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VietnamDescription and is it worth a visit
Phu Aoc Prison (Phu Aoc Coconut Tree Prison) or Coconut prison is the most tragic and sad attraction of the island. It was considered the largest prison in Southeast Asia, for the entire period of its existence, about 32,000 prisoners passed through it.
The prison was originally built in 1946, after the invasion of the island by the French army. Its area was 40 hectares and was divided into 4 sections. Until 1954, there were 14,000 captured soldiers of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese army who fought against the colonialists for the independence of the country.
After the 1954 Geneva Accords, the French returned the prison and prisoners to the Vietnamese government. In 1955, the Vietnamese government built another Coconut Tree Prison for political prisoners with an area of about 4 hectares and divided into 3 zones (for men, women and the elderly) next to the Coconut Prison. Until 1975, it was successfully "filled" with prisoners with the support of the troops and the US government, and during this period torture and bullying were especially zealously practiced. According to various sources, from 30 to 40 thousand more Vietnamese visited here, and many of them did not leave here alive. Accurate information about the number of dead, because the aggressor country hid this information. However, it is known that in 2008 a mass grave with at least 500 bodies of prisoners was discovered nearby.
It is possible to move freely around the prison territory, enter the barracks open for inspection. Scenes of torture and violence against prisoners are clearly presented using mannequins. They will not leave indifferent the "tiger cages" made of barbed wire, in which people were kept like animals under the scorching sun.
At the main entrance there is a museum building consisting of two rooms. In one room the history of the prison is presented, in the other – exhibits, photographs and documents relating to the difficult prison life.
A visit to Phu Aoc Coconut Tree Prison will make a deep and unforgettable impression on Vietnam's past and the steadfastness of its defenders.
In memory of the tragic events related to the prison, 2 memorials have been erected in the district: one at the former prison cemetery 1.5 km from the prison (memorial on the map), the second one is the Memorial of the Martyrs of the prison, across the street from Coconut Prison (memorial on the map).
🕐 Working hours
Daily, from 8:30 to 11:30 and from 13:30 to 17:00.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge.
🚶 How to get there
Phu Quoc Coconut Prison is located in the southern part of the island at 350 Nguyen Van Cu Street (prison museum on the map). It is quite far from Duong Dong and most resorts in Phu Quoc, city buses do not go here. You can get there by rented transport or taxi (from 50,000 to 200,000 VND, depending on the location). Also, a visit to the coconut prison is included in the program of many sightseeing tours of the island, you can buy them at street travel agencies or online.
Friends, we remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights in Phu Quoc with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at the options with online booking and reviews on these excursion aggregators: