Con Son Island is the largest of the Con Dao archipelago, located off the coast of southern Vietnam. The island also has a Malay name, Poulo Condore, but it is most commonly referred to as Con Son.
Today it is a beautiful island popular with those who want sun, sea and sand, but back during the Vietnam War it was home to some of the most feared prisons in the country. People were often beaten and tortured here, with few inmates surviving the beatings.
The prison was closed in 1975 and is now a tourist attraction. Tourism has been the main focus on the island for almost two decades and it has become very popular with tourists and backpackers looking to get off the beaten track. Facilities are basic, but this is part of the island’s charm.
Getting there
The nearest airport to this island is on the mainland at Ho Chi Minh City. Once you have arrived here, you will need to take a bus to the coast and a ferry to the island. Journey times from the airport are approximately five or six hours .
In brief
What to do: visit the prison, relax on the beach
Best time to go: The cool season of November through until March.
How Long? Two days to one week is long enough.
Trivia: The island was once home to some of the country’s most feared prisoners who later escaped and became the most feared pirates in the country.