Côn Đảo is regarded as one of the most iconic destinations of the province, comprising 16 large and small islands with ecosystems representing all three regions of Vietnam: North – Central – South. The archipelago still preserves its pristine, pure, and mysterious beauty. Many international magazines have listed Côn Đảo among the world’s most impressive destinations. For decades, Côn Đảo has held a profound place in the hearts of Vietnamese people and international friends as a land of resilience — a symbol of revolutionary heroism.
Today, Côn Đảo attracts numerous enterprises investing in high-end tourism, such as the 5-star Six Senses Resort, the Việt–Nga luxury resort complex, Poulo Condor Boutique Resort, and Con Dao Resort. Several areas currently calling for investment — including An Hải, Suối Ớt, Bãi Vông, and Bãi Đầm Trầu — are creating positive spillover effects and contributing to a well-preserved landscape environment for sustainable development.
French Tiger Cages – Notorious Colonial Cells
However, alongside its tourism advantages, Côn Đảo still faces several challenges. Developing coordinated tour programs remains difficult, especially for large groups (particularly international tourists), due to the inability to secure long-term flight reservations 6–12 months in advance. As a result, most visitors are independent travelers rather than organized tour groups.
Promotion of Côn Đảo tourism on international media channels such as CNN, CBN, and VBS remains limited and infrequent, leading to low international awareness. Although the locality implemented a tourism promotion program for 2016–2020, it still lacks a comprehensive and strategic marketing approach.
Most visitors come to Côn Đảo for ecotourism, relaxation, scuba diving, coral viewing, or forest exploration. Research-oriented tourism focused on historical and cultural heritage remains modest, and entertainment products are not diverse. This leads to shorter stays, lower spending, and limited demand for shopping.
Côn Đảo’s tourism peak lasts for only the first six months of the year. From September onward, storms and rough seas significantly reduce travel by boat, leaving air travel as the primary mode of transportation — with fares significantly higher than domestic averages, especially on weekends or during major events. Essentials and daily goods are also more expensive compared to the mainland. As a result, demand often exceeds supply. In addition, the island still lacks access to the national power grid and relies on diesel electricity — one of the costliest in the country. Many people believe Côn Đảo is a high-end destination due to its higher costs compared to other domestic tours.
Preservation and promotion of heritage values need timely attention to meet the broader development needs of society.
Recommendations for Effectively Leveraging Heritage Sites in Côn Đảo Tourism Development
1. Diversify museum and heritage activities
Strengthen traveling exhibitions under the theme “Bringing museums and heritage closer to the public.”
Tour guides must be equipped with proper knowledge, soft skills, and foreign language abilities to welcome visitors with professionalism, intelligence, and hospitality — creating trust and positive impressions.
2. Attract and retain high-quality professional staff
Provide appropriate incentives for highly skilled workers (especially those with foreign language proficiency) so they feel secure, committed, and willing to work long-term in Côn Đảo. This ensures a professional workforce that meets increasing social demands.
3. Promote socialization in heritage preservation
Heritage conservation should be considered a shared responsibility among authorities, sectors, communities, and citizens — following the principle of “the State and the people work together.”
4. Implement national preservation planning
Actively carry out Decision No. 2163/QĐ-TTg (December 2, 2015) approving the adjusted Master Plan for the conservation, restoration, and promotion of the Côn Đảo Special National Relic Site.
Ensure sustainable and effective preservation of the entire heritage system.
5. Integrate heritage management with tourism development
Develop a unified management system that links cultural-historical preservation with tourism services to offer visitors a complete, seamless tour experience.
Enhance multilingual online resources for attractions, tours, guides, publications, memoirs, brochures, and related media.
6. Promote investment in unique tourism products
Encourage investment in distinctive and place-based tourism products; develop high-end resort tourism, cultural–historical tourism, spiritual tourism, and environmentally conscious tourism aligned with local strengths.
Investment projects should offer clear incentives, streamlined procedures, and attractive policies to draw diverse visitor segments to Côn Đảo.
