Côn Sơn Island

Côn Sơn Island is the largest island in the Côn Đảo archipelago off the southern coast of Vietnam and serves as the administrative and transport centre for the island group. The island combines historical sites, beaches and protected natural areas and is the primary base for visitors to the archipelago.

The island contains former prison facilities that were used during French colonial rule and later periods; these sites are interpreted today as part of the island’s historical heritage. The archipelago also includes Con Dao National Park, which protects terrestrial forest and surrounding marine habitats and supports coral reefs and nesting sea turtles.

Tourism on the island focuses on historical interpretation, nature-based activities such as snorkeling and hiking, and visits to beaches and viewpoints. The island has ferry and small-airport links to the Vietnamese mainland and serves as the gateway for visitors to the smaller islands of the group.

Côn Sơn lies off the southern Vietnamese coast in the South China Sea; administratively it is part of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province for transport links though the islands are often referenced in connection with Ho Chi Minh City as the nearest major urban centre to the northwest.

• Principal island: The island is the largest and principal inhabited island of the Côn Đảo archipelago and contains the chief town and main transport links for the group.
• History and nature: The island is known for a combination of historical sites related to its prison system and protected natural areas including beaches and reef habitats.

What to See #

• Côn Sơn prison area: Historic prison sites and memorials provide information about the French colonial and later South Vietnamese-era prisons that operated on the island.
• Con Dao National Park: Con Dao National Park protects terrestrial and marine habitats around the islands and includes coral reefs, beaches and forested hills used for hiking and wildlife observation.