Round-trip airfares between HCM City and Con Dao currently average around VND 3.5 million (USD 134) per person, with some weekend flights exceeding VND 5 million during the summer travel season.
For many travellers, the restored ferry service offers a more convenient alternative to travelling by road to Tran De Port in Soc Trang Province before boarding a boat to the island.
After more than six months of suspension, the direct HCM City-Con Dao ferry route resumed operations in June using a new vessel with capacity for more than 500 passengers.
The service operates three departures a week from HCM City on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, with return journeys from Con Dao on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Compared with its predecessor, the new ferry offers more spacious passenger areas with separate seating and sleeper sections. The operator said each sailing is currently running at around 80 per cent capacity.
Travel companies said demand for Con Dao remains strong this summer.
Le Thi Thuy Oanh, a representative of Bach Tiep Travel, said the company had received enquiries from around 600 groups since the start of the summer season, with about 380 customers already joining its tours.
Air travel remains the preferred option, accounting for 284 customers, while around 80 travellers chose a combination of road transport and high-speed ferries.
According to Oanh, spiritual tourism continues to attract large numbers of visitors, particularly organised groups from government agencies, businesses and retired teachers' associations.
At the same time, growing numbers of travellers are seeking nature-based experiences such as sea turtle watching, coral diving and exploring Con Dao's tropical forest ecosystem.
The company has also recorded a roughly 30 per cent increase in the number of travellers choosing ferry journeys to Con Dao aganist the same period last year.
Industry representatives said the restored ferry service could improve access to the island, particularly during peak travel periods when flights are often fully booked or ticket prices rise sharply.
Operators believe stable ferry operations could eventually help reduce package tour prices to below VND 5 million per person, including return ferry tickets.
While flights suit travellers seeking speed and convenience, ferry journeys appeal to those interested in slower, experience-focused travel and environmentally friendly tourism, she said.
According to Pham Anh Vu of Du Lich Viet, instead of spending just an hour in the air, travellers can enjoy sea views and experience the feeling of heading offshore before arriving in Con Dao.
He added that the return of the ferry route would help reduce reliance on air transport while creating opportunities for new tourism products targeting families, tour groups and experience-seeking travellers.