The tiger cages
120 cells from 1940.
Tuderna — CC BY 3.0 · Sketyl none — CC BY 2.0 · [Tycho] talk , http://shansov.net — CC BY-SA 3.0
The French colonial administration built Con Dao Prison in 1861 on Con Son Island to hold those it considered its most dangerous opponents, and most of its inmates came to be political prisoners. After 1954 it passed to the South Vietnamese government, which used it the same way until 1975, and many people who later became the country's leaders were held here. Today it is a special national historic site open to visitors. The camps are spread through the town, and the best known are the tiger cages the French built in 1940: 120 solitary cells roofed with iron grilles, watched by guards from a walkway above. In July 1970 two US congressmen left their planned route and reached these cells; Life magazine published the photographs, and the cages became an international scandal. Some cells hold figures recreating the conditions of detention, which may be hard for children. Near the prison is Hang Duong Cemetery, about 20 hectares, where prisoners who died here between 1862 and 1975 are buried, and many Vietnamese visit it at night. A guided tour explains the context.
120 cells from 1940.
In the middle of town.
Near the prison.
Con Son town, Con Son Island
Some cells hold figures recreating harsh conditions, so it may not suit young children; a guided visit that explains the history is best.