Photo Exhibition: Con Dao, the Enchanted Island

 Almost two years ago, I made a trip to Con Dao, and island archipelago off the southeastern coast of Vietnam, about 185 km from Vung Tau (and about 230km away from Ho Chi Minh City). I knew that Con Dao had taken away a piece of my heart when I had visited it, and now, upon looking back at the photos, I feel captivated all over again, shaking my head in awe as I sift through the photos.

Con Dao has been named one of the world's nine most mysterious islands* by Lonely Planet's travel magazine, and a look at its history as well as its ecology reveals why. During the French colonial times, Con Dao was used as a penal facility to house the thousands of political dissidents who opposed the French regime. Opened in 1861 by the French colonists, the prison is infamous for its "tiger cages", small prison cells that constrained large amounts of political prisoners and held them in inhumane conditions. After the French departed Vietnam in 1954, the prisons continued to be used by the South Vietnamese government. Some of the highest ranking Vietnamese leaders were detained here. The prison closed when Vietnam became reunified in 1975.

Given its dark history, it is no wonder that people consider Con Dao as an island paradise growing from a "hell on earth". These dark beginnings aside, the island boasts beautiful pristine beaches, luscious jungles, and incredible biodiversity. The archipelago consists of 16 islands altogether, with Con Son as its largest island with an area of 51.52 km² (the second largest island is only 5.45 km²). The local population is roughly 5000 inhabitants, and tourism is modest but expanding with a lot of potential. In fact, in November 2011, the Brangelina clan stayed at the luxurious Six Senses Resort on this island during a trip meant to bring Pax closer to his Vietnamese heritage.

Con Dao is truly a mysterious island, full of natural beauty and cultural charm. There is a certain peace instilled in the atmosphere. The inhabitants are very laidback and life seems to move at a slow, happy pace. Surrounded by lush mountains basked in mist, untouched beaches and wilderness tucked away in secret locations, and with the haunting eminence of the colonial-era prisons still tinted in the air, Con Dao is truly an enchantment.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

*The eight other mysterious islands are: Torres Strait (Australia), Yaeyama (Japan), Iles du Salut (Guiana, French), Ulleungdo (South Korea), San Blas (Panama), Penghu (Taiwan), Bay and Hog islands (Honduras) and Ssese (Uganda).