Budget travel to Con Dao is gradually becoming a hot topic and garnering widespread attention from adventure enthusiasts. This is a must-have guide for anyone planning a trip to Con Dao. Let’s dive into it with Vietnampeace.com right now!

Con Dao has long been a super attractive tourist destination, drawing thousands of visitors worldwide each year. It’s famous for its stunning landscapes like Dam Trau Beach, Lo Voi Beach, Tai Island – Trac Island, and significant historical sites like Con Dao Prison, 914 Dock, and the Tiger Cages system. Indeed, these will offer you unique and exciting experiences. So, how can you explore all the distinctive features of Con Dao on a reasonable budget? Don’t worry. Let’s incorporate the budget travel experience to Con Dao that Vietnampeace.com will reveal into your travel guide to prepare for this beautiful island adventure!

1. Ideal time to explore Con Dao

1.1 Overview of Con Dao

According to budget travel experience to Con Dao, with a total area of ​​up to 76km2, Con Dao is a collection of 16 large and small islands formed from granite mountain ranges stretching from Northeast to Southwest. Con Dao is also the name used for the largest island in this group (also known as Con Son Island and Con Lon Island). The majestic Con Dao Holy Cross Peak towers at 577m, along with Big Egg Island and Small Egg Island, the two farthest islands to the west, which merged in 1995. During the French colonial period, the Con Dao Prison system was a place of exile and detention for an enormous scale of revolutionary prisoners in Indochina. Until now, the image of the French and American-style tiger cages and various forms of inhuman torture at Con Dao Prison remains stark evidence of wartime atrocities.

Leaving behind the dark past, Con Dao of the new era emerges beautiful and vibrant, with long stretches of coastline bathed in sunlight and rocky shores welcoming waves day and night. The mountains, seas, and natural reserves all adorn themselves with fresh, vibrant, and distinctive scenery. Although not perfect, Con Dao’s beauty gradually captures visitors’ hearts in a simple and nostalgic way. That’s why it’s dubbed the most charming island on the planet and soon becomes an attractive destination for travel enthusiasts. Therefore, budget travel experience to Con Dao is also the top concern of many tourists.

1.2 When is the best time to travel to Con Dao?

Based on your budget travel experience to Con Dao, you should start visiting Con Dao during the turtle nesting season, from March to September each year. At this time, the climate in Con Dao enters the most pleasant period with fantastic weather, clear skies, less rain, and calm seas, perfect for natural exploration activities like swimming, squid fishing, diving to admire coral reefs, or camping and picnicking in the ancient forest.

2. All the captivating budget travel experiences to Con Dao

2.1 Budget travel experience to Con Dao – Guide on how to get to Con Dao

From Ho Chi Minh City, there are two ways to travel to Con Dao: by plane or bus. If you travel by bus, you will first go to Vung Tau and then continue by boat to Con Dao. Nowadays, many airlines are also operating domestic flights on the Saigon – Con Dao route, with a travel time of about one hour and ticket prices ranging from 1,700,000 VND to 4,000,000 VND for a round trip. Although this is not a cheap price for domestic travel, the number of flights to Con Dao is still minimal.

According to budget travel experience to Con Dao, if you want to save more money, you can take a bus to Vung Tau with a cost ranging from 90,000 VND to 200,000 VND for a one-way ticket, and travel time is about 2 hours. After arriving in Vung Tau, you will continue to Cat Lo Port (30/4 Street, Ward 11, Vung Tau) by taxi or motorbike. Here, you can take a high-speed boat to Con Dao. Con Dao Express 36 is a high-speed boat service favored by many tourists at Cat Lo Port based on budget travel experience to Con Dao, with a travel time of just 3 hours – one hour faster than typical boats, and ticket prices ranging from 550,000 VND to 1,200,000 VND per way depending on the seat class (including VIP class and standard class).

2.2 Explore exciting activities in budget travel experience to Con Dao

2.2.1 Admire the romantic sunset in Con Dao

If Phu Quoc is famous for its diverse sunset colors, then the sunset in Con Dao mesmerizes visitors with its surreal red-orange hues, gently embracing every mountain slope, rocky hill, and beach. The perfect place to admire the sunset is Nhat Beach in Con Dao, around 5:00 – 6:00 pm. Budget travel experience to Con Dao advises you to fully charge your phone battery to always be ready to capture this magical moment!

2.2.2 Visit Con Dao National Park

Operational for nearly 30 years, Con Dao National Park is recognized as the place with the most nesting and releasing of sea turtles into nature in Vietnam. With up to 15,043 hectares, Con Dao National Park owns two essential areas: half evergreen tropical and evergreen tropical rainforest. Here, you can admire the typical home of 30 species of exquisite orchids, 100 types of vines, 200 rare and precious herbs, and 370 species of woody plants.

If you love animals, you will enjoy observing cute squirrels, black squirrels, adorable mouse deer, and many other rare species. The marine area of ​​Con Dao National Park is divided into three separate ecosystems: seagrass, mangrove forests, and coral reefs, with nearly 2,000 species of aquatic organisms, reptiles, algae, seabirds, and marine mammals waiting for you to explore.

2.2.3 Release turtles on Bay Canh Island

Of course, budget travel experience to Con Dao cannot miss the exciting experience of releasing turtles on Bay Canh Island. First, the forest rangers will put the baby turtles in baskets and take them down to Big Sand Beach when the tide is high and the sun is not too harsh. After everything is ready, tourists gather around the beach and tilt the baskets together so the turtles can crawl out. When out of the baskets, hundreds of baby turtles will quickly crawl into the sea.

While releasing turtles, you will also hear the rangers talk about the incubation process and conservation of turtle eggs, along with rich knowledge about sea turtles. The Green Turtle (also known as the Hawksbill) used for release is one of the seven rare sea turtle species in the Vietnam Red Data Book. It is currently critically endangered, so it urgently needs to be conserved.

2.2.4 Enjoy Con Dao specialties

In addition to sightseeing and exciting experiences, you can enjoy countless delicious Con Dao specialties. Here, there is an abundance of fresh seafood at incredibly affordable prices, such as lobster, razor clam, red mullet, spotted Babylon, and moon crab… all very fresh and nutritious. Each Con Dao dish has its unique flavor and is highly addictive, making you fall in love after the first taste.

In conclusion, Con Dao stands as a remarkable destination that seamlessly blends historical significance with natural beauty, offering travelers a diverse range of enriching and captivating experiences. From its haunting past as a place of exile to its emergence as a picturesque haven, Con Dao has undergone a transformative journey that now beckons adventurers and history enthusiasts alike. With its pristine beaches, lush landscapes, and rich biodiversity, Con Dao provides an immersive escape into nature, while its historical sites serve as poignant reminders of resilience and perseverance. Con Dao promises an unforgettable journey filled with discovery and wonder, whether indulging in the vibrant sunset hues, exploring the diverse marine life, or savoring the local delicacies. So, embark on your next adventure to Con Dao and immerse yourself in the allure of this enchanting destination.