mention the seafood that is caught every day so it is very fresh and delicious. First to mention is Nang’s breast snail – one of Con Dao’s unique delicacies. The snails have a crooked pyramid shape and a gray-black outer shell. Usually each snail is only as big as three adult fingers, but the ones in Con Dao are a bit bigger, some are almost as big as the palm of your hand. Boiled snails are the easiest to make, so they are the most popular. In addition, they can be grilled with onion fat, mixed into salads, and delicious. Just dip it with lemon salt or spicy and sour fish sauce to feel the crunchy, sweet taste of snails.
Sea worms: The second dish is sea worms (also known as sea worms) – a nutritious dish that is very rich in nutrients in this land. A familiar specialty to Con Dao people that is not available everywhere, and only appears from March to July every year. Its shape is a bit like a worm, so many tourists do not dare to enjoy this dish, but this is a fish with many nutrients and is very good for health. Stir-fried sea worms with luffa, salad, soup, porridge, but grilled with lemon pepper is the most popular dish among diners.
Fox shark: The third dish is shark (also known as fox shark). Soft, fresh fish meat blends with the natural spices of apricot leaves, banana, pineapple, star fruit, and coriander to enhance the flavor of the dish.
Almond seeds: Almonds are a forest tree in Con Dao, with very large fruits and leaves. Every season, people here harvest the fruit to dry and then separate the seeds. Almond seeds are roasted with salt and sugar as desired. No matter how it is prepared, almond seeds are very fragrant, fatty and fleshy. Almond seed jam is very suitable to buy as a gift.
Moon crab: Another specialty in Con Dao that cannot be ignored is moon crab – an extremely rare seafood species. The reason it is called moon crab is because on its back there are many dark red circles, mixed with bright pink, very attractive and eye-catching, quite like the shape of the moon. Furthermore, this type of crab has the most delicious meat during the period. rising moon. The most common way to prepare moon crab is steamed crab. Eat a piece of crab meat, dip a little salt and pepper with lemon, slowly feel the sweetness of the crab melting on the tip of your tongue, it is truly indescribable in words. Besides, this type of crab can still be used in tamarind sauce or cooked in hot pot.
Red lobster: If you have the opportunity to travel to Con Dao, you cannot miss the precious specialty of red lobster. Red lobster meat contains a large amount of protein but contains very little fat, so it is especially good for health. Red lobster in Con Dao is very delicious, the meat is chewy and sweet, very firm. There are many ways to prepare red lobster in Con Dao. We can steam, cook porridge, make salad or grill, stir-fry… with any preparation method, it looks very attractive and eye-catching.
Red grouper: If you eat Con Dao seafood, try red grouper. Red grouper, also known as grouper, is a very famous and popular fish among all types of fish in Con Dao. So when you come here, you should try this dish made from fish. Red grouper is processed into rustic dishes such as steamed, salad, grilled and sauced… it looks very attractive and eye-catching for people to eat. Because this red grouper is very difficult to catch and the fish’s nutritional value is high, there are many types of prices.
Sea urchin sauce: Mhum sauce is made from mhum (sea urchin), also known as noble fish sauce. Because the mhum is so small, it is difficult to catch. This type of sauce is very suitable when eaten with boiled meat or vegetables. I already like it when I mention it. Eat once and you will forever remember the taste of fish sauce here.
In addition to the above specialties, you can buy them as gifts for family and friends such as almond seed jam, sun-dried mackerel,…

In Con Dao, there is no public transportation such as buses, you need to actively take a taxi or rent a motorbike to get around. However, if you choose a taxi, it is not very popular because taxi companies in Con Dao are rarely exploited, so you can almost only ride a motorbike or catch a motorbike tax

Resort services in Con Dao have only developed rapidly in recent years, so most of them only have motels, budget hotels (from 1 – 2 stars) or homestays, while 3 – 5 star hotels are still very limited. However, the rooms are still very clean, comfortable and the service style is extremely professional. Thanks to that, the staff is very friendly and approachable, often showing tourists places to have fun and eat that only local people know.

Resort Six Senses Con Dao (5 stars): If you are a travel fanatic, you are no stranger to the dreamy virtual photo shoots at Six Senses Con Dao of many famous people. Six Senses Con Dao is known as one of the hotels with the most beautiful and expensive locations in Con Dao, with luxurious services and amenities and many special experiences that only this place has.
Saigon Con Dao Resort (3 stars): The hotel is located right in the center of Con Dao town and faces the sea, creating a feeling of closeness to nature. There is a souvenir shop, children’s swimming pool, outdoor swimming pool, cafe, free airport shuttle for guests, wifi in all rooms and many other amenities. It’s a “soft” price option but full of amenities, right?
Con Dao Camping Hotel: Con Dao Camping Hotel has basic amenities such as parking, TV, electric kettle, hair dryer, … and free wifi equipped in all rooms. And some other services such as laundry, sunbathing spa, bar, non-smoking rooms,…
Eden House and Coffee Con Dao: Eden House’s campus has trees planted everywhere so the air is very fresh and airy. The plus point is that the place is very quiet, clean, the hosts are friendly, enthusiastic and have a lot of experience traveling to Con Dao, so if you need to consult the schedule, feel free to ask.
Uyen’s house: This is a homestay that is loved by the Con Dao self-sufficient travel review community because the owner is very hospitable and enthusiastic. The rooms are clean, airy, and have many sparkling virtual living corners. Especially suitable for large groups because it is fully equipped with convenient cooking utensils, making it comfortable to hold parties.

Day 1 – Explore nature in Con Dao

Con Son Bay
Ben Dam Bay
Dam Trau Beach
Hai An beach
Lime Loi Beach
See turtles at Hon Tre Lon
Day 2 – Explore some islands and historical sites

Visit Hon Bay Canh and then move to Con Dao National Park: explore Ong Dung primeval forest, visit Con Dao prison system including: Phu Hai Camp, French-style tiger cage, American-style tiger cage, isolated area Cow Stable, An Son Temple
Day 3 – Explore the culinary specialties on Con Dao:

Cheap Con Dao food and drink tour includes: oyster porridge, shark salad, giant cochlea, snail’s breast, moon crab, sea urchin fish sauce, sun mackerel,…

When traveling to Con Dao, you need to pay attention to the following to avoid unnecessary trouble during your trip:

Please wear polite and discreet clothing when visiting spiritual, historical places or visiting the grave of Martyr Vo Thi Sau.
Con Dao is a sacred land, so you absolutely should not take the spiritual things here for fun.
If you swim, pay attention to beach regulations and the sea rescue team, because Con Dao beach has many strong waves and undercurrents, so you need to swim in safe waters according to regulations. Besides, please pay attention to your children if there are children with you.
When exploring the forest in Con Dao, you need to pay attention to following the guided trails, do not arbitrarily find your way in the forest because it is easy to get lost and be in danger, so you need to pay attention to the safety of yourself and others. Go with.
Some things to note when going to Con Dao by boat:
Instead of buying individual tickets, you should buy round-trip tickets to avoid running out of train tickets.
In case your train trip is delayed/cancelled due to weather conditions, the staff will assist in rescheduling or changing tickets for you. However, to be proactive about your trip, you can contact to ask about the departure status of the train before the departure date or have a plan B ready for yourself.