Phu Quoc, as we know it
The big resorts have their own beaches; the island has its own life. We take you to Ham Ninh for crab at the pier, to a pepper farm and a fish-sauce house, and to the beaches on the east coast where the fishing families still work, before leaving you to the sand.
This is the largest island in the country, part of Kien Giang province, lying in the Gulf of Thailand nearer the Cambodian shore than the Vietnamese one. It earns its place at the end of a trip rather than as a destination on its own — a short domestic hop into Phu Quoc International Airport usually follows days in Ho Chi Minh City or the Mekong Delta.
Over half the land is national park, so behind the hotels of the southwest coast there is real forest, trails and wildlife rather than only sand. A cable car — among the world's longest three-rope systems — carries you out to Hon Thom island and its Sun World Nature Park, and between Vinpearl Safari and Vin Wonders the island gives families far more to do than a beach alone would.
Duong Dong is the main town, and its markets by day and after dark break up the resort routine; the former Phu Quoc Prison, meanwhile, keeps the island's wartime past on record. Nearly everyone comes at the end of a southern route — either a straightforward pairing with Ho Chi Minh City, or a longer swing that takes in the dunes at Mui Ne first.
What fills the days in Phu Quoc
- Sao Beach — the white sand on the southeast coast that everyone photographs
- Sun World Hon Thom Nature Park and Cable Car — the ride across to Hon Thom island, water park included
- Vinpearl Safari — open-range wildlife enclosures up in the north of the island
- Vin Wonders Phu Quoc - a beachfront amusement and water park
- Ho Quoc Pagoda — the island's Zen monastery, laid out on a hillside above the sea
- Phu Quoc Prison - a preserved historical site and memorial
- Duong Dong night market - local seafood, souvenirs and street food
The hotels cluster along the southwest shore, between Duong Dong and Long Beach: a short drive from the airport, and handy for the dive and snorkelling boats that run half-day trips down to the southern archipelago.
The practical bits
| Details | |
|---|---|
| When to come | November to March: dry, calm seas, clear water |
| Getting in | Phu Quoc International Airport, direct from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi |
| Money | Vietnamese Dong |
| How long | Two or three nights, usually the last stop of a southern route |
Our trips that pass through Phu Quoc
9D/8N Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City & Phu Quoc
The dunes at Mui Ne and time in the city first, with the island saved for the end.
Either route can be reordered or lengthened. Send your dates and party size and a day-by-day plan with hotel choices comes back to you.