Con Dao

Con Dao is one of Vietnam's most remarkable islands - a former French colonial penal colony with a dark and layered history, now home to some of the best-protected marine environments in Vietnam. Near-empty beaches, world-class diving and snorkeling, sea turtle nesting sites, and one of the best-preserved national parks in the country. It's more expensive to reach and stay than other Vietnamese islands, which is exactly why it has stayed this way.

When to go

Climate

Monthly climate averages for Con Dao
Month	Avg temp (°C)	Rainfall (mm)	Rainy days (≥1 mm)
January	25.3	12	2.2
February	25.7	13	0.7
March	26.8	11	1.7
April	28.1	39	4.8
May	28.4	210	14.9
June	28.0	289	18.6
July	27.8	297	18.8
August	27.7	298	19.6
September	27.4	316	19.7
October	27.1	351	19.6
November	26.9	175	12.3
December	26.0	53	5.5

Data: long-term station averages from the Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology (IBST). Rainy days as reported by the station.

Best Months to Visit

Best time: Mar-Sep is the season to go: calm seas, good diving and boat trips. Mar-Apr is the driest. May-Sep is technically rainy season, but rain usually comes as short afternoon or evening showers of under an hour, with sunny mornings - and it's sea turtle nesting season. Oct-Feb the northeast monsoon makes Con Son Bay rough, though the west and southwest coasts stay calmer.

Highlights

What To Do

Nature & Outdoors

Wildlife
Trekking
Snorkeling
Kayaking
Diving
Hiking
Swimming
Camping

Culture & History

Photography
History
Museum Visit

Chill & Relax

Beach

Suggested Itineraries

3D2N

Island essentials

Day 1Con Dao Prison + Hang Duong Cemetery + Dat Doc Beach

Con Dao PrisonSix Senses Beach

Con Dao Prison complex is the most historically significant site on the island - the Tiger Cages where political prisoners were kept in inhumane conditions. Hang Duong Cemetery where revolutionary martyr Vo Thi Sau is buried - locals leave fresh flowers every morning. Afternoon: find an empty beach.

Day 2Diving or snorkeling + Con Dao National Park

Con Dao National Park

Morning: diving or snorkeling - Con Dao has some of the best coral reefs in Vietnam, with hawksbill turtles, occasional rays, and healthy fish populations. Afternoon: trek into the national park. Dam Trau Beach in the north of the island is often called one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam.

Day 3Sea turtle watching (seasonal) + final beach day

Con Dao National Park

May-Oct: sea turtles nest on Bay Canh island - Con Dao National Park runs overnight turtle-watching tours with a stay at the ranger station (book in advance through the park office; limited places). Outside this season: explore more of the island by motorbike. Airport transfers by taxi.

4D3N

Full island experience

Day 1History day - Con Dao Prison + Hang Duong Cemetery

Con Dao Prison

Spend the first day understanding the island's history before enjoying its beauty. Con Dao Prison takes 2-3 hours. Hang Duong Cemetery is atmospheric - go at sunset.

Day 2Diving + Ong Dung Beach

Con Dao National Park

Full day diving with a local operator. Ong Dung Beach (west coast) reached by a 30-minute jungle trek - one of the most secluded beaches on the island.

Day 3Dam Trau Beach + Bay Canh island

Đầm Trầu beach

Motorbike to Dam Trau Beach, the island's best beach. Boat trip to Bay Canh island for the French-era lighthouse, built in the 1880s, and its views - arrange through the national park or a local operator.

Day 4Morning snorkel + depart

Final morning snorkel before the afternoon flight. Book the early flight to maximize beach time.

Places to Visit · 5 spots

Photo coming soon

National Park

Con Dao National Park

Con Dao National Park - Vietnam's premier wildlife and marine conservation area. 19,883 hectares, Ramsar Wetland since 2013. Vietnam's most important sea turtle site: 400+ turtles nest annually. Three endemic species found nowhere else on earth. Rainforest trekking, coral reefs, dugong, and sea turtles in one protected area.

May - Sep

Prison

Con Dao Prison

Con Dao Prison is Vietnam's most significant historical site of incarceration - a French colonial penal complex used continuously from 1862 to 1975, holding figures such as Phan Châu Trinh and Tôn Đức Thắng. Known internationally for the Tiger Cages, and the burial place of revolutionary heroine Võ Thị Sáu at nearby Hàng Dương Cemetery.

Dec - Sep

Beach

Đầm Trầu beach

Bãi Đầm Trầu is one of the most striking beaches on Côn Đảo - a crescent of fine white sand backed by primary rainforest, ranked in Travel + Leisure's Top 25 Beaches in the World in 2021. Its most unusual feature: it sits directly below the flight path of Cỏ Ống Airport, where planes pass just overhead on approach - one of the only places in Vietnam where you can swim while watching aircraft land.

Year-round

Beach

Bãi Nhát

Bãi Nhát is one of Côn Đảo's most dramatic beaches - a tide-dependent stretch of white sand and multicoloured rock formations on the road between Con Son town and Bến Đầm port. Once ranked among Asia's top wild beaches by news.com.au, it is best known for its sunset views across to Đỉnh Tình Yêu (Love Peak), its boulder-strewn shoreline that vanishes completely at high tide, and the memorial to 198 prisoners who attempted a failed escape from the island in 1952.

Mar - Oct

Photo coming soon

Beach

Six Senses Beach

Six Senses Beach is the most beautiful stretch of coastline on Côn Đảo - a crescent of white sand and clear turquoise water at Đất Dốc, fronting the Six Senses resort, with patches of coral reported offshore and the forested national park hills rising directly behind the beach.

Mar - Sep

Getting There

Ho Chi Minh Cityfly

45-60 minutesfrom 800,000 VND

Vietnam Airlines flies daily from Tan Son Nhat (under an hour) - the fastest option.

Can Thofly

45 minutesfrom 700,000 VND

Seasonal flights available.

Vung Tau / HCMCferry

3-5 hourscheck current fares

High-speed ferries run from Vung Tau and Hiep Phuoc port in HCMC; schedules change by season and sailings are often cancelled in rough weather - check before booking and keep a flexible day.

Soc Trang (Tran De port)ferry

about 2-2.5 hoursabout 310,000-390,000 VND (Superdong); 390,000-650,000 VND (Con Dao Express)

At least one sailing a day, usually early morning; times shift with the tide, so check and book on the operators' sites (online.superdong.com.vn, online.phuquocexpress.com) and bring your passport. Superdong runs year-round and carries motorbikes (book the bike in person); Con Dao Express often pauses in the rough months. Calmest Apr-Sep; Nov-Jan sees the most cancellations. Tran De is about 30km (45min-1h) from Soc Trang city, with a Superdong shuttle from Soc Trang around 6-6:30am. Arrival is at Ben Dam port, over 10km from Con Son town. A good way to finish a Mekong Delta trip - see the Mekong Delta page.

Emergency & help

112Emergency (all services)
113Police
114Fire and rescue
115Ambulance

Free from any phone. National emergency line since 2025, routes to police, fire or ambulance.