Con Dao

Con Dao is an archipelago of 15 islands south east of Saigon, in the South China Sea.  There is only one island that is inhabited where about 4,000 people live (of which 700 are military personnel).  Only one dive center exists, as not many tourists visit these lovely, pristine islands.  Only a 45 min. plane ride from Saigon, this will not last long.  Many plans are in the making to expand this paradise into a tourist mecca, perhaps the Koh Samui of Vietnam.  The changes are occuring at a rapid rate and all of the really interesting French architecture is being torn done, only to be replaced by “modern” Vietnamese structures. 

It is possible to make dives at sites nobody has ever explored before. The fact that the diving is so new is one of the main draws for this area.  The most special part about most dives on Con Dao are the absolutely amazing coral formations.  You are likely to see staghorn corals so monstrous they are hundreds of years old.  Many rocks have so many clams it is impossible to count the number of pulsating purple and blues you see.

There are not a lot of ‘big’ marine life animals, however, giant sea turtles are definitely present.  One secluded beach, Turtle Beach, is a turtle breeding grounds and is protected as all of Con Dao is a national park.  You can go to see the turtles laying eggs at the high tide during the months of May through September. Sometimes as many as 10 or more turtles will arrive in one evening. Once the eggs are laid they are immediately trasferred to a hatchery. On one dive at Canada reef (one of the islands further away from the main island) I was lucky enough to see a very large, very old turtle pass by. Both my dive buddy and I were surprised as we encountered each other while passing around a huge rock. The turtle checked us out for a moment, and then put on the jets and was out of there lickety split. Snorkeling as well as sunbathing on secluded beaches is also possible.  Other interesting creatures to be seen around Con Dao are many nudibranches, boxfish, blue-spotted rays, catfish, scorpion fish, puffers, barracudas, and cuttlefish.  During night dives you will see other creature such as the spanish dancer, crabs, shrimps, etc.

At the moment, lodging is limited to only a few hotels and resorts, and only one budget option exist, Phi Yen.  Restaurants, as no surprise, specialize in excellent fresh seafood.  There is one bar, called Pearl Bar operated by an Australian man and his Vietnamese wife.  It is wise to call ahead to insure they will be open. But, if they are they have a full bar and the hospitality is like no other.  Bar food is not simply pretzels and peanuts, instead you get fresh grilled prawns and other Vietnamese delicacies.