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Voykit pocket guide · Vietnam
Con Dao
Côn Đảo
Fly to Côn Đảo for three or four quiet nights of beaches, diving, turtle nesting (May–October) and the prison history; flights are small and bag limits strict.
Côn Đảo is an archipelago 230 km off the Mekong coast, mostly national park. The French and later the South Vietnamese government ran notorious prisons here; the cells and the Hàng Dương cemetery draw Vietnamese pilgrims. For visitors it offers clear water, turtle nesting beaches and very little development. Administratively it is now part of Ho Chi Minh City (check).
- Country
- Vietnam
- Local name
- Côn Đảo
- Best months
- Mar–Jun (calm sea), turtles May–Oct
- Avoid
- Oct–Jan (rough sea, flight cancellations)
- Stay
- 3–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- VND
- Money
- VND in small notes (10k–100k) for stalls, markets, xe ôm and tips at spas.
- Daily spend
- Mid ₫1,000,000–2,000,000 excl. bed · High ₫3,000,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport and a face photo are required for registration.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 114 · Ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types A, C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · Two-pin sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and cafés: Nothing; leave small change if you like.; Sit-down restaurant: Round up or 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Grab / taxi: Round up; tip in the app if you want.; Spa and massage: ₫50,000–100,000 to the therapist directly; some spas ask for more.; Guide and driver on a day tour: ₫100,000–200,000 per person for the guide, about half that for the driver.; Hotel porter: ₫20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled and filtered water everywhere; hotel refill stations are common. Café ice is factory-made.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in cities and hotels; squat toilets and no paper in rural stops and on long buses — carry tissues. Old plumbing: paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Prison museum ticket | about ₫50,000 (check) |
| Two dives | ₫2,000,000–3,000,000 |
| Scooter per day | ₫150,000–250,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- VCS · Côn Đảo
- Small planes from Saigon (and some from Hanoi, Cần Thơ); strict baggage limits
Typical fares
- VCS → Côn Sơn town, car
- ₫150,000–250,000, 20 min
Get around
Scooters and taxis; boats to the smaller islands with park permits.
See and do
Known for
- Prison museums and Hàng Dương cemetery
- Diving and snorkelling
- Sea-turtle nesting on Bảy Cạnh island
- Quiet beaches
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bảy Cạnh island turtle night | Boat with park rangers | Overnight |
| Snorkel and dive sites | Boat | Half or full day |
Sleep
- Côn Sơn town
- Guesthouses, restaurants, prison sites on foot.
- Resort coves
- Luxury resorts on isolated bays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Xin chàosin chow |
| Help me! | Cứu tôi với!kuh-oo toy vuh-ee |
| 1, 2, 3 | một, hai, bamoht, hai, bah |
| How much is it? | Bao nhiêu tiền?bow nyew tyen |
| Please take me to this address | Làm ơn chở tôi đến địa chỉ nàylahm uhn chuh toy den dee-ah chee nay |
| Excuse me! (to a younger server) | Em ơi!em uh-ee |
| I have a booking | Tôi đã đặt phòngtoy dah daht fong |
| What time? | Mấy giờ?may zuh |
| Thank you | Cảm ơnkahm uhn |
| Call the police! (113) | Gọi cảnh sát! (113)goy kahn saht |
| 4, 5, 6 | bốn, năm, sáubohn, nahm, sow |
| Too expensive! | Đắt quá!daht kwah |
| I booked a Grab | Tôi đặt Grabtoy daht grab |
| I'll have this one | Cho tôi cái nàychaw toy kai nay |
| Do you have a room free? | Còn phòng không?kon fong khohm |
| Now | Bây giờbay zuh |
| No, thank you (street sellers) | Không, cảm ơnkhohm, kahm uhn |
| Fire! Call the fire service! (114) | Cháy! Gọi cứu hỏa! (114)chai! goy kuh-oo hwah |
| 7, 8, 9, 10 | bảy, tám, chín, mườibay, tahm, cheen, muh-ee |
| Come down a bit | Bớt đibuht dee |
Say it for greetings, prices and 'no ice'. Show the screen for addresses, allergies, medical problems and anything you need done exactly — a wrong tone on those costs more than the embarrassment of pointing at a phone.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Nod and smile; handshake with men, let women offer first; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses with people you have just met
- Names: Title plus given name — 'Anh Nam', 'Chị Lan' — the given name comes last; avoid: Calling someone by the family name alone (Nguyễn, Trần)
- Handing things: Both hands, especially money, cards and gifts to older people; avoid: Tossing things across a table
- Conversation: Expect questions about age, marriage and income; they place you, not pry; avoid: Raising your voice or correcting someone in front of others
- Temples and pagodas: Covered shoulders and knees; step over the raised threshold; enter by the right-hand door; avoid: Sitting with your back to an altar; climbing statues for photos
- Photos: Ask first, especially in minority villages; avoid: Paying children for photos — it keeps them out of school
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit, tea or sweets; accept at least a drink; avoid: Pointing your feet at people or the family altar
- Beckoning: Palm down, fingers waving towards you; avoid: Curling one finger — it is used for animals
Scams and watch-outs
- Flights are small and weather-sensitive: keep a buffer day before international flights.
- National park rules: turtle-watching only with rangers and permits.
- Respect the cemetery: it is a pilgrimage site.
Very safe; sea and road conditions on scooters.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Con Dao yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Prison museums and Hàng Dương cemetery
- Diving and snorkelling
- Sea-turtle nesting on Bảy Cạnh island
- Quiet beaches
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: vietnam.travel/
- Wikivoyage — Con Dao: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Con_Dao
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/con-dao). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.