Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao Island by Fast Boat Now Available

Thang Long, Vietnam's largest new fast boat, completed its first voyage from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao Island. This modern vessel offers faster and more comfortable travel, enhancing connectivity and boosting tourism to the island.

Written by Minh VO (local expert)

Updated on Mar 18, 2025

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Con Dao is famous for its beautiful beaches and incredibly pristine island nature. It also has great historical significance for Vietnam. However, getting to Con Dao can be a bit tricky due to the limited number of flights each week, which has made tourism there quite limited. To make it easier, Vietnam is launching a fast boat service from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao, starting on March 28, 2025.

The Ho Chi Minh City - Con Dao Island Fast Boat Service

The Thang Long boat is considered the largest fast boat in Vietnam. Made from aluminum alloy, it measures 77 meters in length and over 9.5 meters in width, with 4 decks and a capacity of 1,017 passengers.

*Thang Long, the largest new fast boat in Vietnam*

The boat has three main decks, with a VIP cabin on the first floor and economy class cabins on the second and third floors. The fourth floor is a coffee service area. Thang Long is equipped with some of the most modern engines in the world, with a total power of nearly 12,000 horsepower, allowing it to reach a speed of over 57.6 km/h. Once in service, the travel time to Con Dao is approximately 4.5 hours from Ho Chi Minh City and 3.5 hours from Vung Tau.

*Passengers can enjoy the view on all decks of the boat without any obstructions*

The boat is designed with the longest possible inverted bow to ensure smooth navigation in maritime areas with headwinds, such as Vung Tau - Con Dao. Additionally, it is equipped with an audio and video system that meets the national technical standards for classification and construction of fast ships, in line with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards.

*The VIP cabin seats are leather-covered, offering a very comfortable and luxurious experience*

The Thang Long boat on the Ho Chi Minh City - Con Dao route made its first departure at 7:00 AM on May 15, 2024, from Hiep Phuoc Port (22 km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City). Passengers can take a transfer boat from Bach Dang Wharf to Hiep Phuoc Port, with a transfer time of about 52 minutes. The travel time from Hiep Phuoc Port to Con Dao is approximately 4.5 hours.

*The coffee area on the fourth deck of the boat*

The launch of the Ho Chi Minh City - Con Dao boat route helps reduce high transportation costs. Passengers traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao no longer need to travel hundreds of kilometers to Vung Tau port.

"The price of the boat ticket is almost half the cost of a flight. Traveling by boat to enjoy the sea is an experience worth having," said a local tourist.

*The previous fast boat to Con Dao was much smaller in size and slower*

Ticket prices range from 615,000 to 1.1 million VND per trip, depending on the class of the ticket. According to a survey, the round-trip airfare from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao in May is at least 3.5 million VND. The new boat route provides an economical option amidst rising airfare prices and limited flight availability. Currently, all planes to Con Dao are small, with high operating costs, which limits flight frequency and makes it difficult to reduce costs.

The massive size of the boat when it is docked at the port

About Con Dao Island

Con Dao is an archipelago located off the southern coast of Vietnam, also known by its Europeanized Malay name, Poulo Condor, which means "island of pumpkins." During the French colonial era, Con Dao was infamous as a hell on Earth due to the Poulo Condor prison, where the conditions of incarceration were unbearably cruel. Today, Con Dao is a renowned tourist destination, listed by Travel Leisure among the clearest waters in the world. With its pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush greenery, this archipelago of 16 islands off the coast of Vung Tau attracts nature lovers as well as history enthusiasts.

>>> All You Need to Know About Con Dao Travel: What to do here?

The best time to visit Con Dao is from March to September, as the sea is usually calm with few waves.

Stretching over 200 km of coastline, Con Dao is home to many wild, white sandy beaches, surrounded by turquoise waters.

The activity of releasing baby turtles into the sea is a fascinating and extremely meaningful experience for nature and animal lovers.

Con Dao National Park is listed in the Ramsar list – the most important wetland areas in the world.

Con Dao is known for its extremely fresh and unique seafood.

Although remote from the coast, Con Dao offers a variety of accommodations, ranging from luxury resorts to charming hotels and guesthouses with standard services.

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