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Jan 23, 2019 / 06:34

Sacred Con Dao island

It is scary to know that, for over 100 years, about 20,000 Vietnamese people were imprisoned and perished in the Con Dao prison.

Peaceful and pristine water, with perfect service, and especially the sacred historical vestiges have helped Con Dao in southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau please the most demanding guests.


 
Almost every visitor to Con Dao must visit the Hang Duong cemetery. This is the largest cemetery on this island, and the resting place of tens of thousands of revolutionaries and Vietnamese patriots. The tombs are simple, equipped with a solar lamp to illuminate at night for the people to visit. Con Dao has no temples, no churches, only the tomb of Sister Sau (Heroine Vo Thi Sau) and madam Hoang Phi Yen (King Gia Long’s wife), so after 21:00 hours (sacred time to visit according to the locals’ belief), visitors go to the cemetery to burn incense as a gesture gratitude to the revolutionaries.


 
The next journey is the Con Dao prison, where visitors shudder when witnessed the bloody drenched scenes that the French colonialists and the American imperialists caused.
 

 
It is scary to know that, for over 100 years, about 20,000 Vietnamese people were imprisoned and perished in this "hell."


 
Following the spiritual journey, you can choose Van Son Tu pagoda. In the lotus blossom season, you will be able to watch two large flower bowls, in Hang Duong cemetery and Vo Thi Sau tomb.
Coming to Con Dao, surely you cannot ignore the opportunity to contemplate sunrise or sunset from the lighthouse. In the afternoon, go to Hon Cau - a small islet with white sand beach interwoven with dead white corals which are extremely eye-catching. Especially, near the shore there is a large coral reef area, when the tide recedes, they appear shimmering in the sand; when submerged under the tide, with just a diving glass and snorkel you can watch the beauty of the place.
Many people coming to Hon Cau refuse to sleep, and want to follow the forest officers watch the sea turtles crawl ashore to lay eggs. Conservation rules in Con Dao are very strict, so that this place still preserve the pristine and almost intact ecosystem. Besides Hon Cau, Con Dao has many other beautiful islands worth visiting such as Hon Bay Canh, Hon Tai, Dam Tre Bay, Hon Tre, etc.
Con Dao Resort is not cheap, but worth money.  There are neither sharp price cuts nor increases. Therefore, those who have come to Con Dao would not regret, and would praise this sacred destination and wonderful resort.