Phu Quoc Prison (Coconut Tree Prison)

Phu Quoc Prison, formerly known as Cay Dua Prison located in An Thoi town, was originally built by the French for the purpose of imprisoning Vietnamese people. In 1967, the Saigon Government rebuilt Cay Dua Prison into Phu Quoc Communist Prison or Phu Quoc Prison on an area of 400 hectares. This place is considered one of the largest prisons in the South with more than 32,000 prisoners, sometimes up to more than 40,000 people.

Phu Quoc prison has 12 areas, each area is divided into many subdivisions containing 950 prisoners. Additional areas such as 13 and 14 were built at the end of 1972, and these two areas alone can hold 3,000 prisoners each. In it, there is a subdivision called B2 that is dedicated only to holding prisoners.

Around the prison is a lot of barbed wire, from 10 to 15 layers and a dense lighting system. Along with that is a guard apparatus of up to 4,000 people fully equipped with weapons, mobile means of guarding day and night and a naval group patrolling the perimeter.

With all of the above, the enemy believed that they would not only suppress but also defeat any outside forces that ventured to free the prisoners at Phu Quoc Prison. Due to oppression and brutal torture, thousands of prisoners died in prison. However, with resilience, intelligence and courage, the prisoners have repeatedly dealt with the enemy with demonstrations, struggles, tunneling, prison escape, ...

Today, when visiting Phu Quoc Prison, visitors will see a main building and a complete prison with barbed wire, watchtowers, tiger cages, guards and dummy prisoners. The main building is the place to store all historical artifacts and information about the prison, and this is also a place to honor the soldiers who were prisoners of Phu Quoc Prison. The prison outside is a place to recreate the austere life of the prisoners and the brutal torture methods that communist soldiers had to endure during their detention.

Phu Quoc Prison was recognized as a national historical relic in 1993. Every year, Phu Quoc prison welcomes thousands of visitors, many of which are former prisoners who have been imprisoned. here.

Website : www.phuquocprison.org

Phone : (0773) 844578

Operating hours : 07:00 - 17:00 on weekdays