Bay Canh Island

The Pinnacle (Con Dao)

Dugong & Sea Turtle Sanctuary

Hon Bay Canh Wreck

Hon Cau

Hon Tai

Hon Trac (Big Island Wall)

Ong Dung Beach

Con Dao's culinary scene is intimate and focused on the freshest seafood available from the surrounding pristine waters. With only a handful of restaurants concentrated in Con Son town, dining here is a relaxed affair where the day's catch determines the menu. Grilled lobster, king prawns, and giant mud crabs are island staples, often prepared simply with garlic butter or local herbs to let the quality of the seafood shine. The famous Con Dao dried squid and dried fish make excellent souvenirs. Morning markets sell fresh tropical fish, octopus, and sea urchin at remarkable prices. The limited tourism infrastructure means dining options are fewer than mainland destinations, but the quality and freshness are exceptional. Several upscale restaurants at the Six Senses and Poulo Condor resorts offer refined dining with ocean views. Local Vietnamese coffee and fresh coconut water are the beverages of choice between dives.

Six Senses Con Dao

Poulo Condor Boutique Resort

Con Dao Resort

ATC Con Dao Hotel

Con Dao is Vietnam's premier remote diving destination, a pristine archipelago of sixteen islands located approximately 185 kilometres off the southern coast in the South China Sea. Formerly a notorious prison island, Con Dao has been transformed into a national park protecting both terrestrial and marine ecosystems of exceptional quality. The diving here is among the best in Vietnam, with dramatic walls draped in gorgonians and soft corals, deep drop-offs patrolled by pelagic species, and one of the country's most significant sea turtle nesting sites. Bay Canh Island delivers world-class wall diving with grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and schooling barracuda, while Hon Tai offers thrilling deep drop-offs where dogtooth tuna and giant trevally hunt along the edge. The seasonal arrival of hammerhead sharks from November to February adds a pelagic dimension rarely found elsewhere in Vietnamese waters. The Dugong and Sea Turtle Sanctuary protects critical seagrass meadows where green turtles feed year-round and dugongs make occasional appearances. Ong Dung Beach provides excellent house reef diving and outstanding night dive opportunities. The remote Pinnacle site, an isolated underwater seamount, draws hammerheads, manta rays, and tuna schools in one of Southeast Asia's most exciting big-animal dive sites. Con Dao's isolation ensures pristine conditions and an uncrowded, exclusive diving experience that ranks among the finest in the entire region.

Con Dao

Extended dry season with calm seas, excellent visibility of 20-30 metres, and warm water. Peak turtle nesting occurs May to October on Bay Canh Beach.

Northeast monsoon brings rougher seas and reduced visibility. Some offshore sites may be inaccessible. Flights and ferries are more frequently disrupted.

Transitional months with generally acceptable conditions. Hammerhead shark encounters peak November to February at Hon Tai.

Con Dao is accessed by air from Ho Chi Minh City (approximately 45 minutes) or from Can Tho via Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways. Flights are limited and should be booked well in advance, especially during peak season. A high-speed ferry also operates from Tran De port near Soc Trang, taking approximately two and a half hours across the South China Sea, though this service is weather-dependent and may be cancelled during rough conditions. Once on Con Dao, the main town of Con Son is compact and easily explored on foot or by motorbike. Dive sites are reached by speedboat or longtail from the Con Son harbour, with travel times ranging from fifteen minutes to one hour depending on the site. The island's isolation means medical facilities are limited, making dive insurance with emergency evacuation coverage essential.

Dive Sites in Con Dao