Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Mar–Jun · Mild current · 24–31°C (coldest Jan, warmest May)
- Current
- Mild
- Water temperature
- 24–31°C (coldest Jan, warmest May)
- Visibility
- 8–25m: Operators quote 20–30m on good days at Hon Cau; 8–15m is a more realistic working average, and it drops after wind or rain.
- Experience
- Most sites are shallow, sheltered and fine for Open Water divers and students.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | peak season |
| May | peak season |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | destination closed |
| November | destination closed |
| December | destination closed |
Con Dao is Vietnam's most important green turtle rookery: roughly 400-900 nesting females a year across 18 beaches covering about 24 hectares, with Bay Canh the main site.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | destination closed |
| November | destination closed |
| December | destination closed |
Anemonefish are on nearly every Con Dao reef dive and are one of the more dependable subjects here.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | destination closed |
| November | destination closed |
| December | destination closed |
The deeper zones at Hon Cau's Shark Fin site are specifically described as nudibranch-rich.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | destination closed |
| February | destination closed |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | destination closed |
| November | destination closed |
| December | destination closed |
Con Dao's reefs mix hard coral gardens with soft coral, and 2022–2023 benthic surveys recorded 41 coral genera here, the highest documented in Vietnam.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Hon Trac
One of the inshore islands south of Con Son.
5–18m · Mild current
Hon Bay Canh (Horseshoe)
Bay Canh is 10–15 minutes from Con Son.
5–25m · Mild current
Shark Fin (Hon Cau)
The main site at Hon Cau, 20–30 minutes from Con Son.
2–18m · Mild current
See all 6 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to VCS. Typical trip $.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: 1 domestic flight.
Airport options
VCS
Con Dao (Co Ong) Airport
ATR-72 turboprop from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), roughly 45–55 minutes, several flights daily; a limited service also runs from Can Tho (VCA). Runway and aircraft size limit capacity and weather cancellations happen.
SGN
Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City
Nearest international airport; connect to the VCS turboprop, or travel overland to Vung Tau or Tran De for the ferry
Typical trip cost
$
under $2,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Cheap by international standards.
- A week land-based with flights from Ho Chi Minh City, guesthouse and daily diving sits well under $2,000 per person excluding international flights, though Con Dao hotels are pricier than mainland Vietnam.
Permit or park fee
What you pay
Park entry ticket 60,000 VND per adult (20,000 VND students, 10,000 VND children), sold at park headquarters in Con Son or at ranger stations. Dive operators state their published prices already include VAT and marine park fees.
How it works
Con Dao is a national park. Diving and snorkelling must go through a licensed operator, and the park designates strictly protected zones: including seagrass beds and turtle-nesting beaches: where entry is restricted or requires ranger permission. Boat trips to outlying islands are logged with the park. Overnight turtle-watching on Bay Canh is a separate ranger-run permit arranged through the park, not a dive activity.