Con Dao Islands 2026: Ferry and Flight Options, Historical Sites, Entry Fees and Daily Costs

The fastest way into Con Dao is a 50-minute VASCO flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao Airport (VCS). Round-trip fares shift by season and booking date, so treat any fixed number as unreliable and check the carrier’s official website for current prices. Seats on the small turboprop flights sell out well before Tet and other holidays, particularly for dry-season departures, so book early if your dates are firm. Book directly with VASCO or a trusted Vietnamese agency, and be ready to pay quickly when a fare appears.

The budget alternative is the Sao Mai Express ferry from Vung Tau, with a fare of 800,000 VND. The catch is schedule volatility: operating days and the crossing time change seasonally, and the sea route is much slower than flying. Confirm current sailing days and departure times directly with the operator before you book. The ferry does not run on the same days year-round, so do not plan around a fixed weekly schedule. In storm-prone months, crossings can be cancelled with little notice, so if you choose the boat, leave a buffer day before any onward flight or tour.

Con Dao Airport sits outside Con Son town, so landing is not the end of the journey. Arrange an airport pickup through your guesthouse or hotel in advance, or take a taxi from the arrivals area when you land. After the 50-minute flight, a pre-arranged transfer saves time at an airport with limited services. Once you are in Con Son town, most onward movement is by taxi or rented motorbike, but the first transfer from the airport is the one to confirm in advance.

If you arrive by ferry, reconfirm the return sailing with the operator the day before departure, and keep that buffer day in your plan. The flight remains the more reliable option for most travelers, but the ferry is workable if you are already in Vung Tau and can absorb a delay.

Con Dao’s most reliable window for boat trips and snorkeling runs from November to March, when daytime temperatures sit around 26–30°C and the sea is typically calm enough for day boats to reach sites like Bay Canh. This is the window to prioritize if you plan to dive or join a snorkeling tour, since rough water can shut down access to remote islands and the long ferry from Vung Tau becomes far less pleasant. The 50-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City remains the quickest way in, but even flights can be affected by stormy weather in the wet months.

October–November is less predictable. October and early November can still bring storms and ferry cancellations, so treat early November as a transition period rather than a guaranteed start to the dry season. If you plan to arrive by ferry, the fare is 800,000 VND, but that does not buy certainty—confirm the operating days and sea conditions before committing. A buffer day helps because cancellations happen with little notice.

July–September is a poor bet for sea-based activities, with rough seas making the ferry and boat trips less reliable. Many day boats to snorkeling spots simply do not leave. If you are set on visiting in these months, keep your itinerary flexible and reconfirm transport at least a day ahead, both for flights and for any sea route.

Turtle nesting runs from May to October at night on several beaches, and it is separate from the November–March snorkeling season. If you are on the island during nesting months, strict no-light rules apply after dark. Stay a few metres back, keep flashlights off, and never approach a nesting turtle. Disturbing a turtle can cause her to abandon the nest, so this is a firm conservation rule even if you are not there for snorkeling.

Con Dao National Park charges a flat 60,000 VND entry fee, paid at the park office rather than at individual trailheads. Bring Vietnamese dong for the ticket; card payment is unreliable at the office. The ticket covers park trails and general access, but if you plan to snorkel at Bay Canh or other offshore sites, don't assume it covers boat transport. The park office may add a separate boat fee, so ask for the total before you walk to a trailhead or a jetty.

At the historic sites, buy one combined ticket for 40,000 VND. This covers Phu Hai Prison, Phu Son Camp, and the rest of the national historic complex—not per prison. Hang Duong Cemetery is free and opens 7:00–17:00 daily, half an hour earlier than the prison complex, which runs 7:30–17:00. If you're staying in Con Son town, visit the cemetery first and you can still reach Phu Hai Prison by 7:30. The prison complex has steep stairs and sections without railings, so wear sturdy shoes and watch your footing.

Public beaches on Con Dao are free to enter, though some resort-owned stretches are roped off for guests. The public shoreline around Con Son town requires no ticket and is generally walk-up, but avoid cutting through private resort property to reach the sand. When a beach stop is combined with a boat trip to Bay Canh, the park's boat fee is on top of the 60,000 VND entry, so keep cash in dong for the park office, the 40,000 VND historic complex ticket, and any boat operator.

Dong Bank and Vietcombank have ATMs in Con Son town, but they regularly run out, especially on weekends and around holidays. Bring enough cash from the mainland before you fly or take the ferry; card payment is not reliable at the park office, prison ticket counters, or on the water. That way you can pay the 60,000 VND park fee, the 40,000 VND historic complex ticket, and any extra boat charge without scrambling for an ATM.

Most beaches on Con Son town’s public shoreline are free to enter in 2026; no ticket is required for the sand itself. The main exception is a few resort-owned stretches that are roped off for guests. To reach the public sand, walk around rather than through private resort property, and check access before setting out if you are unsure where the boundary lies. The free stretches are walk-up, so you do not need to book anything for a basic beach day.

Snorkeling boat tours to sites like Bay Canh run 600,000–1,000,000 VND per person, typically departing from Con Son’s main jetty and including mask, snorkel, and boat fuel. Bay Canh is a common stop, but before you book, ask whether the 60,000 VND Con Dao National Park entry fee covers the boat transfer to the snorkeling spot or if the park office charges an additional boat fee. Some operators bundle the national park fee into the tour price; others charge it separately on the water. Confirm the total before paying a deposit, because the difference can add up for two people.

The clearest, calmest water comes in the dry season, from November to March, when day boats can reliably reach the outer sites. July–September is the rough stretch: strong wind and swell often cancel or delay island trips, so plan snorkeling for the dry months if you can. If you are staying in Con Son town, most boat operators can confirm sea conditions the evening before departure, which helps you avoid a wasted early trip to the jetty.

In the water, follow Con Dao’s conservation rules strictly: do not touch or stand on coral, and do not use flashlights or approach turtles closely during the May–October nesting season. Loud noise, bright lights, or a close approach can cause a nesting turtle to abandon her eggs. The same caution applies to coral, which is damaged by even a light brush. Many snorkeling guides brief passengers on these rules before the boat leaves.

A bowl of bún riêu, a plate of grilled squid, and standard Vietnamese staples like pho, cơm tấm, and bánh mì all sit in the same 50,000–120,000 VND range at Con Son town eateries. That predictable band covers most meals on the island, from breakfast noodle soup to an evening seafood plate. Menus are often handwritten in Vietnamese only; point to the fish on ice and ask for nướng (grilled) or hấp (steamed). Kitchens in many small family-run restaurants open for breakfast and run through mid-evening; after dark, walk toward the market area, where several places keep serving until the last customers leave.

Portions are generous, and two people can eat well without exceeding the 50,000–120,000 VND per dish range. Look for whatever the morning boats brought in—snapper, squid, clams, and shrimp—often displayed on ice at the front of the restaurant. A seafood hotpot for two usually sits at the top of that range, but a simple bún riêu or grilled squid plate will rarely cost more than 120,000 VND. There is little point searching for a cheaper option: prices are almost identical from one small local restaurant to the next.

Many guesthouses in Con Son include breakfast in the room rate, sometimes without stating it clearly on booking platforms. Before you pay for an extra morning meal at a café, confirm whether your host already sets out eggs, bread, or noodles. If breakfast is not included, a bowl of pho or a bánh mì at a street stall still costs within 50,000–120,000 VND, so it will not derail your daily budget.

Cash is the default at Con Son's small restaurants. Dong Bank and Vietcombank have ATMs in Con Son town, but they often run out, especially on weekends and around holidays. Bring enough Vietnamese dong from the mainland to cover several meals before you fly or take the ferry, and do not count on paying by card at a family-run bún or pho stall. Mid-range hotels and a few larger restaurants may accept cards; for market snacks and seafood dinners, paper money remains the rule.

Budget guesthouse rooms on Con Son island run 400,000–800,000 VND per night in 2026. A simple fan room near the market sits at the lower end, while a room with private bathroom on a quieter street lands closer to 800,000 VND. Mid-range hotels with pools or sea views cost 1,200,000–2,500,000 VND per night, and some include airport pickup. If you want to keep lodging below 800,000 VND, book a fan room early in the dry season; the cheaper guesthouses fill first around Tet.

Daily spending starts with food: a local meal at a com or pho stall or a small seafood restaurant is 50,000–120,000 VND. Scooter rental costs 150,000–250,000 VND per day, and you will need one because fuel stations are scarce outside Con Son town; fill the tank before leaving town. A boat tour to snorkeling spots like Bay Canh runs 600,000–1,000,000 VND per person, which is the single largest variable in most island budgets. If you plan two boat days and a scooter for a week, your transport cost may exceed your room cost.

Cash keeps the numbers predictable. The national park entry fee is 60,000 VND and the historic complex ticket is 40,000 VND, and small restaurants and guesthouses rarely accept cards. Dong Bank and Vietcombank have ATMs in Con Son town, but they often run out, especially on weekends and around holidays. Bring enough VND from the mainland to cover meals, scooter rental, boat tours, and entry fees before you fly or take the ferry. For a solo traveler in a simple guesthouse, a realistic daily budget with one boat tour sits around 1,500,000–2,500,000 VND, but that number drops sharply on days without a boat.

Dong Bank and Vietcombank both have ATMs in Con Son town, but they frequently run out on weekends and around holidays, so bring enough Vietnamese dong from the mainland before you fly the 50-minute route from Ho Chi Minh City or take the 800,000 VND ferry from Vung Tau. Cash is non-negotiable for the 60,000 VND Con Dao National Park entry fee, the 40,000 VND historic complex ticket, boat fees, and most local meals, which run 50,000–120,000 VND per dish. Mid-range hotels may accept cards, but family-run restaurants and the park office do not, so carry small notes for tickets and street food.

If you choose the ferry, keep a buffer day: cancellations are common in October–November and whenever rough seas set in, so do not schedule a flight or tour for the same evening you are due to arrive by boat. During the wet months, confirm flight and ferry schedules at least a day ahead, and check again on the morning of travel. The same applies to boat tours: operators in Con Son town can confirm sea conditions the evening before, but a flexible day after a ferry arrival costs far less than missing a prepaid connection.

At the prison sites, the steep stairs have no railings, so wear sturdy shoes and keep your hands free; the combined ticket is 40,000 VND and the complex opens 7:30–17:00. If you rent a scooter, expect to pay 150,000–250,000 VND per day, and refuel in Con Son town before heading out because fuel stations are scarce on the rest of the island. The cemetery opens earlier, 7:00–17:00 daily, which makes it a practical first stop before the prison complex.