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Con Dao Museum - Con Dao Island

By Mark Bowyer | 21 Jan 2012

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Museum, Con Son Island
Photo:
Museum, Con Son Island
Photo:
Museum, Con Son Island
Photo:
Museum, Con Son Island
Photo:
Jetty 914 that claimed 914 lives.
Photo: Mark Bowyer

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Con Dao Museum - Con Dao Island

Ton Duc Thang St, Con Son Island

0700 - 1130 13.30 - 1700

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Our rating

By Mark Bowyer 21 Jan 2012

The former colonial era Governor's Residence in the middle of town is now the museum that documents the sorry history of the French and US backed regimes' political prison.

Note: The information provided in this review was correct at time of publishing but may change. For final clarification please check with the relevant service

Like most Vietnamese museums, Con Dao's is neither slick nor particularly enlightening - especially for English speakers. It does however provide some important background to the island's barbaric past.

Especially striking is the list of prison alumni who went on to lead Vietnam's communists in war, first against France and then the US backed South Vietnamese regime. They include Le Duan, perhaps the second most influential figure in 20th century Vietnamese politics, Pham Van Dong, prime minister of North Vietnam and then united Vietnam for more than 30 years, Le Duc Tho, Kissinger's wily adversary in the Paris peace negotiations and many others.

There is also a small exhibit on the island's pre colonial history and its natural history.

Opposite the museum is pier 914. The name is derived from the number of prisoners said to have perished during its construction.

Travel tips
Arrangements for visiting the prison complex are made from the museum.

Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass. read more
Twitter: @rustycompass

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