Con Dao – Vietnam's Most Pristine Island Retreat

Con Dao Archipelago is a group of 16 islands in the South China Sea, 230 km south of Ho Chi Minh City (45 minutes by flight from Tan Son Nhat). For most of the 20th century the islands were known only as the site of Vietnam's most notorious prison system – first built by the French in 1862, later used by the South Vietnamese and US, housing thousands of political prisoners in brutal conditions. Today Con Dao has been transformed into Vietnam's premier eco-tourism destination, protected under the Con Dao National Park. It has some of Vietnam's best coral reefs, stunning beaches (Lo Voi, Dat Doc), and is one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites in Southeast Asia. Accommodation ranges from boutique eco-lodges to the legendary Six Senses Con Dao resort.