Phu Quoc is an island making up for lost time.
Up until 1975, it housed a massive prison camp. In the same year, a group of Khmer Rouge soldiers landed but were soon seen off by Vietnamese forces – a sign of the long-standing tension about the island’s ownership. It took until 1999 for Cambodia to officially recognise Vietnam as the rightful owner.
So, having got prison camps, nearby dictators and border disputes out of the way, Phu Quoc was finally ready to welcome tourists. And in the past decade, development has been in overdrive.
Safaris, water parks and sheer natural beauty are the main reason that thousands make the 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Our first two visits were dogged by rain (you do have to pick your moments) but our third was all sunshine and snorkelling. So, having explored Vietnam’s largest island in depth, here’s our top 10 list of things to do on Phu Quoc.
1) Diving and Snorkelling
A handful of islands off the southern tip of Phu Quoc offer some of the best snorkelling and diving options in the country. There are few benefits to a pandemic, but one is that the coral around here has been given a breather, and that’s helped restore some sites. Several companies offer packages but they tend to cover the same routes. Some also include a barbecued dinner on the beach. May Rut’s sliver of sand is a great spot for snorkelling and comes with a few bars and beach chairs. Buom Island has some rich coral patches that are best seen by jumping off a boat while other popular spots are Thom, Mong Tay and Gam Ghi islands. If you want to stay longer you can pitch up a tent on May Rut or wake up early for some big sea fishing.
Links: John’s Tours: https://phuquoctrip.com/?lang=en
Cost: between 1million-2million depending on routes and time.
2) VinWonders Phu Quoc / VinPearl Safari
Touted as Vietnam’s largest theme park, this pseudo-Disneyland offers respite from the beaches and snorkelling.
You have to marvel at the logistics behind creating such an enormous park on a remote island. But they managed it, and packed in a water park, giant aquarium, rollercoasters and various other rides. So much so that it takes military-style planning to experience everything within a single day.
For children under 140cm there are still plenty of rides to check out and a few play areas and some outdoor shows featuring feather-clad dancers performing the Maya battle song or the ‘joyful dance of the Vikings’.
Slightly more inland sits VinPearl Safari, featuring a full-on safari, children’s zoo, reptile house and bird garden. Doing both in a single day is possible as they’re close, but you’d be better off spreading the visit over a couple of days.
Look out for the free shuttle buses dotted around the island that will take you to and from the site.
Links: https://vinpearl.com/vi/vinwonders-phu-quoc
VinWonders Cost: 750,000VND adult / children 100cm-140cm 560,000VND
Safari Cost: 650,000VND adult / children under 140cm 490,000VND / free children under 100cm
3) Aquatopia Water Park
Located on Hon Thom Island in the south of Phu Quoc, Aquatopia Water Park is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
Six themed zones take you through a lazy river, a water playground, a surf machine, wave machine and numerous giant, twisting slides. Plan for spending a whole day here to see it all. Taking the near 8km-long cable car is itself an experience as it holds the Guinness World Record for being the longest sea-crossing cable car in the world.
Links: https://honthom.sunworld.vn/en/experience/aquatopia-water-park
Cost: 200,000VND adult / 150,000VND children (1m-1.4m tall). A package including the cable car ride is double these prices.
4) Seawalking
For a simple taste of what scuba diving is like, this is ideal.
A speedboat from An Thoi pier in the far south takes you on a 15-minute trip to an anchored dive site. After a quick briefing, you’re climbing down a ladder into the water, a pressurised helmet is popped on your head, and you’re off. Divers walk you around a coral reef, teeming with small, colourful, curious fish. Children aged five and over can try.
Link: https://phuquocseawalker.com/en/
Cost: 1,340,000VND (standard): a 15-minute walk around part of the reef, plus photos and video.
1,690,000VND (VIP): a tour of the whole reef plus photos and videos, both air-dropped to your phone.
5) Sao Beach
A contender for the island’s best beach, this long stretch of compact sand has super-clear, shallow waters and a sprinkling of beach-side restaurants. The best of these is Paradiso Restaurant to the north of the beach. Snorkelling opportunities are limited but it’s an ideal place to chill for an afternoon. Its almost entirely-undeveloped vibe makes it especially appealing, but there are a handful of hammocks and water-sports options (banana boats, parasailing).
Cost: free
6) Starfish Beach
The main attraction on this newly-discovered beach are the red and black starfish that call it home.
Tourists started realising this unusual feature in 2014, hence why the off-road track that leads here is still a bit bruising. The one benefit of this is that it still takes some effort to get here, which helps keep the number of visitors down.
Those that do make it are rewarded almost immediately by the sight of dozens of starfish lazing about in the shallows, which makes it a great snorkelling opportunity. Locals are starting to realise the beach’s potential too, as seafood restaurants on stilts sit above the waters and there’s paddle-boarding and kayaking on offer.
The one drawback is, frankly, the visitors. Far too many decide to pick up the starfish for an Instagram moment, or even stick them in buckets to take home as a souvenir. Taking a starfish out of the water is the same as removing a fish – it doesn’t end well. Despite it seeming like an obvious bad idea, visitors persist in this habit, which threatens the starfish and also the unique nature of this beach. So, if you do go, do the right thing and leave the starfish alone.
7) National Park
This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is really the heart of Phu Quoc. Be sure to book a tour to explore some of the 300,000 square metres of stunningly dense forests and mountains. Hiking, bird-watching and camping options can all be found at Ganh Dau village, reachable via a simple 5km trail. Expert guides will help you identify some of the 900 types of plants while the fauna includes, otters, the silvered langur, crab-eating macaque and fruit bats.
8) Ham Ninh fishing village
This spot on the east coast takes some effort to reach, but it’s worth it to see one of Vietnam’s more unusual fishing communities. Villagers make their money by diving for sea cucumbers and pearls, and then sell these and numerous other souvenirs to visitors.
As this is a working village, the beach itself is pretty grim and littered. Stop off for a browse of the boats then check out the restaurants for a lunch of boiled flower crab or sea cucumber soup.
9) Sunset Sanato Beach Club
The four elephants towering above this beach are one of Phu Quoc’s most iconic images. If you visit them any time before 4pm, you’re likely to have the place to yourself. Not surprisingly, ‘sunset beach’ does attract the crowds after that, as they queue up to take photos of the various art installations dotted along the beach. Non-guests pay a 100,000VND entrance fee and in return can wander up and down the beach in search of the perfect Insta photo. It’s a quirky place that’s worth visiting for the great beach and the novelty factor of seeing abstract artwork in the sands.
Link: https://sunsetsanato.com/en/
Cost: 100,000VND for an adult ticket (free for children)
10) Phu Quoc Prison Museum
Just north of An Thoi pier is a sobering reminder of the island’s past. During the American War, thousands of prisoners were brutally tortured here. Some of the gruesome instruments of torture are still on display, along with records from the former prisoners. The infamous ‘tiger cages’, which forced prisoners into cramped conditions and subjected to extreme heat, are here, along with life-size mannequins illustrating all-too-graphically how horrific conditions were. Needless to say, this isn’t a place to bring the family.
Cost: 3,000VND
