CON DAO ISLAND - PRISON TO PARADISE
Con Dao Island is around 200kms from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The prison established by the French on the island was the most brutal in colonial era Indochina.
Many of its alumni went on to become the most celebrated of Vietnam's communist leaders. Much of the prison still stands as a chilling reminder of those days.
Con Dao is also home to stunning beaches and a quaint small colonial era town.
An increasing number of travellers are discovering its beauty and its stories.
Con Dao Islands travel: VIETNAM'S MUST VISIT DESTINATION
If you want to experience the best beaches and absolute stunning island scenery in Vietnam, then I highly recommend visiting Con Dao. Traveling there is easy because there are many direct flights from Saigon everyday to Con Dao. You can also take a 12 hour boat ride, but who has time for that? A great thing to do is rent a motorbike and ride around the island for fun. This was what I did along with Lan from
We stopped by Dam Trau beach for some of the best crabs I've ever eaten in my entire life. The seafood on Con Dao really was cheap and tasty. Then we rode around some more and appreciated the stunning beaches and blue waters. When the sunset arrived we hit the pier and had a beach tarp seafood picnic with this juicy grilled fish, squid, and some giant conch. Overall, it was one of the best island days I've ever had.
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VIETNAM: SENATOR TOM HARKIN REVISITS CON SON ISLAND PRISON
English/Nat
An American Senator has made an emotional pilgrimage to a controversial South Vietnamese prison he exposed to the world 25 years ago.
Senator Tom Harkin was instrumental in having the prison shut down and this week he was reunited with the former prisoners who suffered in what became known as the Tiger Cages.
When Tom Harkin first came to Vietnam he was working for an American Congressman.
This time he returned as a U-S Senator - and as a hero to a group of former inmates of the notorious Tiger Cages.
The inmates were originally jailed by the South Vietnamese government for being either communist sympathisers or subversives.
This 77-year-old woman was arrested in the early 1970s for, as she says, being a communist.
She spent two years in the tiger cages and was blinded there when prison guards poured powdered lime into her cell to quieten down the inmates.
After this emotional reunion, Senator Harkin flew to the site of the former prison on Con Son Island, off South Vietnam.
Surrounded by colleagues and accompanied by some of the former prisoners, the senator once again looked into the cells which he fought to have closed.
Harkin heard about the prisons through a network of contacts which included what the South Vietnamese called subversives during the Indo-China war.
The Vietnamese who alerted Harkin to the prison willingly re-enacted the cramped conditions in the tiny cells.
Harkin pushed to have the prison closed because of what he saw as the inhumane treatment of the inmates.
Senator Harkin was close to breaking down several times on the visit and the memories of the cruel treatment he helped to end still appears to haunt him.
SOUNDBITE:
Its just terrible when you think of it. How cruel some people can be to their fellow human beings, to treat them like this, like animals. And for no cause other than that they wanted to end the war, and a change in government policies.
SUPER CAPTION: Tom Harkin, US Senator
This woman was arrested when she was 18 years old and spent two years in the cells for taking part in a peace march in what was then Saigon.
She says it felt like being sent to hell when she was jailed on Con Son.
Although she was effectively rescued by an American, she maintains a tough attitude to the U-S presence in her country during the Indo-China war.
SOUNDBITE:
The Americans who come back to Vietnam, my people will welcome them. But if they come back to my country like aggressors in the old times, we must again struggle.
SUPER CAPTION: Trieu Thi Tao, Former Prisoner
The island prison is now just a museum - a memorial to cruelty that went before.
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French Prison on Con Dao Island, Vietnam/Nhà Giam Pháp ở Côn Đảo, Việt Nam
Beautiful Con Dao was once the site of a horrible prison. The prison has been preserved and mannequins have been placed to illustrate the life of the political prisoners. The song is Diego by France Gall.
Derrière des barreaux/behind bars/trong nhà giam
Pour quelques mots/for a few words/vì lẽ nào đó
Qu'il pensait si fort/that he felt so strongly/người tù cảm thấy thật mạnh mẽ
Dehors/outside/bên ngoài
Dehors il fait chaud/outside it is hot/trời nóng bức
Des milliers d'oiseaux/thousands of birds/hàng ngàn con chim
S'envolent sans effort/fly up without effort/không cần chút nỗ lực để bay lên
Quel est ce pays/what country is this/Đất nước gì thế này
Où frappe la nuit/where night falls/mà đêm đêm
La loi du plus fort/the law of the strongest/luật ở trong tay của kẻ mạnh nhất
Diego libre dans sa tête/Diego free in his mind/Diego tự do trong tâm hồn của chàng
Derrière sa fenêtre/behind his window/phía sau song cửa
S'endort peut-être/maybe goes to sleep/có lẽ chàng đã ngủ
Et moi/and I/và tôi
Qui danse ma vie/who dance my life/tự do tự tại
Qui chante et qui rie/who sing and laugh/hát và cười
Je pense à lui/I think of him/tôi nghĩ đến anh
Diego libre dans sa tête/Diego free in his mind/Diego, tự do trong tâm hồn
Derrière sa fenêtre/behind his window/sau song cửa
Déjà mort peut-être/already dead maybe/có lẽ anh đã chết
Exploring Picturesque Vietnamese Island Con Dao
I am living and working in Vietnam, Saigon for three months. While I work during the week I take the chance to travel around Vietnam and neighbouring countries almost every weekend. Those daytrips are not only a lot of fun, but also quite interesting. So I figured I would make a not so short video covering each trip.
Please let me know what you like and what to improve.
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Con Dao Island - Vietnam | Travel - 4K
My trip to Con Dao Island, an island in the south of Vietnam
Hope you guys enjoy it xD
Music: TheFatRat - Fly Away feat. Anjulie
Gear: Sony A7ii, Gopro Hero 5, DJI Mavic Pro
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Côn Sơn Island, Vietnam – Tortured Serenity in Vietnam's Côn Đảo Archipelago
Côn Sơn Island (Côn Đảo Archipelago), Vietnam – On the surface, this untrampled Vietnamese island is the sort of place travelers dream of finding. But its former political prisons reveal a history of torture.
By Dave Fox and Jeff Nesmith
...The prisons were chilling. I had heard that they were here. I knew they were here. But until you see them, you really can't fathom the horrors that people went through....
You can read about places where humanity disintegrated, where politics and hatred grew so unthinkably cruel that systematic, government-sanctioned torture occurred on a mass scale. But until you step inside a former torture chamber, and sense the presence of the ghosts for yourself, you cannot fully understand the energy such a place evokes.
Côn Sơn Island, an island in Vietnam's Côn Đảo Archipelago, is a place I had been wanting to visit for a while. I had read that its untrampled beaches were a traveler's paradise – but also that its former prisons were nothing short of hell.
I traveled last month to Côn Sơn Island (also known as Côn Đảo Island) with Saigon-based videographer Jeff Nesmith. We didn't understand the full scope of the story we were seeking until we arrived.
On our last day on Côn Sơn, Jeff and I walked to the end of a short pier known as Pier 914, so named because 914 political prisoners died there, worked to death while constructing it. Jeff did a short interview with me about our time there. He has produced this short video about what we experienced.
This video does not tell the whole story of Côn Đảo. We hope to return later this year to dig deeper into this serene place in the South China Sea (or the East Sea, as Vietnam calls it), which on one level reeks of humanity at its worst, but which also shows how society can bounce back from its horrors and once again find beauty.
VIETNAM: 12-THOUSAND PRISONERS RELEASED
Vietnamese/Nat
More than 12-thousand Vietnamese prisoners were released nationwide on Sunday as part of a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the country's reunification.
Ex-murderers, ex-drug traffickers, ex-thieves, were all being release as long as they served over a third of their sentence.
It was a victory against all odds, and the Vietnamese government wants to share its joy with everyone - even those it has condemned.
At Thu Duc Prison in Binh Thuan province, 130 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, four hundred and twelve inmates were released.
They were but a fraction of the thousands across the country who rediscovered their freedom to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the reunification of Vietnam.
SOUNDBITE: (Vietnamese)
I feel very happy this morning just like I have been reborn. I never thought I could rejoin society because I was serving a life sentence. I couldn't imagine that one day I would go home, but now it is happening.
SUPER CAPTION: Lam Tuyen, released prisoner
Lam Tuyen is not the only one who is surprised.
The mood had the festive feel of a college graduation ceremony, as murderers and drug dealers, among others, who had served at least a third of their sentences, were released.
Many were elated as they anticipated reunions with spouses and relatives just outside the front gate.
But there were also sad stories from inmates such as Vu, who knew no one would be greeting them.
She'd served 17 years for throwing acid on her husband.
SOUNDBITE: (Vietnamese)
I am very happy and moved because I am enjoying this special amnesty on the day the country celebrates the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the South.
SUPER CAPTION: Vu Thi Hong Van, released prisoner
This day was to mark a new era for Vietnam, which is now aiming for a higher economic growth rate, the elimination of corruption and less restrictive policies as expressed by Ho Chi Minh City mayor Vo Viet Thanh.
SOUNDBITE: (Vietnamese)
This represents the policy of the Party and the State of Vietnam to give an amnesty to people who show remorse for their crimes and who want to make amends.
SUPER CAPTION: Prison Director Hothanh Dinh
As prisoners wish to make amends, so too do Vietnam and the United States - once bitter enemies, now trying to put the past behind them, a quarter of a century on.
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Con Dao Jail Saigon Vietnam
Tiger cages in con dao jail saigon vietnam
Phu Quoc Prison – Torture in Paradise
Coconut prison is a former prison, now museum, on the island of Phú Quốc, Southern Vietnam. The prison was apparently built in the late sixties by U.S. Army Engineers to detain captured Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers.
I've heard conflicting stories regarding this prison. Many say that the models depicting horrific and bizarre torture methods are communist propaganda – others say this actually happened.
I'm nowhere near knowledgeable enough to say who's argument is right – Im just your everyday bloke having a look around and commenting on what I see.
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What TO DO in CON DAO ISLANDS, Vietnam (2020)
Introducing what to do on your vacation in Con Dao Islands, Vietnam, 2020.
Right now I have been discovering the Myths and Legends about this amazing nature paradise for 1,5 months and really like about its silent beaches, green jungle, mountains, fresh air, monkeys, silence and warmly locals.
This destination is a perfect holiday spot for Honey Moon, families, couples, photographers, filmmakers, backpackers and explorers after spending some time in noisy and hectic Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
On this video, you can see my local friend Giang exploring the island with different activities. When filming it was a cloudy day, but normally it’s sunny every day even now in December it’s still windy season.
Giang is really passionate about mindfulness, meditation and photography. She opened few days ago Instagram account about her lifestyle. You can see her adventures by following @giang_jii
Best time to visit
Locals are saying that the best time to come here is on the beginning of February because then weather will be totally different; all the time sunny and visibility is cleaner on the ocean.
Scuba Diving and snorkelling
You can find here also one PADI Scuba Diving Center and one day trip with 2 dives is about 120 USD. I have also PADI Advanced Open Water Diver license and I'm going to scuba dive when the weather comes better.
For luxury
Con Dao Islands are also well known because of Sixth Sense 5-star resort where you can book own luxury villa with 500 USD / night. Sixth Sense has been nominated as a world best resort already 3 times and Sixth Sense Con Dao become famous after Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie come here on holiday.
Where to stay
You can choose from many different options; dorms for backpackers, hotels for couples and amazing resorts for luxury hunters.
The easiest way to book
I use a lot of Airbnb because I will get better room/studio what is cheaper and more than just a cold hotel room. There is also some cool options in Con Dao via Airbnb...
You will get 29€ discount about your accommodation and 12€ of free money to use to Airbnb Experience or Adventure. Total value 41€ for free by using my Airbnb referral link:
Some price examples right now:
Basic hotel room: from 300 000 to 500 000 VND
Lunch or dinner in a local restaurant: from 15 000 to 70 000 VND
Western-style pizza in most expensive place: 200 000 VND
Local style sandwich: 15 000 - 20 000 VND
Local beer: 15 000 VND
Rent a motorbike: 100 000 VND/day, 1 - 1,5 milj./month
How to get Con Dao Islands
Option 1: by plane just 1-hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Price about 1 600 000 VND (Vietnamese dong)
Option 2:
- Take first a VIP bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau (1,5 hours). Price 160 000 VND
- Take a Con Dao Express Speed Boat from Vung Tau directly to Con Dao (4 hours). Price 660 000 VND
Option 3: if you want to go extreme, take an overnight ferry from Vung Tau to Con Dao. It leaves early on the morning and you can experience the local lifestyle and amazing sunrise while travelling on the ocean. Price 300 000 VND
Tragic history
At same time Con Dao is a natural paradise, but we can not forget its tragic history as a Prison Island where so many Vietnamese people lost their lives. Many prisons are now museums and you can visit to see horrible “Tiger cages” where prisoners had to fight every second about staying a life.
Finn Goes Nomad Travel Vlog Episode_001 is coming soon...
Day by day I like more about sharing travel tips and editing travel videos, so I’m going to update soon more experiences and right now setting up a Travel Vlog on this same YouTube Channel.
To make sure you see new travel stories, hit the Subscribe button.
Filming and editing
Everything on this video was filmed with GoPro Hero 4 and edited with GoPro Quick app using IPad. Next step is to invest some gear and buy a digital camera and microphone for Travel Vlogging.
Filmed by @giang_jii
Edited by @finnskill.tv
Have you been on Con Dao Islands or planning trip here?
Ask me anything in comments, I can help to give information about hotels, renting a motorbike, food, prices etc.
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CON DAO ISLAND - THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF VIETNAM | TRAVEL GUIDES 2018
- Click Subscribe and come travel with us!
- Isolated from the mainland, the Con Dao islands are one of Vietnam's star attractions. Long the preserve of political prisoners and undesirables, they now turn heads thanks to their striking natural beauty.
- Con Son, the largest of this chain of 15 islands and islets, is ringed with lovely beaches, coral reefs and scenic bays, and remains partially covered in tropical forests. In addition to hiking, diving and exploring deserted coastal roads there are excellent wildlife-watching opportunities, such as the black giant squirrel and endemic bow-fingered gecko.
- Although it seems an island paradise, Con Son was once hell on earth for the thousands of prisoners who languished in a dozen jails during French rule and the American-backed regime. Many Vietnamese visitors are former soldiers who were imprisoned on the island.
- Until recently, few foreigners visited Con Dao, but with the commencement of low-cost boat connections this looks sure to change.
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Coconut Tree Prison Museum Phu Quoc Island
Coconut Tree Prison Museum on Phu Quoc Island Vietnam. Work on the prison museum is progressing, albeit at a slow pace as you will see....
Vietnam Travel: Island Life at Night: CON DAO TODAY
The night life in Vietnam can be entertaining for many in the major cities of Saigon, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Ha Noi. However, on Vietnam's best islands, night life can be quite different. In fact, most people on Con Dao probably go to bed before 8 PM, but some on full moon nights scatter the beach in search of free seafood. The seafood sure is plentiful here. I met a few interesting locals to say the least during my brief visit on the beach. I had to leave because I cut my foot on a sharp clam.
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The Delicious Cook in Con Dao, Vietnam (Part 2)
The Delicious Cook with Ronnie Woo takes you on his trip to SE Asia, ending on Con Dao Island, Vietnam, where he samples authentic Vietnamese cuisine, indulges on local delicacies, and learns some new recipes from Vietnamese chefs.
See more at !
The Cruelities Of WAR VIETNAM
Tiger Cages, Chemical Bombs, Destroyed Lives And Property.
SOUTH VIETNAMESE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP AT PHU QUOC ISLAND HOUSES 23,000 PRISONERS - COLOUR - SOUND
Ext. Zoom of the camp. POW unloading rice from truck. PW taking rice into compound. PW walking into mess hall. PW eating meal. Ext. of dispensary Doctors and American Advisor checking patient. PW marching to carpentry shop. PW playing soccer. Families arrive at camp for visit. PW visiting with members of families.
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Phu Quoc Prison
Why go to a beautiful beach, we you can visit a prison instead? That's what we did on Vietnam's famed tropical resort island.
Coconut Prison / Historical museum Phu Quoc
Кокосовая тюрьма на Фукуоке. Это видео, фотки тоже есть. На сайте.