HISTORY OF CÔN ĐẢO
Historically, Côn Đảo is located in a convenient position on the famous maritime route connecting the Eurasian continent, which is why it was known and attracted attention from the West very early on during their sea voyages. Côn Đảo is also known by different names, such as Côn Sơn, Côn Lôn, or Côn Nôn… The Europeans transcribed it as “Poulo Condor,” which appeared frequently in English and French documents… In Vietnamese history, it was called “Đảo Côn Lôn.”
From the perspective of French colonists, Côn Đảo was the ideal place that could best meet the requirements for a prison. Surrounded by the vast ocean, isolated from the mainland by nearly a hundred nautical miles, without any means of escape, prisoners could not flee, and revolutionaries would be completely cut off from their families and society. Unlike mainland prisons, in Côn Đảo, the French colonists could carry out the most brutal suppression methods, while also easily using prisoners to exploit the abundant natural resources of the archipelago. Therefore, on February 1, 1862, French Naval Admiral – General Bonard signed a decision to establish the Côn Đảo prison to detain Vietnamese political prisoners, turning it into a hell on Earth with the infamous tiger cages.
After the country was reunified and peaceful in 1977, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam decided to officially name it “Côn Đảo,” which is now a district of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province.
Côn Đảo covers an area of 76 km² and is an archipelago consisting of 16 different large and small islands. Currently, Côn Đảo is a district with a one-tier government, and its administrative center is Côn Đảo Town, located between Cỏ Ống Airport and Bến Đầm Port, with a population of just over 8,500 people.
CÔN ĐẢO TODAY:
Today, Côn Đảo has become an ideal tourist destination for those who want to explore the pristine natural beauty and learn about the country’s history. Here, you can wander the streets with colonial architecture to get a deeper sense of the past and the glorious history of the nation, or dive into the sea to explore the surrounding islands and the vast ocean world with its colorful coral reefs and unique marine ecosystems. You can also explore the primary forests with their rich flora and fauna of Côn Đảo. Indeed, if you’re not careful, tourists could easily get lost in this place, which has been dubbed “the most beautiful and enchanting island on Earth.”
