Con Dao prison set for $10M renovation

By Truong Ha March 8, 2023 | 03:00 am PT

A detention area inside Phu Quoc Prison in southern Vietnam. Photo by Hanh Phan

Authorities in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau have approved a VND256-billion ($10 million) renovation of a historical prison on Con Dao Archipelago, once dubbed "Hell on Earth."

The work will include upgrades to Ma Thien Lanh Bridge, which was built by hundreds of prisoners during the French colonial period, Chua Dao Palace, Tiger Cage and other detention areas inside the prison.

The renovation work is scheduled to finish in 2025.

The prison was built by the French during their occupation of Vietnam to jail and torture Vietnamese freedom fighters. It was later used by the U.S. military for similar purposes during the Vietnam War.

The prison was closed after the end of the Vietnam War and was turned into a historical site.

Situated around 230 kilometers (143 miles) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, the Con Dao Archipelago has made its mark on the global tourism map for its white sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue waters.