The Ministry of Planning and Investment has approved a socio-economic development planning scheme for offshore Con Dao district of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province until 2020, with vision to 2030.

Con Dao’s beach

Under the scheme, tourism will be the district’s key economic sector.

Accordingly, Con Dao will be developed into an attractive tourist destination that can attract some 64,000 turns of tourists annually by 2015 and 150,000 by 2020.

The district’s population is expected to reach around 30,000 within the next 20 years.

Situated at about 185km (115 miles) from Vung Tau and 230 km (143 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City, the group includes 16 mountainous islands and islets. The total land area reaches 75.15 square kilometres and the current local population is about 6,000.

The largest island is Con Son Island (also known as Con Lon Island), famous for its prison built by the French colonialists.