Vietnam’s Paradise For Tourists
By Dat Tien
Con Dao, which is one of Vietnam’s sea-tourist spots and is matched against a paradise in many international travel magazines, appeals to visitors by its pristine nature
Con Dao is an archipelago in southeastern Vietnam, 97 nautical miles from Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province and 120 nautical miles from HCM City. It consists of 16 islands, covering 76 square kilometers. The biggest island of all is Con Son, which covers 51 square kilometers. This island has about 6,000 inhabitants.
Seen from high above, Con Dao looks like a bear extending its body to the East Sea. It has many beautiful beaches with pure, blue water and long stretches of sand. Visitors would lose their heart to the scenic spots of such islets as Bay Canh, Bong Lan and Trung. In particular, Dam Trau, the most beautiful beach, is where visitors can bathe and dive to watch the beauty of the sea and marine life. They can also fish on the islands or from the boat, or watch sea-turtles lay eggs on Bay Canh Islet at night.
Apart from the sea, Con Dao has a national park with rich flora and fauna. It is also a place to preserve dugongs, dolphins and sea-turtles, which are under the threat of extinction.
In the war time, Con Dao was a place to jail convicted Vietnamese communists. Many related historical sites such as cells, Ma Thien Lanh Bridge and Hang Duong Cemetery have become tourist attractions.
Con Dao has cool weather all year round. The best weather falls on January until September and this is the ideal time for visiting it.
From HCM City, tourists can go to Con Dao by air or sea. Two aviation companies—Vasco and Air Mekong—provide daily flights on this route, which take about 45 minutes. To get there by sea, tourists can take a ship from Vung Tau City for a journey of about 12 hours.
For visitors to Con Dao, they can choose to stay at Saigon-Con Dao Resort, which is an affiliate of Saigontourist Holding Company and is located in the middle of Con Son Island.
The biggest hospitality facility on the island, Saigon-Con Dao Resort has 120 well-furnished rooms with the sea view, including villas of French architecture built in the 1920s. It also has other facilities such as the swimming pool, tennis courts and entertainment sections for guests.
At the resort, guests can enjoy delicious seaside dishes and Con Dao specialties at Poulo Condore and Hoa Bien restaurants. They can also choose a specialized tour from here to discover places of interest, life and people on the islands.
Saigon-Con Dao Resort: 18-24 Ton Duc Thang Street, Con Dao District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Tel: 064.3830336 – 3830337, email: sgtcd@saigoncondao.com.