The faraway Con Dao staff of islands is set 180km from Vung Tau, and has a local population of around 5,000. The main island, Con Son, used to be a far-feared former penal colony till 1975. A number of the archipelago is now a National Park with a few good seashores, transparent water with pristine coral, lush tropical wooded area with much plant life, coconut groves, and few visitors. Lodging is limited, but a new air hyperlink is starting to generate interest in visiting this largely unspoilt area. 

Historical past

Once known as ‘Paulo Condor’ and long considered a Southeast Asian ‘Devil's Island’, Con Son is the largest island in the archipelago. The notorious Con Son prison complicated used to be based through the French colonial authority early within the 19th century. From then until 1975 the French colonial management, followed via the Saigon government, incarcerated political prisoners in brutal conditions, incessantly in tiny underground bxes known as ‘tiger cages’. The Hang Duong cemetery holds the remains of the mathe big apple prisoners that died there. 

All the way through the colonial duration and its use by means of the Saigon regime, Con Dao’s handiest inhabitants have been the prisoners, their guards, and a small contingent of infantrymen and administrators. The real extent of the appalling remedy of inmates most effective turned into identified after victory and reunification in May 1975.  

Since then, a small town has evolved on the western side of Con Son in and around the vintage penal colony complex. It’s an attractive group with superb civic facilities and a highway layout that might put such a lot Vietnamese towns to shame, in spite of its size. 

The weather

Con Dao is located at a point where cool and heat ocean currents converge and create a localized climatic system. From June to September, frequent fierce squalls buffet the west dealing with sides of the islands while the east is sheltered. In September, the currents and winds reverse therefore exposing the east of the islands to dangerous weather till January. The weather is calm all over the archipelago all the way through the remainder of the year.  

This abnormal weather development lets in swimming, snorkeling and diving to be an all-year-round activity.  

The National Park

The French wardens compelled prisoners to collect reside coral and turn it into lime. The coral reefs survived, but only to face additional damage from uncontrolled and destructive fishing. The National Park was once based in 1977, but protection prolonged most effective to the wildlife on land. The park now covers fourteen of the sixteen islands and their surrounding marine areas. 

The woodland cover on the islands is dense: a large professional portion is in pristine condition, in particular the humid hill woodland growing above 500m above sea level.

Even supposing control over the exploitative use of the ocean was based as past due as 1993, and in spite of the damage wreaked by way of the French, over 1000 hectares of Con Dao National Park's coral reefs survive within the shallow waters - a stark contrast to other areas of Vietnam that experience low coral cover on account of overexploitation, damaging fishing, and sedimentation.  

All of the marine area is wealthy in biodiversity: over 1,300 species of sea animals have already been identified. The ecosystems on Con Dao are beneficial habitats for uncommon species such because the Hawksbill and Green Turtles, and Dugong, the strange creatures popularly referred to as ‘sea cows’ and believed to be the source of the ‘mermaid’ legends from their habit of solar bathing on rocks.  

Conservation efforts

The World Extensive Fund for Nature has been lively in protecting sea turtles and dugong. Considering the fact that 1995, greater than 300,000 baby turtles has been launched to the sea and nearly 1,000 mature turtles have been tagged. 

Con Dao National Park is now considered probably the best examples of marine conservation in Vietnam, complete with laws to restrict fishing activities and prohibit damaging fishing, and is a model for marine conservation right through the country. There are plans for eco-friendly construction inside the park’s boundaries.

The future

Con Dao has vital price for mabig apple forms of conservation and eco-pleasant tourism development. 5-superstar PADI scuba diving will quickly be available: there are several outstanding dive web sites offering sightings of dolphins, turtles and dugong as well as a large range of other species.  

Con Dao is indisputably a spot for nature lovers, but additionally an opportunity to consult with an unspoilt tropical island ahead of development. There may be no doubt that it is going to quickly transform a popular destination, so in case you want peace and solitude in pristine surroundings, now’s the time to go.  

Possible activities.

There is a small museum in what was once the French Governor’s residence overlooking the main bay. Its four rooms cover the islands’ historical past, such a lot of which centers upon the penal colony. The primary room contains general information in regards to the archipelago. The second is called ‘Hell on Earth’. On its walls are faded photographs, illustrations and artwork depicting the inhuman treatment meted out by means of their gaolers?  

Beneath the French, there were once a few semblances of order and control. Prisoners incarcerated for slightly minor offences may just gain privileges for co-operation and be launched to the mainland. Under the Saigon regime, prisoners have been handled much more brutally. Footage of the comfortable lifetime of the prison administrators and their visitors contrast eerily with the squalor of the inmates. More than a few artifacts, memorabilia and examples of the instruments of torture are on show - in particular poignant are fragments of paper weapons and costumes made by inmates as props for New Yr birthday party performances.  

The third room has a wall of photographs of outstanding Vietnamese agitators and revolutionaries who underwent sluggish execution within the tiger cages, and different prisoners who served time and later rose to prominence after liberation. There is also a show of makeshift weapons. The overall room depicts the years due to the fact that liberation. 

The museum arranges a tour of the advanced with a guide. Alternatively, the extent of English spoken is low, so patience and a word e-book are necessary. The tour must take a couple of hours. 

The main island provides good tenting, mountain climbing and hiking opportunities - the National Park Headquarters on the outskirts of the city can will give you information approximately suit ready trails and paths. There are not any organized water sports, but there are opportunities for scuba diving and snorkeling. The Diving Centre is located at the seafront. Products and services are restricted at present, but the centre will have to be in complete operation later this year. Boat products and services are a bit of problematic at present, but will have to strengthen soon. 

There are some good beaches on Con Son. A few may also be reached taking walks, however the better locations involve a long hike or hiring a motorbike. There are mabig apple secluded beaches on the at the other islands. 

Getting there

A fast boat provider linking Vung Tau with Con Lon was dependent ultimate year, and in May 2004, the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airways, started operating six flights every week from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao. The aeroplane takes about 50 minutes, and the boat takes twelve hours. 

Amenities

There aren't any taxis on the islands and just about no ‘xe oms’ (motorbike taxis). On the other hand, it’s simple to hire a small motorbike to get around the island. Prices are slightly upper than on the mainland.  

Accommodation is elementary and restricted - the best hotel on the island is not up to our ‘local’ standard. Restaurants are few and a long way between, and the cuisine is rudimentary. Don’t be misled by means of stories of exotic fruits in abundance - it’s mainly bananas and coconuts. The whole lot else comes from the mainland. On the other hand, the ocean food is first-rate. 

Weather

Con Dao’s exposed position in the East China Sea method its weather patterns differ from the ones at the mainland. The wet season is from July to September. During this period, the western sides of the islands are topic to common violent squalls with robust winds and visibility all the way down to about 100m. They last about part an hour, but can also be relatively frightening. Swimming, diving and snorkeling can be dangerous.  

From September to January, the wind reverses leaving the western side reasonably calm and the Jap side wet and windy.

From January to June, conditions are regularly calm all over the archipelago.