Today’s Con Dao is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Vietnam, a heritage of the country.
The “famous” history of Con Dao has helped this island attract a large number of tourists. Tourists traveling to Con Dao, in addition to the purpose of sightseeing and discovering beautiful sceneries, can also learn more about Vietnam’s history during the resistance wars. Besides biographies about the lives of famous political activists such as Le Hong Phong and Nguyen An Ninh, the stories and legends about heroine martyr Vo Thi Sau also intrigue tourists where they visit Con Dao. Therefore, many tourists have given Con Dao “8 precious golden words” that are not usually given everywhere. They are “spectacular nature, majestic history”. Con Dao has also been voted by the world’s prestigious travel magazines “Travel And Leisure” and “ Lonely Planet” as one of the 10 islands containing the most mysteries in the world. The unspoiled beauty of Con Dao makes Vietnam tourism an outstanding highlight to foregn tourists. Recently, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) has just published an article praising the beauty of four destinations considered as undisclosed gems of Southeast Asia, including Con Dao of Vietnam. The Hong Kong newspaper has spent a lot of “ beautiful words” to praise the beauty of nature and the people of Con Dao. “The 16 islands that make up the Con Dao archipelago are all paradises. Possessing azure waters, golden sand beaches, colorful coral reefs, mysterious mangrove forests and tropical jungles, these islands are famous for their amazing natural beauty", Commented SCMP. The article on SCMP also suggests tourists quickly visit Con Dao. Con Son – the largest island in the archipelago is increasingly famous for many large hotel developing projects that are continuously formed. In addition, the plan to open a fast ferry route connecting Con Dao with Vung Tau is also gradually being completed.
Through many changes, Con Dao has always been a very special administrative unit: the province has no districts; The district has no communes of wards. The current population of the island is over 8,000 people. On this island, there is a prison with a history of more than a century. During that time, apart from the prison system and the prison apparatus, Con Dao did not have any population structure andany socio - economic basis. In addition, the distance from the mainland makes it extremely difficult to boost the socio - economic development in Con Dao.
In recent years, Con Dao has been completely transformed and its inherent potential has been strongly promoted. A service center for catching and selling seafood is being developed on the island. Hundreds of fishing boats from central and western provinces gather here with the number of fishermen sometimes outnumbering the islanders. There have been great strides in improving the transportation and communication system between Con Dao and the mainland. The number of tourists visiting Con Dao is increasing day by day, including many international groups. Visitors to Con Dao can see with their own eyes the relics left behind by political prisoners who made great miracles in this large prison which is truly one of a kind in Indochina. Standing in front of the historical sites of TigerCages, Cowsheds, Cells, and Stone Cellars of Hang Duong Cemetery, Hang Keo Cemetery with countless named and unnamed graves, no one can be indifferent to the independence of the nation and the sacrifice of the previous generations. Con Dao has really become a great school for the current and future generations.
Source: Department of Culture and Sport of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provice; Photo: Internet