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Con Dao Tourism turtle egg laying season
Today Phu Quoc Express will introduce you to a very unique experience when visiting Con Dao This summer and visit to experience the turtle egg-laying season. Located 185 km from Vung Tau, 230 km from Ho Chi Minh City, about 83 km from Hau River mouth (Can Tho), compared to before, now traveling to Con Dao has become much easier, faster and more economical. There are 02 forms of transporting passengers to Con Dao today: by air and by sea such as high-speed boats.
Con Dao is a famous spiritual sea tourism destination in Vietnam. (Phu Quoc Express)
The ideal time to travel to Con Dao is during turtle egg-laying season.
From Tet to the end of summer is the most ideal time to travel to Con Dao. At this time, the sea is calm, although it is the rainy season in Con Dao, the rain does not last long, other times of the day are still sunny. Phu Quoc Express rates it as suitable for you to visit the sea, dive to see coral and explore Con Dao National Park. In particular, this is also a great opportunity for you to witness the turtle egg-laying season with your own eyes. Therefore, do not miss this period in the Turtle Egg-Laying Season Travel Guide.
From May to August is the peak breeding season of sea turtles. This is also the summer tourist season and the experience of turtle egg-laying season on Con Dao, so the preparation of conditions to attract turtles to lay eggs and serve tourists to experience, where tourists can witness sea turtles nesting on the beach or watch the little turtles trying to swim to the blue sea.
Con Dao covers an area of up to 14,000 hectares of water, and is home to a large number of sea turtles. Scientists have assessed this place as the place with the largest number of turtles nesting in the country, with an average of 350 mother turtles laying eggs each year and the number of eggs hatching is 50,000 baby turtles.
After 2-4 weeks of mating, the male turtles return to the feeding area, while the female turtles go to the beach to lay their first nest. After a period of 11-13 days of resting from egg production, they continue to lay the next nest. An average mother turtle lays 3 nests during the breeding season, the reproductive cycle between 2 seasons is 1-5 years. Phu Quoc Express has learned about a special case recorded in Con Dao, a mother turtle laid 11 nests/year and achieved a record number of eggs of 993 eggs.
Phu Quoc Express suggests places to see turtle egg-laying season in Con Dao
Con Dao currently has 18 sandbanks recorded as turtle nesting grounds. Of these, Bai Cat Lon and Bai Duong in Hon Bay Canh, Hon Cau, Hon Tai and Hon Tre Lon are the five areas where turtles regularly lay eggs.
Bai Cat Lon on Hon Bay Canh is the place with the largest number of turtles laying eggs in Con Dao. Coming here to see the turtles laying eggs, visitors can only stay for 4-6 hours or a maximum of 1 night. To ensure the natural ecology, the maximum number of guests during the day is 48, and at night is 24.
On the two small islands of Hon Bay Canh and Hon Cau, there are also eco-tours to see turtles laying eggs, rescue turtles, and release baby turtles back to the sea to serve tourism. The rangers here are also trained in tourism skills and regulations to warn and guide tourists to comply during the tour.
Visitors will see turtles laying eggs in the evening (due to their reproductive characteristics). When the water rises, mother turtles will appear on the waves near the shore to find a place to lay their eggs. At this time, the ranger will notify visitors to go to the turtle egg-laying area.
In Con Dao, there was a special case where a mother turtle laid a record number of 993 eggs. (Phu Quoc Express)
Turtles will choose a fine sand area near bushes to make their nests. After laying eggs, the mother turtle will cover the nest, erase traces to protect her eggs, and then return to the sea. When the mother turtle leaves the nest, the rangers will collect the turtle eggs and bring them back to the nest to incubate at the animal conservation area in Con Dao. Turtle eggs must be moved within 6 hours of being laid by the mother turtle, because this is the time when the embryos temporarily stop developing and can withstand light collisions and disturbances.
In addition, if the temperature in the incubator is lower than 26oC, the ratio of males is higher than females and above 30oC, the opposite is true. Therefore, it is necessary to use a temperature recorder in the incubator with a continuous recording time of 150 minutes, then regularly check the temperature to adjust, ensure gender balance of baby turtles and the temperature does not exceed the threshold of egg death.
After 30 years, baby turtles will return to the place where they were born to mate and reproduce. (Phu Quoc Express)
The peak of the turtle egg-laying season, although busy day and night, witnessing the achievements in sea turtle conservation in Con Dao and the image of releasing baby turtles back to the sea has become a unique feature of Con Dao, making the rangers even more determined to carry out this sacred task. Witnessing baby turtles finding their way back to the sea, we can see the survival ability of this special marine animal. After 30 years, baby turtles will return to the place where they were born to mate and reproduce. When turtles in Con Dao come ashore to lay eggs, they are all given identification codes to track when they return to lay eggs.
Besides watching sea turtles reproduce and releasing baby turtles into the sea, from March to the end of September every year is also a good time for tourists to go to Con Dao by speedboat and do other attractive tourist activities in Con Dao such as taking sea tours, diving to see corals and exploring deserted islands, etc., visiting Ms. Sau's grave at Hang Duong cemetery, etc.
Phu Quoc Express.
