BA RIA – VUNG TAU Con Dao from March to September has rain but quickly stops and the sea is calm, it is also the season of turtles coming to lay eggs, giving visitors more experiences.
After a long holiday in Con Dao on April 30, Quang Long (1998) and a group of friends in Saigon shared a detailed advice for a trip to this paradise island.
Long and his friends had the opportunity to travel to Con Dao – a beautiful and unspoiled gem of Ba Ria – Vung Tau in early May. Long was overwhelmed and shivered because of the clear blue sea, fresh mountains, white sand, and golden sunshine of Con Dao.
“Calling this a tourist paradise is not wrong,” the young man expressed. But along with that, when visiting the prison ruins still preserved on the island, he understood more about the hell on earth that his forefathers’ generation had to endure and from there more appreciated life today.
Time to go to Con Dao
In fact, traveling to Con Dao every season is beautiful because the weather and climate in the island are quite pleasant, if the rainy season, the rains will only last about an hour, then it will be sunny and warm right away.
From March to September, it rains but the sea is calm, and there are turtles coming to lay eggs a lot from June to August. The rest from October to February next year there is no rain, but it is windy season, speedboats. and tourist canoe will be limited because of the rough sea and strong wind in Con Son bay. You can still easily visit Dam Trau beach .
How to move
Moving to Con Dao
Aircraft: Currently, Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways operate flights to Con Dao from big cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Can Tho, Hai Phong, Vinh, and Da Nang. However, the ticket price is quite high because Con Dao airport has a limited area, so it only accepts small aircraft, carrying fewer passengers.
Speedboat: You can go from 3 berths, Vung Tau, Tran De – Soc Trang and Can Tho. However, tickets from Vung Tau and Can Tho (about over 600,000 VND) are twice as expensive as tickets from Soc Trang (about 320,000 VND) and the travel time is also nearly double. Therefore, if you are seasick, you should go to Soc Trang to take a train to make the journey less difficult.
Moving in Con Dao
One good thing about Con Dao that Long noticed is that from Ben Dam port or Co Ong airport, guests all have to travel an equal distance (about 14km) to reach the town center in the middle of the island.
You can take a tram for 20,000 VND/km that can carry about 10 people or call a taxi or rent a motorbike right at Ben Dam port to enter town.
The price of motorbike rental in Con Dao is 100,000-120,000 VND/day, pour 30,000 VND for petrol to go comfortably all day. You just lock the car, put it neatly on the side of the road, you are not afraid of losing it. If you go in a large group, you can rent a tram or a car with 7-16 seats on the island for convenience, because the distance between the points is not far.
Accommodation
4-5 star segment : People can choose Six Senses, Poulo Condor – quite far from town but closer to the airport, The Secret Condao – right in the center, with pool view overlooking the sea…
2-3 star segment : some famous and beautiful hotels for reference are Nicobar Con Dao Hotel, De la Rosa – very beautiful and airy garden bungalow…
Because they mainly hang out more than at the property, Long’s group chose a small hotel in the center opposite Con Dao market.
Address to eat
Have breakfast:
Bun rieu Ba Hai Khiem at 22 Nguyen Hue (30,000-35,000 VND/bowl). Although Long finds it a bit pale compared to his personal taste, it is still worth a try, the shop also sells sugarcane juice 10,000 VND / glass for refreshment.
Shops of banh chung, beef vermicelli, broken rice, vermicelli… at Con Dao market , facing Vo Thi Sau street.
Tuan Map Bread, located on To Hieu Street, has all kinds of Da Nang beef rolls, roasted pork bread, mixed bread, salty sticky rice… all very delicious. Price is 20,000-25,000 VND/piece.
Lunch and dinner:
Nguyen An rice pot on Ho Thanh Tong street: This is a family restaurant, rice is cooked in an earthen pot, guests order separately the accompanying dishes.
Binh Nguyen night snail on Pham Van Dong street: Fresh seafood and a bit high price but fast service and clean processing.
In addition, another snail shop that is also praised by many people is the night snail at 16 Tran Huy Lieu Street. Or you can go to Ben Dam port to go canoe through Kim raft or Sang raft for dinner.
Snacks:
Thao Lien No. 3 Vo Thi Sau: Long likes durian tea and tonic ginseng here.
Con Son Coffee is at the corner of Ton Duc Thang and Le Duan streets, with a beautiful sea view, opposite the restaurant is the historical Cau Tau relic 914; Ba Le coffee has a characteristic yellow color, containing many memories of Con Dao; or Infinity coffee with modern features, selling European-style food on Tran Phu street…
In addition, you can enjoy more Con Dao coconut ice cream, yogurt shake…
Note: The price may be as expensive as and more expensive in Saigon because the cost of transporting items from the mainland to the island is very expensive.
Sightseeing, having fun
Ngu Hanh Nuong Nuong Temple (Nam Co Temple) worships 5 goddesses who govern 5 related professions including Kim (metal), Moc (wooden tree), Thuy (cradle water), Hoa (firewood) and Tho (earth) band).
Nui Mot Pagoda (Van Son Tu) is the only temple in Con Dao, located on the mountain facing the sea. You can choose to climb 200 steps or take a motorbike taxi for 40,000 VND/round trip to see An Hai lake, panoramic view of Con Dao town and Con Son Bay. After worshiping the Buddha, go to the back of the temple to enjoy a free, self-service, cool and sweet basil juice. Guests are also given a bracelet and a card with commandments by the monk.
An Son Mieu , also known as Ba Phi Yen temple, worships the concubine of Lord Nguyen Anh (King Gia Long).
Temple of Uncle Prince Cai , also known as Temple of Thieu Gia, worships the son of King Gia Long and Thu concubine Phi Yen.
Radar station 590 Huynh Thuc Khang street is an attraction that requires permission from the border guard station. On the way to the radar station, you can observe the whole island.
Cluster of 5 relics: Con Dao Museum – Lord Island Palace – Phu Hai Prison Relic – French Tiger Cage Relic – American Tiger Cage Relic. These points are quite close to each other and right in the center of town, visitors can go all in one session. You go to Con Dao Museum to buy sightseeing tickets priced at 50,000 VND / time, not retail each point and tickets are valid for the day until 5pm. These are the places where visitors to learn will feel for themselves the cruelty of war and the unyielding spirit of the forefathers.
Lo Voi beach is located in front of the French tiger cage.
The sea route of Cape Shark – Nhat beach – beautiful rocky beach (pebble beach) is a place to watch the sunset and take pictures of check-in that make Long fascinated.
The sea route of Mui Chim Chim – Mui Tau Be is a place to watch the beautiful sunrise.
Dam Trau Bay is a beach that attracts many tourists to swim because of its calm and clear water. From here people can watch the plane landing at Co Ong airport like in Krabi island, Thailand. In particular, next to it is Secret Beach with a lyrical scene with a forest of many mysterious vines.
Ben Dam Port is located in Ben Dam Bay, surrounded by mountains and small islands. From the wharf, people can experience the daily life of local fishermen.
Northwest Road is a newly inaugurated road, by motorbike or tram, you can admire the majestic natural scenery of mountains and forests and offshore islands such as Hon Kho, Hon Troc, Hon Tre Lon, Hon Tre Nho. …
Hang Duong Cemetery is the place where almost everyone who comes to Con Dao also visits once to burn incense on the graves of Co Sau and the martyrs. Previously, the cemetery was open until 24 hours, but due to the epidemic situation, now visitors can only visit until 10 pm. You pay attention to dress politely, behave politely.
Explore the small islands: around the island there are many small islands (also known as islands), you can rent a canoe to visit, swim, snorkel, visit turtles… If there is only one, two people, you can choose the tour. If you go in a large group, you can rent your own canoe, experience as well as go on a tour, but save a lot of money.
Long’s group chose to go to Hon Cau and Hon Bay Canh, for 3-4 hours in the morning or in the afternoon. First, visit Hon Cau to visit Co Van Tien Canh temple, then Hon Cau ranger station, the solitary confinement area of the late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, swimming and snorkeling. After that, the group moved to Hon Bay Canh to visit the primeval mangroves and see corals.
Note
You should visit all spiritual tourist attractions (temples, pagodas, cemeteries…) before going out, for convenience in choosing clothes.
The island is very small, so don’t be afraid to drive around, because the beautiful scenery will make you want to see it again two or three times. For example, at the beginning of the new day, you can go to Chim Chim cape to catch the dawn, return to town for breakfast, then return to Chim Chim cape to go to Dam Trau beach.
On this trip, Long was quite lucky when he went to a small island to meet dolphins and sea turtles, when he went through the forest, he met lizards and monkeys running from the mountain to the road (note, do not give food to monkeys), met snakes at Chim Chim cape. .
“That much experience is enough for me to see how wild and beautiful the nature in Con Dao is. I will come back to Con Dao many more times, not only because of the beautiful scenery, but the people on the island are also very kind and caring. love,” Long shared.