Adjustments to Con Dao relic site preservation planning approved

The renovation will be made on an area of 110.69 hectares.

Under the plan, there will be no new construction in the functional and preservation zones. Along with restoration and repairs made to deteriorating works, suitable signposts and instruction boards will be erected, keeping the site’s original aesthetic intact.

Some other architectures will be restored if they hold special historical values.

The master plan will be implemented between 2016 and 2030 in three phases: 2016-2020, 2021- 2025 and 2026-2030. It aims to honour revolutionary soldiers who laid down their lives for the national independence and freedom while creating diversified tourism products, and helping enhance local socio-economic development.

The Con Dao Islands were recently featured in Clarin – Argentina’s newspaper – as a compelling destination in Vietnam, despite their dark days in the past.

During past wars, eight prisons were built across 52km of Con Son Island – the biggest of the archipelago. Con Dao prisons witnessed Vietnamese revolutionaries with staunch spirit endure the brutal torture of French colonialists, and later American imperialists, from 1930 to 1975. It was estimated that one prisoner died every day. Vietnam’s outstanding leaders, including late President Ton Duc Thang, late Party General Secretaries Le Duan and Nguyen Van Linh were held there.

The once horrific place is now peaceful and welcomes some 50,000 tourists every year.