Famous for its spectacular and pristine landscapes, the coastal road in the southern reaches of Con Son island in the Con Dao archipelago has become a popular spot for tourists. Con Dao is well known for beaches with white sand, deep blue water and colorful coral reefs. The French colonialists and the American imperialists turned the island into a prison to jail Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers in wartime. The prison was closed after the fall of the Sai Gon administration on April 30, 1975. The jail has now become top tourist destination for those who want to understand the country and its history. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Tourists can easily travel along the coastal road by electric buses. Con Dao Island, off the coast of southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, is set to become a world-class site for marine, cultural, historic and spiritual tourism, according to a revised plan for Con Dao development by 2045. The plan has been revised to better boost tourism in the island, protect and promote its historic relics and preserve the ecosystem of Con Dao National Park. The island’s population is expected to reach a maximum of 15,000 by 2030 and 25,000 by 2045. The 16-island archipelago of Con Dao is located 180km from Vung Tau city, and about 230km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It has a land area of nearly 6,000ha and a water surface of 14,000ha. (VietnamPlus) 
With a length of 25 kilometres surrounding the southern area of Con Son Island, it is considered one of the most beautiful and pristine coastal roads in Vietnam. Isolated from the mainland, Con Dao Island is one of the best places to visit in Vietnam. Located off the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau coast, and 230 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, Con Dao consists of 16 islands and islets. The place is very popular for its unspoiled natural beauty with white sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue water. Con Dao has been voted one of the best “secret” and most “appealing” islands on the earth by Australian Lonely Planet and US Travel and Leisure magazines. Although it seems to be the heaven on the earth, Con Son, the largest island of the archipelago, was once living hell for tens of thousands of prisoners under the French colonial rule and the US-backed Sai Gon regime. (VietnamPlus) 
If lucky, when contemplating the landscapes on the coastal road, visitors can see a rain on the other side of the island while the sky remains blue and clear on the remaining side. Located off the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau coast, and 230 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, Con Dao consists of 16 islands and islets. There remains a system of jails on Con Son (also known as Con Lon) island, the largest island of the archipelago. Dubbed "The Hell on Earth" at one time, the prison system was built in 1861 by the French to jail and torture Vietnamese freedom fighters during the colonial times and then used by US forces for similar purposes. The prison was closed after the fall of the Sai Gon administration on April 30, 1975, and is now a popular historical site among Vietnamese citizens. (VietnamPlus) 
Mesmerising views of the sea and pristine islets of all sizes. The Con Dao Prison on the island of Con Dao, some 100 kilometres south of mainland Vietnam’s southern coast, is the one with lots of painful memories, once known as “the living hell on earth”. The French colonialists and the American imperialists turned the island into a prison to jail Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers in wartime. The island’s remoteness made it an ideal penal colony, with the prison population averaging 2,000 at any one time during the French control. but rising steadily to some 10,000 in the early 1970s. The facility has attracted many local and foreign visitors in recent years. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Deep blue sea water laps up to rocky shores in interesting natural shapes. Con Dao is well known for beaches with white sand, deep blue water and colorful coral reefs. French colonialists and the Americans turned the island into a prison to jail Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers in wartime. The jail system was built by the French to imprison those considered a threat to the colonial regime. The most famous parts of this system are the “tiger cages”, where prisoners suffered the harshest solitary confinement. There are 120 solitary, dirty confinement rooms, measuring some 5sq.m each, in which prisoners were shackled and made to lie on a damp cement floor. They also suffered horrific torture. There was no bed in the cell and no roof above, only metal bars so wardens could watch prisoners every move. The jailers often tortured the prisoners using wooden sticks or by pouring lime powder on them. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
For a long time, Con Dao Island has been a favourite destination of holidaymakers from both at home and abroad. Besides spiritual tourism, visitors can contemplate the beautiful natural landscapes. The Con Dao National Park is home to 1,077 species of vascular plants and 155 species of fauna. Many bird species in Con Dao cannot be found anywhere else in Vietnam, such as the red-billed tropicbird, masked booby, and pied imperial pigeon. The Con Dao National Park, a Ramsar site of wetlands of international importance, has more than 340 species of corals and is one of the richest and most diverse coral reefs in the country. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Along the coastal road, visitors see pristine beaches. Con Dao has been voted one of the best “secret” and most “appealing” islands on the earth by Australian Lonely Planet and US Travel and Leisure magazines. Once a “hell on earth” for thousands of political prisoners before 1975, Con Dao has now turned into a “tourist heaven” well known for deserted beaches with white sand, deep blue water and colourful coral reefs. The Con Dao National Park, a Ramsar site of wetlands of international importance, is home to 1,077 species of vascular plants and 155 species of fauna. Many bird species on Con Dao cannot be found anywhere else in Vietnam, such as the red-billed tropicbird, masked booby, and pied imperial pigeon. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Beaches with white sand and blue sea water. When coming to the island, tourists can visit the Con Dao Museum which offers graphic details of the conditions prisoners faced. These include depictions of the torture and beatings of prisoners, as well as information on notable prisoners, including Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Van Cu, Le Duan, Nguyen Van Linh, Pham Van Dong and Ton Duc Thang. It is a way Vietnamese people keep alive the memories of those who fought for the national freedom and independence. The museum also focuses on the environmental importance of the island, which in 1993 saw the establishment of the 20,000-hectare Con Dao National Park, some 14,000 hectares of which are a marine protected area. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Travelling along the coastal road for five kilometres, tourists will reach the edge of the Con Dao National Park. The national park is home to 1,077 species of vascular plants and 155 species of fauna. Many bird species in Con Dao cannot be found anywhere else in Vietnam, such as the red-billed tropicbird, masked booby, and pied imperial pigeon. Surveys conducted by the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography have found more than 1,300 maritime fauna and flora species. These include 44 in Vietnam’s Red Data Book, in the park. Con Dao is home to a small population of dugongs that are vulnerable to extinction worldwide. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
The winding coastal road offers numerous wonderful “check-in” spots for visitors. Con Dao has been dubbed the “land of catappa trees”, as they are found almost everywhere on the island, from forests to roads, parks, schools, and historical sites. When spring arrives, the sky becomes clearer as the sun breaks through white clouds and is also the start of the season when the leaves on catappa trees on the island district change colour, creating a poetic and charming scene. The leaves change colour in February, turning the locality into a delightful piece of art. Not only tourists but also many local people, including youngsters, never miss the chance to capture beautiful moments during the season when the leaves change colour. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Many tourists are very interested in the pristine beauty of Con Dao. An eco-tourism site will be developed in Con Dao National Park in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau by Con Dao Resort Travel Joint Stock Company. Covering 120ha, the project aims to exploit the eco-tourism potential of the Con Dao National Park while helping to preserve the sustainable development of Con Dao district’s natural resources. Under the project, Con Dao will optimize the potential and advantages of the national park to promote eco-tourism, while raising the awareness of local residents and visitors about Con Dao’s natural, cultural, historical and humanitarian values through tourism activities, thus enhancing their responsibility for protecting the environment and natural resources. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Visitors can also see wild animals on the island. The Con Dao National Park is home to 1,077 species of vascular plants and 155 species of fauna. Many bird species in Con Dao cannot be found anywhere else in Vietnam, such as the red-billed tropicbird, masked booby, and pied imperial pigeon. Surveys conducted by the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography have found more than 1,300 maritime fauna and flora species, including 44 in Vietnam’s Red Data Book, in the park. Con Dao is home to a small population of dugongs that are vulnerable to extinction worldwide. The park is also an important nesting place for olive ridley sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles, two species facing extinction threat globally. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A monkey seen on the road. Besides thousands of species of fauna and flora, the Con Dao National Park, a Ramsar site of wetlands of international importance, has more than 340 species of corals and is one of the richest and most diverse coral reefs in the country. However, many of its reefs suffered from bleaching and died on a large scale because of rising sea temperatures in 1998, 2010 and 2016 and because of low salinity in 2005. Many of the affected reefs could not recover naturally. The Con Dao National Park is also the first place in Vietnam to successfully carry out a sea turtle conservation programme. The number of sea turtles laying eggs in Con Dao accounts for about 90% of the number of sea turtles in Vietnam. (Photo: VietnamPlus) VNA
