Recently updated on August 10th, 2022 at 04:02 pm
Con Dao Island (Ba Ria – Vung Tau) with its mysterious beauty has been honored and praised many times by the international media. The wild scenery here always attracts visitors to experience and explore.
Con Dao is located southeast of the Vietnamese sea, 97 nautical miles from the coast of Vung Tau city (Ba Ria – Vung Tau). This place gathers 16 large and small islands and each island has its own beauty. Visitors can enjoy sunny trails along the gentle coastline, watch charming coral reefs and explore primeval forests with many rare creatures.
The famous Travel & Leisure magazine once voted Con Dao as one of the most mysterious islands in the world. Lonely Planet travel site ranks Con Dao in the top 10 must-visit destinations in Asia. At the end of 2019, the archipelago was also commented on by Vogue Paris as a dreamland with pure natural beauty and an intact ecosystem.
Best time to travel to Con Dao Island
From March to September: this is the time of Con Dao in the rainy season but the sea is very quiet. However, the rain at this time usually lasts no more than 1 hour. After the rain, it will be sunny weather which will be very suitable for tours of the sea, diving, and coral reef exploration.
This is also the season when turtles from around Con Dao lay eggs. October to February: this is the time when the sea is not quiet when you come to Con Dao at this time, the cost will be higher, and might not be able to swim. However, there are still many other activities such as discovering historical sites or exploring primeval forests.
We recommend that you come to Con Dao island from March to September, this is the best time of the year.
How to get to Con Dao Island
Come to Con Dao Island
To get to Con Dao, you have 2 ways to go by road + waterway or by air.
Plane
Con Dao has an airport named Con Son serving domestic flights from Can Tho International Airport and Tan Son Nhat Airport, Noi Bai International Airport.
High-speed boat
The Vung Tau – Con Dao route: Vessels usually depart at 5 pm from Cat Lo port (Vung Tau). It takes about 12 hours to move to Con Dao. Seats for seats are from 85,000-125,000 VND / way, bed tickets are priced from 150,000-200,000 VND / way. In particular, visitors only take about 2.5 hours to reach Con Dao by high-speed boat.
You can travel by boat Superdong running the Soc Trang – Con Dao route. The ship departs at Tran Deport (Soc Trang) at 8:00 or 13:00 every day. The high-speed boat ticket price is 310,000 VND / ticket. Besides, from Vung Tau there is also a speedboat for you to choose from.
The Soc Trang – Con Dao route and vice versa are officially put into operation by the Superdong – Kien Giang Express Train Company from July 2017 with a frequency of 2 departures/day.
The schedule of the Superdong high-speed boat from Soc Trang to Con Dao departs at 8:00, and 13:15, and from Con Dao to Soc Trang, departs at 8:00 and 13:00. Travel time to Con Dao is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The starting point of the high-speed boat Superdong Soc Trang – Con Dao route is from Tran Deport (Soc Trang) and docked at Ben Dam port (Con Dao).
In terms of facilities onboard, it is extremely good. The ship is equipped with modern entertainment equipment and facilities to serve tourists such as air conditioning, a phone charging port, wifi. In addition, you also get a beautiful small bottle of water and a cold towel to quench your thirst on hot summer days.
Moving around
From Con Son airport to Con Dao town center is about 12km so you can take a taxi. In town, there are transportation facilities that you can rent such as a motorbike, bicycle, or walk to explore this island.
Where to stay? Nice and good Homestay & Hotels on Con Dao Island
On Con Dao island from the homestay to the high-end hotel, there are many options for you. If you go on holiday, you are recommended to book accommodation 2-3 weeks before to avoid room unavailability or high prices. Right in the center of Con Dao, there are many homestays and hotels with very reasonable prices and you can book directly or through the travel company so you get better prices a lot more than you book directly with that hotel.
This is an experience when traveling to Con Dao island you should pay attention. In addition, Booking.com is a very reasonable choice we would like to advise you with information and photos, very detailed service, as well as reviews of the people who have booked here.
The experiences you should try when coming here
Snorkeling on the coral reef
Con Dao is home to the most beautiful coral reefs in Vietnam, ideal for exploring the wonderful ocean world.
East Sea fishing
Right in the Con Dao area, there are many kinds of seafood due to its location in the East Sea so it will be a very interesting place for those who love fishing. Especially for those who love adventure, you can challenge yourself by shark fishing. The best time to go fishing sharks is when night falls
Explore the uninhabited island
Around Con Dao, there are 14 different small islands, the islands that make up the poetic beauty and the marine ecosystem with coral reefs that are comparable elsewhere in the world. in density. and categories.
Trekking in primary forest
Looking for an isolated island where you can go trekking through jungle trails, walk along white-sand beaches, and enjoy scuba diving in rich coral reefs? Then, Con Dao National Park is surely a good choice. Located in the center of an archipelago of 14 islands (in which Con Son is the largest island), the park brings a new and fresh breath for those who simply wish to stay close to nature and spread their eyes over flora and fauna.
Watch the turtles lay eggs
When traveling to Con Dao, there is an experience that you can not ignore witness the sea turtles Chelonia mydas also known as the green turtle, black (sea ) turtle or Pacific green turtle nest and lay eggs beside the sea. You can contact Tam Dao National Park to take part in this tour.
Places to visit on Con Dao Island
Con Son Bay
The bay consists of a system of 14 small islands of varying sizes. The beautiful island’s radiant and colorful coral more beautiful under the sun will make tourists can not take their eyes.
Dam Tre Bay
Beautiful and wild nature, this place will attract you. When you come here, you will not only immerse in the beauty of the water but also explore the mangrove forest, and birds nest nesting during the breeding season.
Dam Trau Beach
Considered the most beautiful beach in Con Dao, Dam Trau beach is 12 km northwest of Con Son airport. From Con Dao town center, it takes about 30 minutes to get to Dam Trau by motorbike or car. It is famous for its soft white sandy stretches, pristine forests with lush greenery, and cliffs with unique shapes. At Dam Trau beach, visitors can enjoy the beach, enjoy the beautiful scenery or dive into the coral.
Suoi Nong Beach
It is also a beautiful beach in Con Dao. From Dam Trau beach, visitors can cross a short jungle road to reach Suoi Nong Beach. It still remains unspoiled and unaware of the flat white sand and a rare mangrove ecosystem on the other islands.
Lo Voi Beach
Situated northeast of Con Dao, Lo Voi beach and An Hai beach are one of the most beautiful beaches located at the two ends of the island. Come here, visitors will also feel the fresh air and wild nature of Con Dao along with the clear water in the sky. When traveling to Con Dao you should not miss this place.
An Hai Beach
Located in the center of Con Dao, An Hai beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Con Dao, you just walking about 10 minutes from the center of town is possible to come to this beach. The white sandy beach with soft white sand, and clear water to reflect the ancient goods are very suitable for picnics.
Cau Island
Hon Cau (Cau Island) has a white sandy stretch that embraces the mountain from the top down like a bow, the point on which are the rows of coconut trees … all make a beautiful scene to the heart.
Big Tre Island
It is the breeding ground for sea crayfish and is also the perfect place to enjoy the coral. You can visit the island by boat along the route from Con Son Bay to Big Tre Island.
Bay Canh Island
Bay Canh Island is located in the East of Con Dao, one of the 14 spawning grounds of Con Dao sea turtles, and is the beach with the largest number of turtles laying eggs in Con Dao. During the breeding season (from April to September every year), one night at least 1-2 individuals, many nights have from 20 to 30 mother turtles nest on the beach and laying eggs. It is cool and pleasant all year round because it is covered by pristine forests.
Ba Island
Ba Island is the third-largest island of the 16 small islands of the Con Dao Islands. Come to Ba Island, you can easily find beautiful beaches, forest ecosystems, and mangrove forests with a variety of rare species of plants and animals.
When you come here, you can walk through the forest for about 20 minutes to the West and reach Dam Quoc beach to explore the mangrove forest, swim, diving to view coral and marine life, Or you can climb mountains to conquer Love Peak. In the rainy season, after bathing, visitors can also enjoy the cold spring waterfall at the edge of the forest near the beach.
Con Dao National Park
Con Dao National Park has an area of nearly 6,000ha on land and 14,000ha of water and is an environment conducive to breeding, nursing, and preserving marine species. Currently, Con Dao Island is the area with the most turtles in Vietnam. Here, you will experience many interesting activities with diversified types such as fishing, diving, biking, walking, or nature sightseeing.
Ong Dung Beach
It is home to nearly 300 species of plants and animals characteristic of the North and South. Renowned for the beauty of the sea and the image of boulders stacked on the rock. When you arrive here, you can take part in scenic canoeing excursions with canoeing or diving under the sea to admire the colorful coral reefs.
Especially here you will have the opportunity to participate in exciting trekking activities.
Nui Mot Pagoda
Nui Mot Pagoda is considered the most beautiful pagoda in Vietnam, a majestic beauty that you can not ignore when visiting Con Dao. From here, you can capture the whole view of Con Dao, in front of the blue beach, behind the green mountains.
Con Dao Museum
Con Dao Museum is a place to store, display, preserve and introduce the historical and cultural artifacts of the Con Dao people’s land through historical periods.
Cuisine in Con Dao Island
Besides the friendly environment and fresh landscape, the cuisine in Con Dao also impresses those who have once arrived here. One of the flavors that visitors cannot miss is seafood. Seafood in Con Dao is caught directly from the sea, so it is always fresh.
Seafood Market on Con Dao Island
Con Dao possesses many attractive specialties that make diners satisfy their taste buds. Most of the eateries in Con Dao have affordable prices and cool spaces. Some of the recommended restaurants experienced by visitors are Tri Ky Restaurant – Nguyen Duc Thuan Street and Thu Ba Restaurant – Vo Thi Sau Street …
Some other travel experiences should be noted
- Wear boots or shoes dedicated when you go exploring or trekking in the national park or forest.
- Con Dao island is far away from land so the price of services here is very expensive and the most restrictive activities are nightlife.
- Prepare personal items, sunscreen, dinnerware, medicine, and food. And filled up with gasoline before heading back to Con Dao. There was only one gas station.
- If you choose to travel by plane, you should always book a return ticket because it is difficult for you to book your return flight.
- Services here are still in short supply and goods are mostly transferred from the mainland, so the price is quite high. Therefore, you should prepare mentally and physically before going on the island.
- Personal belongings, medicine, sunscreen, hats, and convenience food are indispensable to your inventory. Also, the island is full of mosquitoes at night, so you need to bring mosquito and insect repellent.
- Comfortable, neat outfits with sneakers are the right choice if you want to conquer the primeval forests on the island. When visiting historic sites, you should choose polite and discreet clothing. In addition, you should pocket cool clothes to enjoy when out at sea.
- Enthusiasts who are passionate about “virtual living” also do not forget to bring an electric socket and backup charger to not miss the opportunity to check in continuously on a series of beautiful scenes.
- There are only 2 ATMs on the island and the withdrawal fee is quite high, so it’s best to take the initiative to bring cash.
- If you explore the island by motorbike, you need to check the fuel reserves and refill before moving because there are only 2 gas stations on the island.
- Especially, in Con Dao, there is relatively good security and there is no parking service, you can keep your motorbike neat and eat and visit comfortably.
