04/09/2026
😍My Côn Đảo Travel Experience – A Place Worth Slowing Down For
After my trip to Côn Đảo, what I loved most wasn’t the luxury resorts or famous check-in spots, but the feeling of being somewhere peaceful, unspoiled and completely different from many other beach destinations in Vietnam.
If you enjoy beautiful beaches, nature, history and a little bit of adventure, I honestly think Côn Đảo is well worth adding to your Vietnam itinerary.
☀️ When is the best time to visit Côn Đảo?
From my experience, March to September is a great period to explore Côn Đảo. Although it is still considered the rainy season, the sea is often relatively calm, and you can still get plenty of sunny days. It’s a good time for boat trips, snorkeling, diving and exploring the smaller islands.
One of the most special experiences is during July to September, which is the sea turtle nesting season. If you join the right tour at the right time, you may have the opportunity to see turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs or even take part in releasing baby turtles into the sea. It’s definitely an unforgettable experience.
From October to March, the island can experience stronger seasonal winds, and the sea around Con Son Bay may be rougher. However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid visiting during this period. If the weather isn’t suitable for boat trips, you can explore the western and southwestern sides of the main island, which are often less affected by the winds.
Don’t just stay around the main town
If you have enough time, I highly recommend spending at least one day exploring the surrounding islands and beaches.
Bay Canh Island and Hon Cau Island are two places I really enjoyed. Depending on the weather, you can take a boat trip, snorkel and see coral reefs, explore mangrove forests or go fishing.
If you’re looking for somewhere quieter, Ong Dung Beach is also worth visiting. The area is quite natural and peaceful, making it a nice place for a picnic, relaxing and enjoying the surrounding nature.
Another interesting place is Hon Tre Nho. From around May to September, many seabirds come here to nest. If you enjoy nature and photography, this can be a really interesting experience.
🐢 One of the Most Special Experiences: Watching Sea Turtles Lay Their Eggs
One of the experiences I would definitely recommend in Côn Đảo is joining a night tour to see sea turtles laying their eggs.
The main nesting season runs roughly from April to November, with the busiest period usually between June and September. Bay Canh Island is one of the most important nesting sites and accounts for a large proportion of the turtle nesting activity in Côn Đảo.
The experience usually starts in the evening, when you travel by boat or canoe to the island and wait quietly with the local forest rangers. When a mother turtle comes ashore, the rangers carefully guide visitors to observe from a safe distance.
Watching a large female turtle slowly crawl out of the sea, dig a nest in the sand and lay her eggs is something I found incredibly moving. A mother turtle can lay around 80–120 eggs in a nest, although the number can vary. After laying her eggs, she carefully covers the nest with sand before returning to the ocean.
What makes the experience even more meaningful is seeing the conservation work afterward. Rangers carefully collect and relocate the eggs to protected incubation areas, where they are monitored until the baby turtles hatch. Depending on the conditions, hatching can take around 45–60 days.
If you are lucky enough to visit when hatchlings emerge, you may also have the opportunity to watch baby turtles being released into the sea early in the morning. Côn Đảo National Park currently organizes dedicated experiences for both turtle nesting and hatchling releases.
A very important point: this is a wildlife conservation experience, not a normal sightseeing activity. Visitors need to follow the park's regulations, keep quiet, avoid strong lights and flash photography, and never touch or disturb the turtles. Current regulations also limit the number of visitors at each nesting location.
For me, this was one of the experiences that made Côn Đảo much more memorable. It’s not about getting the perfect photo — it’s about sitting quietly on a beach at night and witnessing one of nature’s most incredible moments. 🐢🌊
🏛️ Côn Đảo is much more than beaches
Before visiting, I thought Côn Đảo was mainly about beaches and nature. But after being there, I realized that the history of Côn Đảo is what makes the destination truly special.
I recommend spending at least half a day learning about the island's history and prison system.
You can visit the Côn Đảo Museum, the Governor's Residence, Phu Hai Prison, the French Tiger Cages and the American Tiger Cages.
If possible, I strongly recommend going with a local guide or tour guide. Hearing the stories and historical details while standing in the actual places where these events happened makes the experience much more meaningful than simply walking around and taking photos.
You can also visit Hang Duong Cemetery, Nui Mot Pagoda and An Son Temple if you’re interested in the spiritual and historical side of the island.
A small but important tip: when visiting historical and spiritual sites, it’s best to wear modest and respectful clothing.
🦪 What to eat in Côn Đảo?
Of course, being an island, you should definitely try the seafood.
Some local specialties worth trying include vú nàng sea snails, cone snails, giant turban snails, hand snails, red lobster, slipper lobster, red grouper and sun-dried squid.
If you want to take something home, candied sea almond seeds are one of the more distinctive local specialties. You can also find dried seafood and other local products at Côn Đảo Market.
💵 A few things to know before you go
One thing I think travelers should know is that there are not many ATMs on Côn Đảo, so I’d recommend carrying enough cash for your trip.
There can also be quite a few mosquitoes and insects in the evening, especially around areas with lots of trees and greenery. Mosquito repellent is definitely something I would pack.
I also like to carry a small travel first-aid kit with basic medicine and supplies. You may never need it, but it’s always better to be prepared when traveling to an island.
❤️ What I loved most about Côn Đảo
Côn Đảo isn’t really the kind of destination where you need to rush around trying to visit ten places in one day.
What I loved was being able to slow down, enjoy the sea, ride along the beautiful island roads, find a quiet beach, eat fresh seafood and take time to understand the island’s history.
If you’re looking for somewhere with unspoiled nature, beautiful beaches, eco-experiences and a fascinating history, I genuinely think Côn Đảo is worth experiencing.
Don’t just visit Côn Đảo to take photos. Take your time and really experience the island.
