Touching the pristine beauty
After a period of continuous work, Nguyen Thanh Cong (Hanoi) decided to spend the holiday on a 4-day 3-night trip to Con Dao. He did not look for a dense check-in schedule but only wanted to find a quiet enough place to rest, watch the sea and live slower than usual.
Right from the moment the plane gradually landed at Co Ong airport, Cong was attracted by the endless blue of the sea, the mountain ranges covered with primeval forests and the soft white sandy beaches embracing the foot of the island. Seen from above, Con Dao looks like a green space placed in the vast ocean.
Many people say that to fully feel Con Dao, they have to wake up very early. For Cong, that is also the time he likes the most during the day. When the sun has not yet fully risen, the coastal roads are almost deserted. Only the sound of wind blowing through the mountainside, the sound of waves crashing into the rocky rapids and the salty smell of the sea creeping into the air. That is a rare time that makes people feel that everything around is slowing down.
From the center of Con Son running towards Bai Nhat, Cong drove his motorbike slowly on the road winding around the mountainside - where one of the most beautiful scenes of the island opens up. On one side is the dark green forest, on the other side is the ocean changing color with the early sunshine. When the sun just rises from the horizon, the sea surface is pale blue mixed with silver, so clear that you can see the rolling waves near the shore.
Nearby is Mui Ca Map - a place that many tourists come to admire the panoramic view of Con Dao sea and sky from above. Rocky outcrops protruding into the sea amidst steep cliffs create a scene that is both majestic and pristine. Standing there, looking at the sea surface stretching to the horizon, many people easily feel small in front of the vast nature.
But the beauty of Con Dao does not lie in the overwhelming scenery. What makes this island different lies in the peace it brings. According to Cong, here people can spend the whole morning just driving along the coastal roads, stopping by a deserted sandy beach, listening to the sound of waves without doing anything more.
The afternoon in An Hai is the most beautiful time of the day. When the sun begins to set behind the mountains, the whole sea area turns gently orange-yellow. Fishing boats lie quietly offshore while adults leisurely walk along the coast as if no one wants to break that silence.
In Con Dao, there is no feeling of having to race to check-in. Everything is slow and light," Cong shared.
Where the blue sea preserves historical memories
Just a few roads from the blue beaches is the Con Dao prison relic - a place that once held tens of thousands of revolutionary soldiers for more than a century. Many tourists come to the Con Dao Museum to better understand the land once called "hell on earth". More than 2,000 artifacts, images and documents are being preserved here, partly recreating the lives of political prisoners throughout the colonial and imperial periods.
Leaving the museum, the journey usually continues at Phu Hai camp, French tiger cages or American tiger cages. Old stone walls, cramped prison cells and remaining artifacts make the space here very differently contemplative. Many people step out of the relic with a heavy feeling because behind the peaceful beauty of Con Dao today are so many losses and sacrifices.
During the day, visitors can dive and admire coral reefs in Hon Tai amidst clear water or sit on a canoe, enjoying looking out at the vast blue sea. But when night falls, many people quietly come to Hang Duong Cemetery, bringing white bouquets of flowers and small incense sticks to commemorate those who have lain here.
In the quiet space of the largest cemetery in Con Dao, the tomb of heroine Vo Thi Sau is a place that always has lights and incense and flowers all night. The tomb is located in Zone B, among thousands of graves of revolutionary soldiers who were imprisoned in prison in the past.
In the sound of the wind blowing through the trees and the faint scent of agarwood, that space naturally makes people walk slower, speak softer. The trip at that time also becomes more meaningful.
Con Dao Prison Relic is a special historical relic complex associated with the 113 years of existence of the prison system established by the French colonialists and the Saigon government from 1862 to 1975. The prison system includes many detention areas such as Phu Hai Prison, Phu Son, Phu Tuong, Tiger Cage, Cow Cage... with 127 prison cells, 42 cells and 504 detached cells. Among them, Phu Hai Prison is the oldest and largest prison, still preserving many traces of the harsh prison regime and the resilient fighting spirit of revolutionary soldiers. Today, Con Dao Prison is a special national relic, a typical historical and spiritual destination, contributing to educating patriotism and gratitude to generations of fathers who sacrificed for national independence.
There are beautiful lands because of the scenery. There are places memorable because of the historical story. But Con Dao is special because this place carries both of those things coexisting. After each trip, what remains in the hearts of many people is not necessarily a famous check-in spot but the feeling of living slowly in the vast sea and sky and finding for themselves a rare peaceful moment amidst the hurried pace of life.
