Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City – Con Dao Island (L, D)

After your morning flight from Ho Chi Minh City (own expense), arrive at Con Dao Airport, where you will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Enjoy a short rest before taking a guided tour of Con Son, the main island of the Con Dao archipelago.

Start with a visit to the Con Dao Museum, once the home of island governors and converted into a museum after 1975, when Viet Cong troops liberated the island’s prisons. The museum explores the area’s brutal history through displays about the incarceration and torture of Con Dao prisoners. Learn about French and US policies toward prisoners, as well as armed resistance against their jailers.

Continue on to several nearby sites to better understand the heroic history of the Vietnamese. First, tour the Phu Hai Prison Complex, built in 1862 to contain Vietnam’s anti-colonial agitators. More than 5,000 men were held here, with 80 to 100 shackled together in large common cells. See chilling exhibits showcasing lifelike mannequins, arranged in contorted positions to expose the horrific conditions suffered by those incarcerated here.

Next, visit Con Son’s ‘tiger cages,’ located a short distance from the main prison complex, where prisoners were kept in open pits and cages from 1940 to 1955. Learn about the US delegate who, after visiting in 1970, published photos in LIFE magazine, which led to the release of 500 detainees and the prison’s closure.

You’ll also see where victims of the prison complex lie buried at Hang Duong Cemetery. Of the 20,000 who died, only 700 have marked graves. Note the prominent Vo Thi Sau Tomb and hear about the teenage heroine who was executed by the French for her revolutionary activities.

Your final stop is at Lady Phi Yen Temple, built to honor Lady Phi Yen, the wife of Nguyen Emperor Gia Long. Listen to her tragic tale as you explore the small temple, a remake of the 19th-century original.

For the rest of the day, you can take a breather from this disturbing look at part of Vietnam’s grim past. Spend time at your leisure, swimming, kayaking or rowing a boat. Overnight: 3-star Con Dao Resort in Con Dao

Day 2: Con Dao Island (B, L, D)

After enjoying a delicious breakfast at your hotel, depart for Dam Trau Beach, stopping to visit Prince Cai Temple en route if you’d like. You have a free half day of swimming and snorkeling at Dam Trau Beach, where a pristine shoreline with smooth sand extends under white cliffs.

In the afternoon, visit Ben Dam Wharf and Shark Cape, which follows a coastline of soft sand beach, bordered by endless sea and vertical cliffs. Before returning to your hotel, you can shop at Con Dao Market, featuring a selection of fresh produce, local specialty foods and garments.
Overnight: 3-star Con Dao Resort in Con Dao

Day 3: Con Dao Island – Ho Chi Minh City (B, L)

After breakfast, you’re free to do as you please until it’s time to transfer to Con Dao Airport for the afternoon flight back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Included

Airport pickup and drop-off from Con Dao
Airport Transport by air-conditioned minivan
2 nights’ shared accommodation
Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
Professional guide
Bottled water
Entrance fees

Excluded

Round-trip airfare from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao
Gratuities (optional)
Food and drinks, unless specified

Additional info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Flights are not included in this tour. Please contact tour operator if you need assistance in coordinating flights.

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Local Operator Information

Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind

Cancellation

If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.