Fodor's Expert Review Hang Duong Cemetery

The graves of more than 2,000 former prisoners (now considered war martyrs), who died during the 113 years Con Dao was used as a prison, are contained in this cemetery. The vast site, which covers nearly 2 square km (¾ square miles), contains victory monuments as well as marked, unmarked, and communal graves. For the longest time, Vietnamese pilgrims visited at midnight, bringing flowers, fruit, roast chickens, and paper offering to the grave of national heroine Vo Thi Sau, who was executed in 1952 at age 19. The cemetery now closes at 10 pm, but you can still witness pilgrims praying to Vo Thi Sau for special favors, such as money and improved social standing. It's a very atmospheric ritual and no one seems to mind visitors attending and taking (discreet) photographs. Cemetery attendants are on-site to ensure proper conduct.