Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved the revision of a master plan to preserve, upgrade and promote the Con Dao historical relic in the southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.
The master plan has been revised across 110.69ha, comprising 41ha of protected zone 1 and nearly 70ha of protected zone 2.
The revision will be made in areas such as the relic zone of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Le Duc Tho Street, Tran Phu Street and Ton Duc Thang Street, as well as the relic groups in Hang Duong Cemetery, and some relic sites such as Ma Thien Lanh Bridge, Mot Mountain Pagoda, Ba Phi Yen Temple and Tay Cemetery.
The relics that have been completely destroyed will only be restored in case they have special historical value and there are enough scientific materials to refer to.
In the protected zone 2, new construction projects must complement the surrounding landscape.
The revision plan is aimed at preserving and restoring the Con Dao Relic that honours soldiers for their great contribution during the national liberation and to promote the patriotic spirit for future generations.
The plan is expected to be implemented in three phases over 15 years from 2016 to 2030.
Isolated from the mainland, the Con Dao Islands are one of the star attractions in Viet Nam. Con Son, the largest of this chain of 15 islands and islets, is ringed with lovely beaches, coral reefs and scenic bays, and remains partially covered in thick forests. In addition to hiking, diving and exploring empty coastal roads and deserted beaches, there are some excellent wildlife-watching opportunities such as the black giant squirrel and the endemic bow-fingered gecko.
Con Dao Island is famous for the prison that was known as "Hell on Earth". During the war, old prisoners at the prison suffered a lot and were tortured by the enemy, but they still retained the spirit of revolutionary warriors.