The most beautiful small island next to Ho Chi Minh City

Coming to Ho Chi Minh City was mainly for taking a flight to Côn Island, which is a short 45-minute journey and only two daily flights. It's known that during the colonial period under French and American rule, this island served as a prison for Vietnamese revolutionaries, so there are still many remnants of old prisons on the island. There were no specific plans for the trip to Côn Island; it was primarily for relaxation at the hotel. On the first day, after checking in, we spent time swimming and having a spa at the hotel. In the evening, we ordered grilled chicken breast and braised pork, which were incredibly delicious, especially the fragrant pork. Since the island is dedicated to protecting sea turtle nesting, the lighting is kept quite dim in the evening. The general manager immediately brought numerous candleholders, fearing we wouldn't see well, and even thoughtfully provided mosquito repellent. On the second day, the hotel arranged a small island tour for us. We traveled in a business vehicle with a guide who took us to visit the local market, which was quite small. However, the prices were relatively high due to the island's small size, and most vegetables and fruits had to be shipped in from other places. Even though Côn Island is small, it has schools, hospitals, convenience stores, and coffee shops. We even saw a fashionable clothing store on the main street where you could buy swimsuits. During the island tour, we visited five places: two temples, the spectacular Shark Bay, the island's pier, and finally, a local coffee shop. Our guide and driver even played unfamiliar guitar tunes at the coffee shop and sang us local songs. I recognized a song that I had heard on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, and even though it was just a short recording, he sang it for me, which was incredibly touching. On the way back, we also encountered a group of monkeys, which was quite interesting. I highly recommend the small island tour. On the third day, we experienced various water activities, including surfing, kayaking, and diving, and wrapped up the day with an open-air movie under the night sky. If it weren't for time constraints, one could easily spend much longer on the island. On the fourth day, it was time to fly back to Ho Chi Minh City. #hochiminhguide