Con Dao Island – the name associated with the nation’s heroic history of fighting foreign invaders, is also the romantic check-in coordinates of Ba Ria – Vung Tau. This place has become one of the ten most charming but mysterious islands in the world. Today’s Con Dao Travel Guide (2022) will help you better understand the history and comfortably immerse yourself in the unspoiled nature, experience a peaceful life in the true sense of the word.
Contents
- INTRODUCTION ABOUT CON DAO ISLAND TOURISM – CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE?
- WHEN IS THE PERFECT TIME TO TRAVEL CONDAO?
- WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING TO EXPLORE CON DAO TOURISM?
- WHAT IS THE MOST CONVENIENT WAY TO CON DAO?
- CHOOSING VEHICLES ON THE ISLAND WHEN TRAVELING CON DAO
- HOW IS THE ACCOMODATIONS IN CON DAO? CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE
- WHERE TO VISIT IN CON DAO – Con Dao Travel Guide?
- TRAVEL EXPERIENCE AND ACTIVITIES – CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE
- WHERE/WHAT TO EAT IN CON DAO?
- WHAT SPECIAL PRODUCTS SHOULD BUY AS A GIFT WHEN TRAVELING TO CON DAO?
- RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE FROM HANOI AND SAI GON – CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE
- A few other notes SHOULD KNOW – Con Dao Travel Guide
INTRODUCTION ABOUT CON DAO ISLAND TOURISM – CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE?
Con Dao is also known by another name, Con Son or Con Lon. This is an island district in Ba Ria – Vung Tau province, about 97 nautical miles from Vung Tau city, and the closest to the mainland is the remote area of Vinh Hai (Soc Trang), about 40 nautical miles. The island has about 76 square kilometers, with all 16 different large and small islands.
This place was once known as the hell on earth for revolutionary heroes. Now it is an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Not only because of its beautiful natural scenery like paradise, but Con Dao has always known how to innovate and create many products in recent years. Unique products for visitors.
Read more:
- The Secret Con Dao – Immerse yourself in the classy space like a ‘green oasis’
- Anoasis Resort Long Hai – a cool green oasis by the beautiful beach
- The best 5-star Vung Tau hotels
Con Dao has famous historical places
Con Dao is a place with a painful past in the two struggles wars. Experiencing a sad time, this place still intact many historical relics about the resistance war. A place where you will be able to visit about the arduous journey of our army and people, how heroically the people won back freedom for Vietnam.
Con Dao has beautiful beaches like paradise
This is a very worthy reason that we think you will never ignore. This island always impresses visitors with its long white sandy beaches, green forests on both sides, clear blue water, no waste, no pollution. Some beaches, such as Dam Trau beach, Lo Voi beach, etc., are the destinations to make your vacation perfect and have a beautiful shimmering photo background.
Con Dao tourism has an interesting coral reef diving service
Not only having beautiful nature, but Con Dao National Park is also a place to preserve many rare and precious animals and plants both on land and in the water. Therefore, there is a highly diverse and beautiful coral system. When traveling to Con Dao, you will be able to see firsthand the colorful coral reefs. You can also experience a fisherman’s day on the island with fishing, squid fishing, or watching sea turtles laying eggs.
The island is famous for its unique local cuisine
Food is also what attracts visitors every time they come here. As a remote island, the dishes are mainly made from seafood. However, the people on the island always know how to be creative to bring many lovely meals. If you are a food lover and especially a seafood lover, you will be satisfied when you come here.
WHEN IS THE PERFECT TIME TO TRAVEL CONDAO?
Due to its proximity to the equator, Con Dao has a tropical climate, hot and humid all year round, with two seasons: the rainy season from May to October and the dry season from November to April next year. However, the weather here is pleasant and goes all year round, not to affect the itinerary. You should clearly distinguish the characteristics of each time, specifically as follows:
◊ Con Dao weather in March – May
These months are also rainy, but the sea is still relatively calm, so taking a speedboat to the island is pretty convenient. Especially in May, the weather is hot, sometimes even up to 34 degrees Celsius. At this time, it is excellent to visit the island and swim.
◊ Con Dao from May to September
It is still the rainy season, but mostly it is a sudden rain that only lasts about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Moreover, the scenery will become fresher after the rain, and the sun’s rays are softer and warmer. The sea is also calm, and clear blue water, still suitable for fun activities at sea.
◊ Con Dao time from October to February next year
The end of the year is when the sea is rough because storms in the East Sea start to hit the central strip of land, so Vung Tau’s sea is also affected. Therefore, speedboats to the ocean may not be allowed to leave. If it is, you can’t swim in the sea. In return, you can only visit historical sites, explore primeval forests, etc. Remember to follow the weather forecasts before you go.
NOTE: If you want to see the baby turtles returning to the see firsthand, the Con Dao travel guide recommends going during their spawning season, around July – September or April – October.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING TO EXPLORE CON DAO TOURISM?
What to wear to go Con Dao?
+ Attire for the beach: The girls wear bikinis to show off their bodies or maxi dresses combined with trendy sandals, with a wide-brimmed hat that both covers the sun and adds a touch of style. Men can wear shorts with sunglasses.
+ WHEN VISITING THE SITES: If your schedule includes visiting Hang Duong cemetery, An Son Mieu, Nui Mot pagoda, etc., you need to wear discreet and polite costumes. Do not wear revealing clothes, two-piece tops, or short skirts.
+ WHEN JOINING OTHER ACTIVITIES: Bring dresses and style clothes to visit and take pictures. If you want to explore the national forest or climb the mountain, wear jeans or elastic pants, a thin long-sleeved jacket, sneakers, a cap, etc.
Some necessary items when traveling to Con Dao
- Money and ATM cards: Never forget to bring cash with you to spend small amounts and an ATM card, on the island there are 2 ATMs for you to withdraw money when needed.
- Personal items: Such as skincare products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toiletries, sunscreen, towels, etc.
- Medical supplies: Mosquito repellent, insect bite repellent, motion sickness medicine, allergy, digestive, headache, first aid bandage, etc.
- Electronics: Mobile phones, cameras are devices that help you stay in touch, find the way, and take travelgram photos. And don’t forget to charge backup batteries, selfie sticks, waterproof bags.
WHAT IS THE MOST CONVENIENT WAY TO CON DAO?
As an isolated island and quite far from the mainland, transportation is one of the biggest obstacles. To get to Con Dao, visitors can only choose by air or by water.
– Travel by air (airplane)
Due to infrastructure conditions, Co Ong airport in Con Dao cannot accept flights as large as inland and only carries a moderate number of passengers. So the number of passengers on each trip is not much, so the cost is also higher. After getting off the airport, you can go alone or use low-cost transit buses or taxis (higher prices but more comfortable) to the center (distance about 13 km).
There are flights from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Vinh, and Can Tho to Con Dao. Flight time is from 50 minutes – 1 hour 5 minutes, specifically as follows:
+ Bamboo Airways operating from November 2020:
- Hanoi <=> Con Dao
- Hai Phong <=> Con Dao
- Vinh <=> Con Dao
+ Vietnam Airlines has flown for a long time:
- Can Tho <=> Con Dao
- HCMC <=> Con Dao
Revealed: According to Can Tho’s Con Dao travel guide, you may not choose to take a plane but take a 2-body speedboat to Con Dao, buy tickets at Ninh Kieu pier to save costs.
– Moving by seaway (speedboat)
If you can’t book a plane ticket, you can go by speedboat instead. This is also an exciting way chosen by many people. However, the travel time will be longer than by plane. Depending on the departure location from Vung Tau, Can Tho, or Soc Trang, the fare will be different. Some of the shipping lines currently operating can be mentioned as SuperDong (Con Dao Express), Phu Quoc Express.
+ Schedule of Vung Tau route <=> Con Dao:
- Cau Da Port (VT) 8:00 am <=> Ben Dam Port (Con Dao) 11:50 am
- Ben Dam Port (Con Dao) 13h30 <=> Cau Da Port (VT) 17h20
Ticket price: Weekdays: adults 600k/seat, children 6-11 years old, and people >60 years old 550k/seat. Weekend (Friday – Sun): Adults 880k/seat, children 6-11 years old, and people >60 years old 700k/seat. A VIP ticket will be 1,200k / seat. Children under five years old are free.
+ Schedule for Can Tho <=> Con Dao route :
- Ninh Kieu Wharf 9h00 <=> Ben Dam Port 11h00
- Ben Dam Port 12h00 <=> Ninh Kieu Wharf 14h00
Ticket price: Weekdays: adults 610k/seat, children under 11 years old, and the elderly 520k/seat. Weekend: adults 690k/seat, children and the elderly 600k/seat. VIP ticket 990k/seat.
+ Vung Tau itinerary <=> Con Dao:
- Tran De Port (Soc Trang) 9h00 <=> Ben Dam Port (Con Dao) 11h00
- Ben Dam Port 12h00 <=> Tran De Port) 14h00
Ticket price: Weekdays: adults 290k/seat, children and the elderly 260k/seat. Weekend: adults 340k/seat, children and the elderly 310k/seat.
Read more:
CHOOSING VEHICLES ON THE ISLAND WHEN TRAVELING CON DAO
+ Rent a motorbike in Con Dao
With the terrain of a small island like Con Dao, riding a motorbike is an optimal choice. Driving on the coastal roads by yourself is exciting, accessible, and active while thoroughly enjoying the scenery. This vehicle advantage is very suitable for young people, and elderly families with young children should consider it. To rent a car, you can contact the owner of the hotel, motel, or individual rental services, and the price is about 100-200k / car/day.
+ Using Tram to visit Con Dao
Tourist services here are also quite developed; typically, many blue trams are running on the road. According to Con Dao travel guide 2022, if you want to enjoy the scenery while enjoying the fresh and cool air on the island, you can also rent a car to go for a walk. This type is very suitable for large groups. But there is a limitation that the tram only works in areas with tourist attractions.
+ Con Dao also has taxis
Instead of taking the tram to just go around tourist attractions, you can use a taxi when you need to go to other points or go further than the central location. Taxis here do not have too many companies nor many cars, but they also meet the needs. Some of the car companies in operation are:
- Con Son Taxi – Tel: 0254 3908 908
- Taxi Saigon – Con Dao – Tel: 0254 3636 3636
- Mai Linh Taxi Tel: 0254 3850 850
+ Moving by canoe
Canoes are only suitable when you need to visit the surrounding small islands of Con Dao, such as Bay Canh island. In addition to canoes, people can rent boats to move at a lower price. Usually, people will rent from 2,000 to 3,000k/boat. However, it may be lower depending on your bargaining power.
HOW IS THE ACCOMODATIONS IN CON DAO? CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE
In the past, choosing accommodation in Con Dao was quite tricky because there were very few hotels. But today, when it has become a famous tourist destination of Vung Tau, many hotels and homestays have been invested in serving the needs of tourists near and far.
Highly-rated hotels and resorts in Con Dao
Hotels are mainly concentrated in the area of Con Son island. Some of them are rated premium. The rest are regular. If you are expecting a standard beachfront vacation, choose 3-star traditional resorts or more, prices range from 1,300k/night or more and vice versa. Some good hotels can refer to below:
- Six Senses Con Dao: Bai Dat Doc, Co Ong Street, Con Dao – Tel: 0254 3630768
- Villa Maison: Nguyen Hue Street, Con Dao – Tel: 0254 3830 969
- Tan Son Nhat Con Dao Resort: No. 6 Nguyen Duc Thuan, Con Dao – Tel: 0254 6274999
- Hotel De Condor: Phan Chu Trinh Street, Area 2, Con Dao – Tel: 0941903908
- Some other popular hotels: Maya 2 Hotel, CTG Bamboo Hotel, Con Son Blue Sea Hotel, Tuan Ninh, Quynh Anh…
Traveling to Con Dao, you can also choose homestays
Along with the hotel system, the homestays are increasing gradually but not too much. Con Dao travel guide, this form is suitable for young groups, preferring new experiences. Moreover, the price is also low so that you can consider the trip. A few suggestions for you:
- Lan Anh’s Home: 7 Pham Van Dong Street, Con Dao – Tel: 0988 823 138
- Loco Home: Huynh Thuc Khang, Area 3, Con Dao – Tel: 0979964089
- Pun Corner: Phan Chu Trinh, Con Dao – Tel: 0347060395
- Mai Homestay: Huynh Thuc Khang, Con Dao – Tel: 0968620290
WHERE TO VISIT IN CON DAO – Con Dao Travel Guide?
Con Dao looks small but significant; it has countless places to visit and explore. The attractions in the list below are recommended for those who are planning an upcoming trip. If you want to see the whole island, you must make a second trip with Con Dao again.
Beaches and natural tourist attractions on Con Dao
+ Dam Trau Beach
Dam Trau Beach is a famous tourist destination in Con Dao associated with the legend of a man named Cau and a woman named Trau. This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, where visitors can enjoy swimming and fresh cool water. Or simply relax on the golden sand and enjoy the warm atmosphere here. You can watch the planes land, especially while swimming in the sea – a feature only found in Con Dao.
+ Nhat Beach
Nhat Beach (Bãi Nhát) is a place where visitors can immerse themselves in the untouched nature and at the beach. The most interesting is the magical sunset scene slowly diving over the top of Love Peak, making anyone who looks at it must fall in love. However, Nhat Beach only appears for a few hours a day. The rest of the time, this beach is flooded with water. That is why many people do not know it.
+ An Hai Beach
This beach owns a convenient location, located on the longest coast of Con Dao and right in the center of Con Son town. An Hai beach has the following characteristics: fine white sand, calm sea, and locals often swim. In particular, at the end of the beach is a tourist pier, a place to wait for boats and canoes to pick up and drop off guests to visit the island and snorkel to see the coral. It is also a check-in place for many young people.
+ Dam Tre Bay
If talking about beauty and freshness, Dam Tre Bay is equally attractive. It is favored by nature with natural landscapes, airtight due to the surrounding mangrove forest system. Visitors to the bay can visit the mangrove forest, watch the swiftlet’s nest during the breeding season, swim, and snorkel to see the corals. Moreover, on the way to the bay, they can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of Con Son Bay and the beach. Dat Doc, Cape Chim Chim, etc.
+ Ong Dung primeval forest
Located in the west of Con Dao is Ong Dung primeval forest – a forest possessing a very diverse natural flora that is only found in this remote island. If you love the experience, you can do 20-minute trekking through the vast forest. And pass all the rows of green, wild tropical trees, you will reach the beautiful beach at the end of the forest to enjoy the wonderful freshness.
Visit the small islands around Con Dao
+ Bay Canh Island
This is the second-largest island out of 16 islands in Con Dao and home to Vietnam’s most significant sea turtles. Due to the highly wild nature, every year, hundreds of mother turtles choose to come here to live and lay eggs, along with a variety of coral species. Coming to Bay Canh Island, you can not only see sea turtles here. But also have the opportunity to explore the mangrove ecosystem, swim, and snorkel to see the coral.
+ Tai Island (Hon Tai)
Hon Tai is a rich and colorful picture of marine species and coral reefs lying under the clear blue sea. Visitors to Hon Tai will be satisfied with the shimmering, mysterious beauty of the aquarium with colorful and fancy corals. In addition, you can also see ebony squirrels, iguanas, and many species of sea birds, including red-faced monkeys – a precious species of monkey that is being preserved.
+ Ba Island (Hon Ba)
To travel to Con Dao that ignore the Hon Ba was a pity. Hon Ba has a forest and mangrove ecosystem with many rare animals and plants, beautiful beaches with clear blue water that can see through to the bottom. If you love natural beauty, you will love the Peak of Love and the coral resources around it. The most exciting thing is in the buying season. After bathing, you can also bathe in a cool stream right on the edge of the forest near the beach.
+ Cau Island (Hon Cau)
During the reign of King Gia Long, this place was an old village with the name “Ba Thiet Hamlet,” so it was pretty famous. Hon Cau is one of two islands in Con Son with underground water sources. In front, there is a long white sandy beach in the shape of a bow, interspersed with coconut trees and majestic Phong Ba trees. Come here to enjoy the cool breeze, listen to the sound of the waves lapping with white foam and enjoy diving in the seawater.
Go to Con Dao to visit historical and spiritual places
+ Hang Duong Cemetery
Those who have been to Con Dao must know about Hang Duong cemetery – one of the spiritual tourist destinations. This is the largest cemetery on the island with about 20 hectares, the resting place of more than 2,000 revolutionary soldiers and Vietnamese patriots, including Vo Thi Sau. Note that when coming here, in addition to burning incense, you should prepare offerings for a visit!
+ Nui Mot Pagoda
Also known as Van Son Tu. It is called Nui Mot Pagoda because it is located in the middle of Mount Mot, about 1.6 km from the island’s center. With this ideal location, it is considered the most beautiful feng shui temple in Vietnam. It was built in 1964 to serve the spiritual needs of people living on the island. The pagoda has bold Asian architecture, and although it is not large, it is also exceptional.
+ Palace of the Island Lord
Previously, the mansion was the working and living place of 53 generations of island lords. After 113 years, the Palace of Lord Island still preserves many artifacts, antiquities, and documents. Through these things, visitors will understand more about the luxurious life of the French, American, Chinese, and Vietnamese island lords.
+ Con Dao Prison
Suppose you know the heroine Vo Thi Sau and want to learn about that heroic past. Let’s go back in time to the tragic history of hell on earth – the Con Dao house and the Tiger Cage area. Here you will learn about the life, brutal torture methods and explore the living space of the heroine and captive prisoners. Con Dao Prison is a place on the list of 23 notable national monuments.
+ Con Dao Museum
This is a place to store, display and preserve images and portraits of political prisoners in Con Dao. The photos represent the resilient and unwavering struggle of our army and people, the prisoners being held very harshly. Along with historical and cultural artifacts of the land and people of Con Dao through the periods, it will help you better understand the history and people of this remote island.
And that’s not all; the above is just the most incredible places you can go to the first and second times. Want to explore all 16 small islands, beaches, etc.? Here, you still have to wait.
TRAVEL EXPERIENCE AND ACTIVITIES – CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE
Many people who have not been to Con Dao think nothing to play on this remote island. However, if you have the opportunity to set foot on the island, you can explore beautiful places and experience many exciting activities.
– Snorkeling and watching corals
This is an activity that the Con Dao travel guide advises you not to miss. Con Dao is known as one of the best diving places in Vietnam, especially from March to June, the waves are calm, and the water is clear, so the visibility is excellent.
Currently, Con Dao National Park is exploiting and serving coral diving services in Hon Tai. Visitors will take a 30-minute canoe here to participate (if desired). Here, you can admire a variety of corals as well as impressive fishes. Or else you can choose the surrounding small islands for diving.
– Come to Con Dao to see turtles laying eggs
Enjoy unforgettable moments in Con Dao with this quiet night out with this fun activity. This place has the highest number of sea turtles laying eggs on all of Vietnam’s beaches. Every night, up to 10-40 fish come ashore to breed, and if you work hard, you will be able to witness the sea turtles Chelonia mydas (green turtles) nesting and laying eggs with your own eyes.
– Rent a motorbike to roam around the island
It will be interesting when you rent yourself a motorbike to roam around the island during a trip to Con Dao. The feeling of being on a motorbike on peaceful roads, from Ben Dam port in the south to Dam Trau beach in the north. Being immersed in nature, feeling the fresh air, and seeing the pristine scenery and beautiful wildlife that can’t be found anywhere else is nothing better.
– Explore the deserted island of Con Dao
Con Son Bay in Con Dao has up to 14 different large and small islands, including Trac island, Rabbit island, Bong Lan island, Bay Canh island, Tai island, Tre Island, Egg Island, etc. They are scattered in the middle of the sea, creating a majestic and poetic look for this bay. At the same time, this is also a marine ecological reserve with coral reefs diverse in both types and density that cannot be found anywhere else. Rent a boat or canoe to explore them!
– Visit the pearl farm
Not only is it special because many sea turtles are living here, but there is also an extremely developed pearl farming industry thanks to favorable natural conditions. Con Dao travel experience advises you not to miss the opportunity to see the mining and manufacturing process of the people on the island with your own eyes. This is the type used in jewelry, very rare and expensive!
WHERE/WHAT TO EAT IN CON DAO?
This is a concern of many of you when visiting the island. But rest assured, there is a full range of food on the island, from rustic and ordinary dishes to regional specialties to enjoy.
The dishes are rustic but attractive
♦ Con Dao broken rice
If you can never give up rice, you must eat Con Dao broken rice. Broken rice is not too strange, but the attraction here is the well-seasoned ribs, grilled to perfection. There is also a soft, tender beef omelet, accompanied by a cup of sweet and sour fish sauce, spicy with sauerkraut, which is very satisfying and makes visitors feel excited.
- Suggested address: Saigon tree shop on Nguyen Hue street and Kieu Trinh shop (opposite Nguyen Hue park)
♦ Noodle soup
Bun Rieu is a breakfast dish that is not too strange but is quite famous in Con Dao, probably thanks to its unique taste. Rieu is made from crab, rice straw and processed according to its recipe. Therefore, the bowl of vermicelli noodles has more features than other places. When eating, you will feel the sweetness from the broth, the fatty taste of the crab, the chewy bite of the whole fish, and ingredients such as tomatoes, tofu, tofu, shrimp paste. This dish is served with delicious raw vegetables.
- Suggested address: Ba Hai Khiem’s noodle shop: 23 Nguyen Hue
Pancakes
This is a popular dish in the central provinces and an attractive dish that Con Dao travel experience recommends you try. It is also a cake made from flour and stuffed with shrimp, meat, or seafood, served with raw vegetables. But the sauce is made very special, so when you eat it, you will feel a particular taste, different from other places.
- Suggested address: Kieu Tam pancakes at the end of Nguyen An Ninh street.
♦ Roasted pork bread
Roasted pork bread is considered a delicious and cheap “hunger relief” dish that must try when coming to Con Dao. Although the loaf of bread simply consists of crispy roasted pork and cucumber, adding a little water and pepper, anyone who eats it can’t help but praise. The bread is hot from the outside to the crispy pork skin inside, adding to the deliciousness.
- Suggested address: Pham Van Dong Street (near Duc Thanh Hotel)
Seafood and seafood dishes
♦ Red Lobster
Red lobster or fire lobster is rare seafood with high nutritional content. However, this type of shrimp in Con Dao grows slowly, not as big as shrimp in other places. Moreover, shrimps are not raised in cages but only caught in the natural environment. As a result, the meat is tough and firm, with a natural sweetness mixed with a little salty taste. Red lobster can be steamed or grilled.
♦ Moon Crab
This crab has the characteristics of fragrant, sweet, firm meat, rich in minerals such as zinc, potassium, iron, copper, calcium, omega, necessary for the body. In contrast to the red lobster, the moon crab here is so giant that it can be compared with the king crab. It is often processed into many dishes such as steamed, boiled, fried with tamarind, etc. But the best is still steamed or grilled and then dipped with salt, pepper, and lemon. Anyone who enjoys it once will never forget it.
Peanut worm (Sá sùng)
Peanut worm is rare and precious seafood used from ancient times to offer to kings. Currently, in Vietnam, only the northeast sea and some places in the South, including the sea of Con Dao, are exploiting it, but only in the period from March to July. Peanut worm is used for cooking porridge, stir-fry. The taste is delightful.
♦ Selachium mixed salad
Selachium salad is a famous specialty dish that you should eat when traveling to Con Dao. This dish is made with fresh green ingredients such as banana, star fruit, pineapple, coriander, apricot leaves, peanuts, etc. A salad plate will bring out the delicious taste of fish, the sour taste of star fruit and pineapple. The acrid taste of green bananas and the spiciness of chili are hard to forget.
♦ Red grouper
One of the favorite fish in Con Dao is red cap fish. So, if you have come here, you should try the dishes made from this fish. Red grouper can be turned into many attractive dishes such as salad, grilled, steamed, sauce. With the characteristics of being caught directly from the sea, fresh and delicious, the fish meat is sweet and fragrant, making the dish strange. Seductive.
To eat seafood, you can go to Canh Buom restaurant (Nguyen Duc Thuan street), Phi Yen restaurant (Ton Duc Thang street), Binh Nguyen night snail (Pham Van Dong street), etc. In addition, Con Dao’s acoustics are also perfect. Diverse with other dishes such as oyster porridge, duck porridge, chicken porridge, noodle soup, cochlea, snail dance, shrimp hat ni, etc., each dish has its flavor enjoying.
WHAT SPECIAL PRODUCTS SHOULD BUY AS A GIFT WHEN TRAVELING TO CON DAO?
After visiting and enjoying the exciting things on the remote island – Con Dao, it is impossible not to buy some specialties as gifts for relatives and friends.
Con Dao specialties can be bought as gifts
+ One-sun-dried squid
One-sun-dried squid in Con Dao is often used as leaf squid, which people go fishing at night. Then choose the freshest and largest ones, wash them with water or salt water, and dry them once in the sun. Squid is famous for its thick and lovely meat, ensuring that you can still feel the freshness inside when eaten.
- The price of this squid is about 300-400k/kg.
+ Urchin fish sauce
This type of fish sauce is made from sea urchin, known as aristocratic fish sauce. Because the urchin is relatively small, has little m, eat, and is tricky to catch, it needs many urchins to make a jar of fish sains. So unique, so make sure you understand its deliciousness enough, taste it once, and still retain that flavor. It is suitable for serving with boiled meat and boiled vegetables and tubers.
- The price of a jar ranges from 120 to 135k VND
+ One-sun-dried mackerel
Similar to one-sun squid, one-sun mackerel is only exposed to the sun once. This is also a specialty that many tourists choose to buy as gifts. The caught fish is preliminarily cleaned and does not need to be marinated with any spices and then dried in the sun. Thanks to that, it still retains its freshness, not too dry, but not fishy. On the contrary, it is very fragrant and delicious. Bought to process dishes such as stock, ketchup, fried, etc., are all great.
- The price of one-sun mackerel ranges from 200 to 500k/kg
+ Oyster sauce
Oyster sauce has a different flavor but is very familiar to the people of Con Dao. It rarely lacks in meals. At the same time, many tourists choose to buy as gifts. This fish sauce is made from oyster meat with salt, chili powder, and other spices. After incubation, it has a bright red color that is very eye-catching, fragrant, and rich, eaten with rice or dipping sauce.
- Price is about 30k/bottle
+ Salanganes’ Nest
According to Con Dao’s travel experience, here you can buy a bird’s nest at a lower price than usual but with high quality. The reason is because this is where the nest is directly exploited. Each bed has 2 times to exploit the nest, usually at the end of April or August, and then process it. Con Dao Salanganes’Nest has a light sweet taste, is fantastic, and contains up to 31 nutritional ingredients, so buying it as a gift is great.
- Prices fluctuate: type 1 ranges from 1.7 million/10grams, type 2 ranges from 1.4 million/10grams and type 3 ranges from 0.8 million/10grams.
+ Dried Peanut worm
Surely everyone knows the use and value of sea wormwood, right? Here you can also buy Peanut worm as a gift. This is a specialty that can be brought on the plane quite conveniently. However, its price is not low, so you should only consider buying it when you need it or can afford it.
- Price ranges from 1.8 to 2.4 million VND/kg (depending on type)
+ Indian Almond jam
If you don’t know what to buy as a gift in Con Dao, almond jam is also a good choice. To prepare this dish, people often pick ripe eagles, bring them to dry, and then peel the skin and get the inside. They are roasted until just cooked and then processed with salt or sugar to get a sweet and salty baguette.
- The price is about 200k/kg (roasted with sugar) and 280k/kg (roasted with salt)
Address to buy specialties as gifts when traveling to Con Dao
After knowing the specialties that can be bought as gifts, is it the thing that tourists wonder where to buy? Rest assured, the island is also very developed, with markets, shops, and supermarkets, unlike the mainland. Some suggested addresses are:
- Con Dao Market : Pham Van Dong Street, Con Dao, Ba Ria – Vung Tau
- Con Dao seafood village: Near Ben Dam port, Con Dao, Ba Ria – Vung Tau
- Con Dao gift supermarket: KDC 8 Nguyen An Ninh, Con Dao, Ba Ria – Vung Tau
- Con Dao specialty store: No. 1B Nguyen An Ninh Street, Con Dao, Ba Ria – Vung Tau
In addition, if you intend to purchase fresh seafood to bring home, you can go to seafood stalls such as Hoang Mai seafood barn (Dat Do 7 residence), Thu Hong seafood barn (38D street). Nguyen Hue) or shops and restaurants that sell takeaway seafood such as Binh Nguyen night snail restaurant, Thu Ba restaurant, Sang Tuyen seafood restaurant, etc.
RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE FROM HANOI AND SAI GON – CON DAO TRAVEL GUIDE
Hanoi – Con Dao itinerary 3 days 2 nights
+ Day 1: Hanoi – Con Dao – An Hai Lake – Shark Cape – Bai Nhat – Hang Duong Cemetery
- There are several direct flights daily from Hanoi to Con Dao. After arriving, you move to the check-in center to rest and then start your journey.
- Running along the way to Ben Dam port, on the way you will stop at An Hai lake and An Son vermicelli, Van Son is located near the lake.
- Continue the port road to Cape Shark and Bai Nhat to take pictures, play and watch the sunset.
- Evening seafood. Then visit Hang Duong Martyrs Cemetery and then return to the hotel to rest.
+ Day 2: Dam Tre Bay – Dam Trau Beach – Bay Canh Islet – Con Dao National Park
- After breakfast, we will start to explore Dam Tre Bay, then Dam Trau beach to swim and admire the scenery. This place also has many services for you to choose from.
- In the afternoon, return to the center of the island, rent a canoe to Seven Canh Island to explore the mangrove ecosystem and surrounding islands such as Ba island, Cau island…
- Otherwise, you can go to Con Dao National Park and go on a tour to see turtles lay eggs and spend the night on the island.
+ Day 3: Con Dao Prison – Con Dao Museum – Hanoi
- In the morning you can spend time exploring Con Dao prison and visit Con Dao museum, which will give you a lot of interesting information about this island.
- Afternoon, finished eating, then check out procedures, go to the airport to return to Hanoi. End of journey.
Saigon – Con Dao itinerary 4 days 3 nights
In this schedule, dulichkhampha24 will suggest how to travel by high-speed train, not by p, so those who want to experience this type of vehicle can refer to it.
+ Day 1: Saigon – Soc Trang
- From Saigon, you can drive straight to Soc Trang city, it will take about 4 hours (about 200 km).
- If you go early in the morning, you can rent a room to stay for 1 night in Soc Trang to explore this city in the evening.
+ Day 2: Soc Trang – Tran De – Con Dao (Hang Duong cemetery, Con Dao prison, An Hai lake)
- From Soc Trang City, you start moving to Tran De Cang. Then take the morning train, out to Con Dao near noon. Back to the hotel, check in and start the journey.
- The first point you will visit is Hang Duong cemetery, next will visit Con Dao prison tourist area.
- On the way to Ben Dam port, visitors will pass through An Hai lake and mieenbs An Son, Van Son Tu.
- Evening wander the coastal routes and enjoy seafood.
+ Day 3: Beaches – Cai Prince Temple – Dam Trau Beach – Con Dao National Park
- After breakfast, you will continue your journey at the following points: Dat Doc beach, Suoi Chit beach, Chim Chim cape or you can explore Dam Tre Bay.
- Another option is to go to Co Ong airport, visit Hoang Tu Cai temple and Dam Trau beach.
- In the afternoon will have lunch and rest. After that, go back to the central area, go to Con Dao National Park to go to Ong Dung beach, you can rent clothes to dive and see the coral.
- In the evening, return to Con Dao to eat, explore this island at night.
+ Day 4: Con Dao – Saigon
- In the morning, you can take advantage of waking up early to watch the sunrise. Then have breakfast and then board the boat back to Tran Temple port, continue to move to Soc Trang and back to Saigon. End of journey.
A few other notes SHOULD KNOW – Con Dao Travel Guide
In addition to the very detailed experiences above, when traveling to Con Dao, you also need to note a few more things to avoid unnecessary trouble during your trip:
+ If you choose to travel by high-speed train, you should find information about departure times and fares in advance to avoid missing the route. You can refer to these on the train ticket booking pages to Con Dao!
+ Con Dao is a sacred land, so you absolutely must not take out spiritual stories or characters here to make fun of.
+ Remember to dress politely, discreetly, not revealing offensiveness when going to historical – spiritual places or when visiting the grave of heroine Vo Thi Sau.
+ Con Dao travel experience coming here must swim. Still, please pay attention to the regulations of the beach and the rescue team because the sea here is quite strong in many places, the water is underground, so some areas are not safe.
+ For those who love diving to see coral, they should check the situation of the waves in advance, see if the sea is active and the water is clear to be able to admire the corals and marine species fully.
+ If you are going on a trek through the forest, you need to follow a pointy trail gradually. Do not arbitrarily find the way because it is the same everywhere in the forester. It is easy too; it is lost and in danger for yourself.
Above are all the Con Dao travel experiences 2022 that summarize based on the shares and reviews of visitors who have come here. Con Dao is an attractive destination and well worth exploring. If you love nature, want to learn about the heroic historical period of the nation, you should not miss it. With this complete set of information, you will surely have a whole journey!
According to Du Lich Kham Pha
