Located off the south-east coast of mainland Vietnam, the Con Dao archipelago of 16 islands was initially settled by the British East India Company in 1702. More than 80 percent of Con Dao archipelago is a marine protected area and national park. The largest island, Con Son  is around 145 miles (230 kilometers) from Ho Chi Minh City and is served by Co Ong airport. It can be reached by commercial flights or chartered private plane in 45 minutes from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.