Releasing baby turtles to the sea – a unique experience when travelling to Con Dao island

Every time you mention Con Dao, what do you remember? It is the blue sea, white sand, golden sunshine, or heroic historical relics - which marks the heroic accomplishment of brave young soldiers "determined to die for the Fatherland" or coral reefs with rough surfaces but shimmering in the sun like fish scales. All these things create a Con Dao "muse" that is both majestic, heroic, and gentle, dreamy.
But have you ever tried to experience the feeling of watching the sea turtles’ journey of labor and watching the little turtles try to swim into the ocean? Con Dao attracts visitors to its unique turtle nesting season. During the journey to discover Con Dao, it will be one of the "unique" experiences that you will not forget.

Turtle nesting season
The nesting season lasts from April to September. Visiting Con Dao this time you will have the opportunity to see turtles come ashore to lay eggs and discover the process of hatching and preserving eggs in Con Dao National Park. However, at this time, Con Dao is gradually entering the rainy and windy season. So please check the weather carefully before coming to Con Dao!
Journey
Cat Lon beach in Hon Bay Canh island is the place with the highest number of turtles laying eggs in Con Dao. To reach here, visitors can rent a speed boat or join a group tour with the price ranging from 850,000 to 1,000,000vnd/person, including snorkeling to see corals, visiting the two islands Bay Canh and Cau island, experience releasing baby turtles to the sea. Currently, in Con Dao, there are various tours for you to easily choose or can directly contact the hotel where you stay. The staff will guide you enthusiastically, so rest assured!

 

Speed boats on the Pier

If you want to bring the baby turtles back to the blue sea with your own hands, you must visit in the early morning, to avoid harsh sunlight that is harmful to baby turtles. At 7 am, the speed boat will pick up guests from Con Dao pier and depart for Bay Canh island. The forest rangers will put baby turtles in baskets and bring them down to Cat Lon beach when the sun is not too hot. In the meantime, visitors will visit the mangrove ecosystem or take a walk, learn about the interesting information of sea turtles, or check in on the long fine white sand.

Bay Canh island

Every year, over 150.000 baby turtles are rescued and released into the sea, with a success rate of 87% in hatching. Con Dao National Park is recorded as the place with Vietnam's highest release of baby turtles. However, the survival rate for baby turtles to reach their adulthood is extremely low,  ranging from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 10000.
Each visitor will be given a basket by the rangers on Bay Canh Island with cute baby turtles waiting to plunge into the vast ocean. Visitors should sit down, and open the basket close to the sand so that the baby turtles can crawl out and go to the sea.

Tourists release baby turtles to the sea at Bay Canh Island

Adorable baby turtles are about to rush to the ocean

 


In addition to releasing baby turtles, watching turtles laying eggs, and coming to Bay Canh Island, visitors may also go snorkeling to see corals. The coral reefs around Bay Canh island occupied an area of ​​​​about 366 hectares, with rich and diverse coral species creating a wonderful space under the sea.