The coronavirus has spelled disaster for many in the travel industry. But one remote Vietnamese island continues to thrive thanks to an unlikely saviour. Hotels are filled with locals who come to pay tribute to the country’s most-famous female political martyr, Võ Thị Sáu.
It’s nearly midnight and, in the heart of the cemetery, the visitors huddle together. The darkness is illuminated only by the soft, ethereal glow of burning incense sticks.
They come, night after night, to perform an identical ritual. They come to pay tribute to Võ Thị Sáu, who was 19 when French colonisers executed her on the island of Con Dao in 1952.
Today, her final resting place on this remote southerly island is where thousands of Vietnamese visit to pay their respects and wish for good fortune. Coronavirus may have wiped out much of Vietnam’s travel industry, but on Con Dao, worshipers ensure hotels are still busy.
Many come from the north for only a day, shunning the island’s sun and immaculate beaches for the chance to visit Hàng Dương Cemetery. Hotel lobbies are busiest in the evening as guests dressed in evening wear prepare to head out. They carry white flowers and paper gifts in the shape of combs, silver shoes and lipstick, all symbolising Sáu’s lost youth.
A steady stream of buggies ferries people to and from the cemetery. By the entrance, a stone statue of Sáu shows her head held defiantly high. Deeper in and to the left, is Sáu’s tomb. When I visit, some locals push makeshift shopping trolleys to carry the myriad flowers, cooked chicken and gifts. Despite the large numbers, the atmosphere is serene.
Each visitor approaches upon a stone path. They present their gifts then burn an odd number of incense sticks. After raising these above their heads three times, they make their wish. Once completed, they take a single incense stick and plant it at the head of a nearby grave, and continue until there are none left.
It’s only when you look up that you realise that the lines of graves stretch as far as you can see into the evening gloom. It’s said that 20,000 Vietnamese political prisoners died on Con Dao fighting the French and later the US. Of the 1,900 graves at the cemetery, fewer than half are named.
Sáu’s story is poignant and tragic. She was part of the Viet Minh resistance movement from an early age, killing a French soldier in a grenade attack when she was just 14. In 1949, she attempted a similar attack against a Vietnamese chief with French sympathies. She was captured, tortured and then executed by firing squad on January 23, 1952. Legend says that she refused to be blindfolded and stared at the soldiers, singing patriotic songs until she was silenced by their bullets.
As the first female prisoner to be executed by the French on Con Dao, her story has endured. Today, thanks to the government’s effective battle against the coronavirus – 1,420 coronavirus cases so far and only 35 deaths – domestic travel is almost back to normal.
When normality does check in once more, there are many other reasons to visit. Undeveloped and unassuming, the island is a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City. The main island, Côn Sơn, is home to remote beaches such as Bai Nhat and Dam Trau (where twin propeller planes offer Insta-friendly photos as they come in to land on the adjacent runway). Floating restaurants near the fishing harbour allow you to pluck local produce – pick from eels, cuttlefish or squid – direct from nets. And if you are in town between July and September you can witness thousands of turtles hatch and waddle their way to the sea.
For now, staff at The Secret Con Dao confirmed business was brisk thanks almost entirely to Vietnamese travellers, especially those flying in from the north. While the island’s coral reefs and powder-thin sands are deserted, the island’s historical past ensures its tourist industry has a future.
The country’s impressive resistance to the coronavirus, a microscopic enemy, means that the Vietnamese can continue to support their own economy by making a pilgrimage to those who fought much larger foes.
When to visit Con Dao: February to May are the best months. At other times, it’s likely to be wet (June to October) or windy (November to January).
How to go to Con Dao: Vietnam Airlines has daily flights from Ho Chi Minh City (£240 return).
Where to sleep on Con Dao: The Secret Con Dao (https://thesecretcondao.com) At £70 per night, this 4-star resort has spacious, airy rooms overlooking the beach.
Where to eat on Con Dao: Villa Maison (https://www.villamaisoncondaoboutiquehotel.com/) has an excellent range of western and local options. The bánh xèo savoury pancakes with prawns are particularly more-ish.
Shops sell a range of souvenirs in memory of the island’s heroine.
