Con Dao is the island Vietnam keeps quiet about. Sixteen islands off the southern coast, about 230km from Saigon, and most travelers never make it out here. Flights are limited. The ferries take half a day. The pay-off: beaches you’ll have to yourself, the best diving in Vietnam, and a history that sits with you long after you leave.
August is the month to go if you want the turtles — nesting season runs June to September and peaks right about now. The rest of the year has its own draws, but turtle season is what gets people booking.
We get asked about Con Dao a lot by guests finishing up in Saigon — it’s the “one more island?” question. Here’s what we tell them: eight things worth your time, plus how to actually get there.
1. Watch Sea Turtles Nest on Bay Canh Island (June–September)
Green sea turtles have been laying eggs on Bay Canh Island for longer than anyone can count. From June to September — peak months July and August — females haul themselves up the sand at night to dig, lay, and cover their eggs. Rangers run night tours from the National Park office in Con Son town. If you get lucky, you watch a turtle the size of a coffee table do her thing a few meters away.
The rules matter here: no flash, no loud noise, stay behind the ranger. The turtles are protected, and the whole point is that they nest undisturbed. Trips run 4-6 hours and leave late — bring something long-sleeved, because the mosquitoes don’t care how magical the moment is.
(No guarantees, by the way. Turtles aren’t on a schedule. But July and August are your best odds, and the boat ride out to Bay Canh is worth it even if you come home turtle-less.)
2. Snorkel or Dive the Best Reefs in Vietnam
Vietnam’s diving scene gets talked about in Nha Trang, but the reefs around Con Dao are the ones divers whisper about. Think hard corals, reef sharks on a good day, dugongs if you’re really lucky. The water is clear and calm from about March to August — the same window as turtle season, which is no accident.
Con Dao Dive Center organizes trips, and so does the National Park office. Boat rides to Bay Canh or Hon Cau run $50-100 per boat — expensive solo, cheap once you split it four or five ways. From November to February the sea gets rough and trips start getting cancelled, so time your visit.
Prefer everything arranged for you? We run a Phu Quoc snorkeling tour with similar reefs and zero planning on your end.
3. Walk Through the Tiger Cages at Con Dao Prison
For over a hundred years, Con Son was Vietnam’s penal colony. Tens of thousands of prisoners died here — estimates put it past 20,000 — and the remains of that system are still standing in the middle of town.
The most visited sites are the prisons themselves: Phu Hai, Phu Son, Phu Tuong, Phu Binh. Phu Binh is where the tiger cages were — small cells with grilles in the ceiling, where guards poked prisoners with sticks and threw lime down on them. Reading about it is one thing. Standing in it is another.
The Con Dao Museum sells a combined ticket for 50,000 VND that covers the museum and all the prison sites. Open 7:30-11:00 and 13:30-17:00 daily. Give yourself a couple of hours, and go in the morning — the afternoon sun in those concrete blocks is brutal.
4. Pay Your Respects at Hang Duong Cemetery
Just north of town, Hang Duong is where hundreds of prisoners are buried — including Vo Thi Sau, a 19-year-old resistance fighter executed in 1952. Her grave is the one everyone comes to see.
Vietnamese visitors come here as pilgrims, not tourists. The dress code is respectful — shoulders covered — and it’s customary to buy incense at the gate and light some at the graves. It’s a quiet, heavy place. That’s the point.
5. Swim at Dam Trau Beach — Where Planes Land Over the Sand
Dam Trau is Con Dao’s most famous beach, and it has a party trick: the airport runway ends right at the sand. When a flight comes in, the plane drifts down over the water and touches down meters from where you’re swimming. Everyone stops and watches. Every single time.
The swimming is best before noon, when the water’s calm and the tide’s out, and the sunsets are worth staying for. There are a few beach shacks for drinks, and the whole stretch is backed by casuarina trees. Bring a book. Stay longer than you planned.
6. Hike the National Park to Hidden Beaches
Con Son is more mountain than beach, and the jungle trails are half the appeal. Macaques and black squirrels cross the path. The air smells like wet earth. And at the end of a sweaty climb there’s usually a beach.
Dam Tre lagoon is the classic one — a jungle hike (or speedboat ride) to a calm bay with coral right offshore and a swing in the shallows at Secret Beach. Watch the tide, though: the outgoing pull there is genuinely strong. On the other side of the island, Bai Bang gets a waterfall that runs straight onto the sand in the rainy season.
If you’ve only got one day for a hike, do Nui Chua — the views over the archipelago from the top are the money shot.
7. Rent a Scooter and Ride the Empty Coast Roads
Con Son is one of the easiest places in Vietnam to ride. The roads are smooth, mostly empty, and you can cover the whole island in a day. Scooter rental runs about 150,000 VND a day — ask your accommodation, they all know someone.
The east coast road from the airport down to Ben Dam port is a spectacular 25km run. A newer west coast road links up with it, so you can now loop the entire island. Two gas stations exist, both in town — fill up before you head out.
First time on a bike? Honestly, this is the place to learn. No traffic jams, no chaos, just empty tarmac and the ocean on your left.
8. End the Day in Con Son Town — Pier 914, Market & Sunset
An hour before dusk, everyone in Con Son drifts to the seafront promenade on Ton Duc Thang street. Grab a drink at Con Son Cafe, watch the sun drop behind the hills, and you’ll understand why this island gets under people’s skin.
The market is worth a wander in the early morning — fruit, vegetables, fish, all brought in fresh. And the island gift shop sells the local specials: hat bang (tropical almonds — get the ginger-coated ones), wild jungle honey, and ginseng liquor if you’re feeling brave.
Getting to Con Dao — Fly or Ferry
Fly: Vietnam Airlines and VASCO fly from Tan Son Nhat in Saigon to Con Son airport — about an hour, from roughly 1,200,000 VND one-way. The planes are small turboprops, the views are gorgeous, and the runway sits between two beaches. Note that the airport has periodic upgrade closures — check your dates, because if it’s shut, the sea is your only option.
Ferry: Con Dao Express runs a big ship from Vung Tau (about 4 hours, every other day, departing around 7:30am), plus routes from Can Tho and Tran De in Soc Trang. Tickets run roughly 390,000-590,000 VND. It’s cheaper and an experience in itself, but it’s weather-dependent — rough seas mean cancellations, mostly November to February.
If you’re flying, the Saigon end is easy to sort — we run private airport transfers in HCMC, including early-morning domestic departures.
Before You Go
- Book the turtle tour early — the National Park office on the seafront takes bookings, and peak-season nights fill fast.
- Plan around the rain — August showers roll in most afternoons. Mornings are usually perfect; put boat trips there.
- Bring reef-safe sunscreen — normal sunscreen kills coral, and this island’s reefs are the whole point.
- Take cash — the market and smaller restaurants don’t take cards.
- Carry repellent — sandflies on An Hai beach, mosquitoes at night. Long sleeves for the turtle trip.
Quick Questions Travelers Ask
Con Dao or Phu Quoc? Depends what you want. Phu Quoc has bigger resorts, more restaurants, better nightlife, and its sweet spot is December to April. Con Dao is quieter, and the history and turtles are unmatched — best March to September. Lazy beach week with everything on tap? Phu Quoc (we’ve got a full guide here). Something with soul? Con Dao.
How many days do you need? Three to four. Two full days feels rushed; three lets you do the turtles or diving, the prison, a beach day, and a scooter loop without sprinting.
Can I guarantee seeing turtles? No. June to September, peak July-August, night tours with rangers — and it’s still nature. Go for the island, treat the turtles as a bonus.
Do I need a Vietnam visa? Unless you’re from one of the exempt countries, yes. Sort it before you fly — we handle fast e-visas.
The Short Version
Con Dao isn’t for everyone, and that’s its strength. If you want a beach week with cocktail menus and pool towels, stay on Phu Quoc. If you want empty beaches, the best diving in Vietnam, and a history lesson that doesn’t let go — get yourself to Con Dao, and go in August if you can.
Start or finish in Saigon. We can pick you up from the airport, sort your visa, and show you the city on a night food tour before you catch the flight out. WhatsApp/Zalo: +84 70 6666 520
