Phu Quoc is not coincidentally known as the “pearl island” of Vietnam. This island is famous for its world-class beaches, diverse nature and attractions imbued with local culture. If you are planning to travel to Phu Quoc island, don’t forget to pocket the useful experiences below to enjoy the most complete trip!
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General information about to Phu Quoc Island
Phu Quoc is an island located in the southernmost part of Vietnam, administratively belonging to Kien Giang province, located in the Gulf of Thailand. For a long time, Phu Quoc has been known as one of the famous tourist destinations in Southern Vietnam that any tourist should visit.
Phu Quoc’s coastline is more than 150km long, stretching from the North of the island to the South of the island. In addition, throughout your trip to Phu Quoc, you will see with your own eyes nearly 100 primeval hills and mountains with extremely rich flora and fauna.
With an area of around 590 km², Phu Quoc owns beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear sea water, rich primeval forests, and a unique cuisine that has made the brand famous around the world. Every year, this island attracts millions of domestic and foreign tourists to visit and relax.
In recent years, Phu Quoc has undergone spectacular development in tourism infrastructure with a series of high-class resorts, modern entertainment complexes and international-class tourism services. However, the pearl island still retains its inherent wildness and peace, creating a perfect balance between majestic nature and human development.
When is the best time to travel to Phu Quoc?
According to many people with experience traveling to Phu Quoc, to choose the most convenient time to travel, you need to clearly understand the weather and climate characteristics of Phu Quoc. Located in the Southern region of Vietnam, Phu Quoc Island has a distinct tropical monsoon climate. Phu Quoc’s weather is divided into 2 seasons: rainy season and dry season.
Dry season in Phu Quoc: the dry season here lasts from November to about April of the following year. At this time, Phu Quoc’s weather is sunny, with little rain, and the climate is pleasant. The sky is clear blue, the golden sunshine stretches across the fine white sand beaches, and the sea is as blue as jade with crystal clear to the bottom. This is the perfect time for those who want to fully experience sea activities such as diving, fishing, or simply watching the beautiful sunset on the beach. Therefore, the dry season is the most suitable time to travel to Phu Quoc. However, this is also the peak tourist season in Phu Quoc, so service prices are often 20-30% higher than the low season, and famous tourist attractions can be crowded. If you come at this time, visitors need to book rooms and services at least 1-2 months in advance to ensure quality and reasonable prices.
Rainy season in Phu Quoc: from May to October. At this time, Phu Quoc’s weather is prone to moderate and heavy rain. If you travel to Phu Quoc at this time by boat, you may encounter large waves, which will significantly affect your trip. Therefore, if you choose to travel to Phu Quoc during the rainy season, you can consider choosing destinations in the North of the island such as Dai or Dat Do beach in the South of the island. The rainy season is also a good time to visit waterfalls like Suoi Tranh, when the water flows down in large quantities and strongly, creating a majestic scene.
One thing to note about the convenient time to travel to Phu Quoc is that when entering the transitional season (November), Phu Quoc also has many fluctuations and erratic changes. Therefore, before traveling to Phu Quoc, you need to refer to the weather forecast and choose the right equipment for your trip.
Transportation to and around the island
Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways and Vietjet Air offer direct flights to Phu Quoc from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang,… If you are lucky, you can hunt for cheap airfares of around one million VND for both the outbound and return flights.
In addition to direct flights, visitors have more interesting options when traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc such as motorbikes, cars, buses, speedboats or ferries.
First-time visitors to Phu Quoc should take a speedboat to avoid seasickness. There are two routes to Phu Quoc, the journey from Rach Gia is about 120 km, taking 2 hours and 30 minutes, and the journey from Ha Tien is about 50 km, taking 1 hour and 30 minutes. You should depart from Ha Tien to shorten the travel time at sea, and the ticket price is also cheaper. Tickets need to book in advance, and be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure time.
If you take a bus, you can depart from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. There are many high-quality trips to Ha Tien or Rach Gia, with ticket prices ranging from 200,000 VND to 350,000 VND per person, depending on the bus company. Some high-quality bus companies you can refer to are: Phuong Trang, Mai Linh, Kumho, Thien Thanh Limousine, Tuan Nga…
Phuong Trang – popular tourist bus to Rach Gia and Ha Tien
The most popular means of transportation on Phu Quoc Island are taxis and motorbikes. Usually, taxi companies and car rental services offer half-day or one-day packages to explore the south and north of the island for 500,000 – 700,000 VND. The driver will take you to the most famous attractions.
In addition, you can rent a motorbike for 100,000 – 150,000 VND per day, excluding gas. Visitors need to leave their ID card or passport when renting. Before moving, you should carefully check the brake system, turn signals and lights of the vehicle.
There are buses operating on most routes and attractions from the airport to Duong Dong town and An Thoi port with ticket prices from 10,000 – 40,000 VND. However, the tourist attractions are far from the main road, so traveling by bus will be inconvenient.
Accommodation in Phu Quoc
Tourists can find on Phu Quoc from budget motels to high-end resorts of international standards. If you want to save money, you can stay at a homestay. If you are traveling with a company or a family with small children, the best choice for you is a hotel in Duong Dong town, convenient for sightseeing and shopping.
Some 5-star hotels such as Saigon Phu Quoc Resort, Eden Resort usually cost over 1,500,000 VND per room per day. 3-4 star hotels cost from 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 VND. 2-star hotels such as Gold Hotel, Lavita Hotel, Sea Star resort, Kim Hoa usually cost 600,000 – 800,000 VND.
Unlike Nha Trang with beaches that are easy to visit from the main road, when coming to Phu Quoc, visitors often have to go far to get to the beach. So if you want to be quiet and relax, you should stay at a resort, villa or bungalow near the beach.
You can choose a beautiful resort based on location, room rates range from 1,800,000 to 7,000,000 VND per night. In the North of the island, there are Vinpearl Phu Quoc Resort, Nam Nghi Coral Peninsula Phu Quoc, Fusion Resort Phu Quoc. In the East of the island, there is Rocks Beach Boutique Phu Quoc, in Ham Ninh commune, which just opened in early 2022 and is considered a “miniature Maldives”. In the middle of the North of the island and the center are Movenpick Resort Waverly Phu Quoc and Mango Bay Resort on Ong Lang beach. In the middle of Duong Dong town, there are Lahana Resort Phu Quoc, L’Azure Resort & Spa Phu Quoc, Anja Beach Resort, Pullman Phu Quoc or InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort. JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay located on Khem beach or Premier Village Phu Quoc are outstanding accommodations in the South of the island.
Tourist attractions on Phu Quoc Island
Tourist attractions on Phu Quoc are divided into 4 main areas: the central area in Duong Dong town, the South Island, the North Island and the East Island. Depending on your schedule, you should spend at least two days if you want to explore all the attractions on the island.
North Island attractions
The North of Phu Quoc Island has a rich beauty with primeval forests. There are also pristine beaches and fishing villages that have not been much affected by commerce. Below are some attractions.
VinWonders Phu Quoc
VinWonders Phu Quoc is the largest theme park in Vietnam, located in Bai Dai, the North of Phu Quoc Island. With an area of up to 50 hectares, this place offers an impressive journey of discovery through 6 themed zones, recreating the world of fairy tales, mysterious oceans and brilliant civilizations in the world.
The highlight of VinWonders Phu Quoc is the modern thrill rides, the large water park with challenging super-speed slides, and the magnificent aquarium – where you can admire hundreds of marine species. In particular, the show “Once Upon A Time” with cutting-edge projection technology will bring an eye-catching experience that cannot be missed.
Not only is it a fun destination, VinWonders is also an ideal place for the whole family to enjoy memorable moments. If you come to Phu Quoc, don’t forget to visit this classy amusement park to experience the colorful magical world!
Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc
Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc is the largest semi-wild animal care and conservation park in Vietnam. When visiting this place, you will have the opportunity to visit and admire natural animals, which is the choice of many tourists. Safari Phu Quoc is also the first zoo in Vietnam to receive a certificate from the SEAZA Association for animal conservation.
One of the most famous attractions in the north of the island is Vinpearl Safari, which takes care of more than 3,000 birds, animals, and reptiles of 175 species. The Safari is divided into two open zoo areas, for visitors to visit the animal breeding area and the semi-wild area, and is taken by specialized vehicles.
Coming here, visitors and their families and friends can learn about animals in their natural habitat. Nearby is the VinWonders entertainment complex with many fun or adventurous games, an aquarium suitable for both children and adults.
Grand World Phu Quoc
Located in the Phu Quoc United Center entertainment and resort complex, Grand World Phu Quoc is an indispensable piece in this leading entertainment complex in Vietnam.
Known as the “city that never sleeps”, Grand World Phu Quoc is the first 24/7 shopping, entertainment, and recreation chain in Vietnam. Allowing visitors from all over the world to have “all-night” experiences that no other place can provide.
Located in a prime location on Cape Ganh Dau with an area of over 85 hectares, Grand World Phu Quoc is where you can fulfill your dream of flying to faraway Italy with the experience of sailing on the ancient Venice canal. Enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine at the miniature Shanghai Street. And the beautiful – unique – strange art performances are also factors that create the multi-faceted beauty of this complex.
Phu Quoc National Park
Not only is it a pearl island with blue sea and golden sand, Phu Quoc also has a large National Park with more than 30,000 hectares of primeval forest and hundreds of animal species, many of which are listed in the Red Book.
There are many ways for you to visit Phu Quoc National Park, such as riding a motorbike or trekking through the forest. However, you need to pay attention to the route because the road system in the National Park is not very convenient. The simplest way is to register for a tour to visit the most prominent places.
Directions:For those who like to ride a motorbike on the edge of the forest, you can go from Ham Ninh to Bai Thom, about 50 km long.
Rach Vem fishing village
Located about 15 km from Duong Dong town, Rach Vem fishing village or “starfish kingdom” is one of the favorite photography spots for tourists. In addition to the clear blue sea water, this place also scores points for having many starfish. From December to April is the time when the sea is calm, the water is clear so it is easiest to see starfish. During the rainy season, the road to Rach Vem is difficult to travel and the water is murky.
Raft houses and wooden bridges facing the sea are also one of the highlights of Rach Vem. Coming here, visitors can also enjoy many types of fresh seafood, which are cheaper than in the central area. However, because most of the raft houses are prepared by local people, they are not elaborately decorated.
Southern Phu Quoc Island
Sao Beach
Only 7 km long, Sao Beach is still ranked among the most beautiful beaches on the pearl island. Many tourists choose Sao Beach not only because of its clear water and deserted sea, but also because of its sheltered location and gentle waves.
Sao Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Phu Quoc, located in An Thoi town, about 28 km from Duong Dong town.
The water here is clear blue, standing out on a strip of fine white sand more than 7 km long. Coming here, visitors can leisurely walk on the sandy shores, listen to the murmuring waves at dawn or swim in the sea, and take beautiful photos.
In addition, the water here is calm and the waves are gentle, so there are many water sports activities, notably kayaking. Boat rental prices range from 100,000 – 150,000 VND.
Dinh Ba and Dinh Cau
Dinh Ba and Dinh Cau are the two most sacred destinations in Phu Quoc, located in Duong Dong town. Associated with many legends about Cau Quy, Cau Tai, Chua Ngoc Nuong Nuong, Thuy Long Thanh Mau, this is where fishermen come to pray for peace, favorable weather, and a bountiful fishing season. On January 15 every year, major festivals are held here.
As one of the two most sacred temples on the island, Dinh Cau temple is where people from the coastal region pray for safe sea trips and a favorable life. The special feature of Dinh Cau temple is that it is located on an independent rocky cliff right at Dinh Cau cape, stretching out to hear the sound of the waves, and hidden under a shady ancient tree.
To reach the temple, visitors will have to climb 29 steps and from there also have the opportunity to admire the panoramic view of the beautiful pearl island.
Phu Quoc Prison
Not only is it a tourist island filled with natural beauty, Phu Quoc is also a place that marks the nation’s painful war history. Phu Quoc Prison used to be a place to detain and torture more than 40,000 patriotic soldiers. Now, it has become a relic site, restored to serve tourists’ learning.
In 1995, the prison was recognized as a national historical relic and began to open to visitors. Coming here, you will learn about the historical imprints of many heroic but equally terrifying years in the history of the nation with the dark prison row and countless terrifying punishments.
Ho Quoc Pagoda
The pagoda belongs to the Truc Lam Zen Monastery system and is built of ironwood, with the same architecture as pagodas in the North. This is a famous spiritual tourist destination on the pearl island. Standing here, visitors can see the vast ocean in front of them, with the beautiful green mountains and forests behind them. In addition, when you come here, you can worship and pray for good things. This is a spiritual destination that cannot be missed when introducing Phu Quoc Island.
Directions: You drive on Nguyen Van Cu Street, towards Phu Quoc Prison, about 1 km from the turn to Sao Beach, then turn left into a small path, this is the way to the pagoda. Traveling on this road for about 4 km, you will reach Ho Quoc Pagoda.
Phu Quoc Night Market
If Duong Dong Market is the busiest market during the day, no place can compare to the vibrant atmosphere at night of Phu Quoc Night Market (also known as Dinh Cau Night Market). The night market is mainly a place for tourists to hang out after a day of exploring.
A visit to the night market will certainly not be complete if you do not enjoy the fragrant grilled seafood right at the market, and end the evening with familiar snacks such as sticky rice bananas and grilled sweet potatoes. The market also sells some interesting souvenirs such as small pearl items, suitable for buying as gifts.
Fish sauce producers
As a famous traditional craft village of Phu Quoc, fish sauce making also contributes to the tourism of this pearl island. No Phu Quoc travel experience can miss the opportunity to visit the large-scale fish sauce in barrel houses here.
At any barrel house, visitors will witness rows of large wooden barrels stacked high to the ceiling, and listen to the introduction of the fish fermentation process to produce the delicious, rich, high-class fish sauce typical of Phu Quoc.
Visiting the islands
Coming to Phu Quoc, one of the most attractive experiences is visiting islands such as Thom, Mong Tay, Gam Ghi, May Rut.
Thom is the most exploited tourist island, with beautiful beaches, coral diving, fishing, squid fishing, kayaking, jet skiing. In particular, there is a water park with 20 thrilling games Aquatopia Water Park for visitors to enjoy with their families.
If visitors love diving, they can go to the ECO Beach area on the island. There is a package of 950,000 VND per person, experiencing for 20 minutes with a closed helmet. If choosing an air tank like a diver, the service price is 650,000 VND per person. Some other services that visitors can register for are underwater video recording for 600,000 VND, photography for 300,000 VND.
To get to the island, visitors depart from the cable car station. The station is designed and built in the ancient Roman style and is a favorite photo spot for many young visitors. Then, you will ride the world’s longest three-wire cable car, with a total length of 7,899 m. From the cabin, visitors can see the clear blue sea, peaceful islands with boats going back and forth.
In addition to booking tickets in advance, visitors can buy tickets outside the entrance to the cable car station. The price of the cable car, water park and lunch buffet package is 600,000 VND for adults and children over 1m4 tall. Visitors from 1m to 1m4 tall buy tickets for 400,000 VND.
In addition, visitors can book an island tour to visit Thom and the remaining islands. In which, the 4-island tour: May Rut Trong, May Rut Ngoai, Gam Ghi and Mong Tay in An Thoi archipelago is a popular choice.
Visitors will be picked up at the hotel in Duong Dong town to An Thoi port and visit by canoe, snorkeling to see coral at Hon Gam Ghi. The service includes underwater filming and photography packages. Tours with lunch cost about 1,000,000 VND per person. However, the 4-island tour usually moves a lot. Tourists who are seasick or in not good health can choose the 2 or 3-island tour with fewer activities.
If you want to be more adventurous, you can explore Dam Island, known as the Robinson Island of Phu Quoc. The island has no internet, electricity is run by solar energy, the whole island has only a few bungalows made of bamboo and wood, the back facing the sea.
Duong Dong town area
As the central area of the large pearl island, Duong Dong town is where all the fun activities and the most vibrant tourist destinations in Phu Quoc are concentrated.
Truong Beach
Many favorable factors make Truong Beach always the most crowded beach in Phu Quoc. Truong Beach stretches for more than 20 km and is divided into many different small beaches, attracting both tourists and locals with its wide sandy shore and cool coconut trees.
It seems that whenever you come to Truong Beach, you will have enough food and entertainment: from sports activities on the sea, restaurants serving close to the sea, to massage services for you to relax right in the sound of the waves. In particular, because it is located in the southwest of the island, Truong Beach is also ranked as one of the most ideal places to watch the sunset on the island.
Duong Dong Market
The market located right next to the sea gate named Duong Dong is the largest market in Phu Quoc. This place gathers fresh seafood and delicious dishes that are always enough to satisfy your stomach.
And according to many experiences of traveling to Phu Quoc, Duong Dong market is the right place for you to buy some Phu Quoc specialties such as fish sauce, dried fish, sim wine… as gifts for relatives.
Enjoy Phu Quoc specialties
Fresh seafood
The first dish when going to the island must be seafood. Not only does Phu Quoc have familiar and fresh seafood such as snails, shrimp, squid, but it also has “special” seafood such as sea urchins, Ham Ninh crabs, Bien Mai scallops… Just steam, grill, or even eat raw to fully enjoy the delicious taste.
Herring salad
Herring salad is one of the most typical dishes of Phu Quoc, showing the culinary quintessence of the island. The dish is made from fresh herring – a small fish, with lots of meat and few bones, very popular in Phu Quoc sea. After being caught, the fish will be cleaned, deboned, sliced thinly and soaked in vinegar, lemon and spices for a short time, just enough to cook the fish meat.
When eaten, the fish is mixed with herbs, chili, garlic, shallots, sweet and sour fish sauce, creating a harmonious sour, spicy, salty and sweet flavor. In particular, Phu Quoc herring salad is often served with rice paper, young banana leaves, roasted peanuts, creating a rich, bold flavor.
Crab noodle soup – Fish cake noodle soup
Taking advantage of the fresh and delicious crab source from the sea, Phu Quoc crab noodle soup is a dish that is both popular and attractive. The crab meat is chewy and sweet, adding a few pieces of thick mackerel cake; combined with rice flour noodle soup and bone broth, it makes a bowl of noodle soup that warms the stomach.
In addition to crab noodle soup, Phu Quoc also has fish cake noodle soup like many other coastal areas. The broth is made from sweet fish bones; the chewy fish cake, fried with an attractive aroma are the things that will make diners fascinated with this popular dish.
Bun Quay
A special version of Binh Dinh shrimp noodle dish, bun quay (stirring noddle) will have a mixture of fish, squid, and minced shrimp; when eaten, it will be poured with boiling broth to cook.
The noodles of bun quay are also very special: they must be fresh noodles pressed directly from the tube. The simple but delicious ingredients are what make this dish attractive.
Shopping for souvenirs in Phu Quoc
In addition to the wild beauty and rich seafood resources, Phu Quoc is also famous for many specialties such as fish sauce, Sim wine, pepper, and pearls. If you want to enjoy and buy dried seafood as gifts, you can visit Dinh Cau night market. This is the largest seafood market on Phu Quoc island, the seafood here is both cheap and fresh, attracting a lot of visitors to shop.
Or if you intend to buy fish sauce as a gift, visit the most famous fish sauce production facilities in Phu Quoc such as Khai Hoan of Mr. Ky, Hung Thanh company, Bao Ninh fish sauce… If you want to buy Sim wine SimSon, Sim wine of Mr. Bay Giao, the price of a bottle of Sim wine is 150,000 VND / bottle.
In particular, if you come to Phu Quoc, you must definitely visit famous pearl farms such as: Quoc An Pearl, Ngoc Hien Pearl Farm, Japanese pearl farm and Australian pearl farm,… to have the opportunity to learn more about this precious jewelry and medicine.
Source: collected by An
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