The central residence of the Con Dao prison system for 113 years, now an exhibition space among century-old tropical almond trees
The Island Governor's Residence, also known as the Big Boss's Residence, the Province Chief's Residence or the Governor's House, stands on Ton Duc Thang Street, opposite Pier 914. It was built around 1862 – 1876, at the same time as the island's first infrastructure, on grounds of about 2 ha comprising the main house, annexes and gardens. Over 113 years, from 1862 to 1975, 53 successive island governors lived and worked here. It was the nerve centre of the Con Dao prison system: the entire administrative apparatus on the island answered to the governor. In 2019, the residence was restored and its interiors recreated to depict the daily life of the governors; today the site is presented to visitors as an exhibition space and is part of the Special National Relic under Decision No. 548/QD-TTg of 10 May 2012. The Cong Quan House, built in the late 19th century, has also been restored within this complex. Don't rush past the grounds: the stand of tropical almond trees here is among the 79 ancient trees of Con Dao recognised as Vietnam Heritage Trees in 2012. These centuries-old trees have witnessed the island's many ups and downs, and their trunks once served as secret mailboxes for prisoners. The residence is one stop on Con Dao's signature sightseeing route: Museum – Governor's House – Pier 914 – Cong Quan House – Phu Hai Camp – French Tiger Cages – American Tiger Cages; from here it is about a 5-minute walk to Phu Hai and Phu Son camps. When visiting the relic sites, dress respectfully and neatly. The residence is included in the combined ticket for the Con Dao relic sites. Some travel sources reported that it was temporarily closed for restoration in 2025, while the special zone's tourism portal still listed opening hours in late 2025, so check at the relic sites' ticket counter before going.
English text: machine translation from the Localis platform — proper names kept in Vietnamese.Good to know
Best time to visitYear-round
Services
- Visit the exhibition inside the Island Governor's Residence
- Stroll beneath the ancient tropical almond trees, recognised as Vietnam Heritage Trees
- Combine with the Museum – Governor's House – Pier 914 – prison camps route
Localis