Beyond its sacred historical sites and legendary tales, Côn Đảo is also home to heartbreaking love stories passed down through generations. Some are believed to be true, others are folklore—but all of them add a layer of romance, mystery, and humanity to this island steeped in memory.
The Peak of Love – A Kiss Carved by Nature
During our days on the island, Nguyễn Hoài Trung, a second-generation islander, guided us to Love Peak, a rock formation that, from a distance, resembles two lovers locked in an eternal kiss—the man’s right arm wrapped tightly around the woman. According to local stories dating back to the French colonial era, the formation symbolizes an unbreakable, passionate bond. Today, couples often come here to pray for everlasting love.
Around Love Peak lie beautiful beaches like Bãi Nhát, with its clear waters and smooth stones, and the bustling Bến Đầm Port, forming a natural turquoise arc when viewed from above.
Cau and Trầu – A Love Story Turned Into Landmarks
In contrast to the dreamy Love Peak, the tale behind Hòn Cau and Đầm Trầu Beach is filled with sorrow. Legend tells of Trúc Văn Cau, a handsome young man, and Mai Thị Trầu, a graceful and intelligent maiden. Their affection blossomed through poetic flirtation:
“Does fresh betel pair well with golden areca?”
“Like yellow blossoms with bamboo green, so does my destiny match with yours.”
But tragedy struck when Cau’s father revealed that Trầu was his daughter from an old affair—making the two lovers half-siblings. Overwhelmed by grief and shame, Cau fled, drifting on a small raft until he died alone on a distant islet—where a grove of areca palms later grew, giving the place its name: Hòn Cau.
Trầu, heartbroken, waited every day at the cliffs where they once met, before finally taking her own life in the sea. The place where she drowned became Đầm Trầu, forever marking their ill-fated love in the island’s geography.
Lady Phi Yến – A Tale of Loyalty and Tragic Virtue
No visit to Côn Đảo is complete without a stop at An Sơn Shrine, dedicated to Lady Phi Yến (Lê Thị Răm), one of the most tragic and respected figures linked to Nguyễn Ánh.
During his refuge on the island, Nguyễn Ánh planned to send his young son, Prince Cải, to France as a political hostage. Lady Phi Yến pleaded with him not to “invite foreign snakes into the home,” a warning he took as betrayal. She was sentenced to death, later spared, but imprisoned in a cave on Côn Lôn Islet.
As Nguyễn Ánh prepared to flee the island from Tây Sơn forces, Prince Cải cried desperately for his mother. Enraged, the king threw the four-year-old overboard. The boy’s body washed ashore—today commemorated at Thiếu Gia Shrine near Đầm Trầu Beach.
Islanders later rescued Lady Phi Yến from the cave, but when she learned of her son’s death, her sorrow was immeasurable. One night during a village ceremony, a local official attempted to assault her. To protect her chastity and loyalty, she severed her own arm and ended her life. The people, moved by her virtue and suffering, built a shrine in her honor.
Above the entrance still stands a couplet praising her character:
“Loyalty shines through the ages—
Chastity preserved through sacrifice.”
