Every trip to South-East Asia should include at least a few days of relaxing on a tropical island with wavy palm-trees lining pearly white sun-bleached beaches and azure-blue waters inviting you to take a dip. For Vietnam the best choice by far is Phu Quoc island. Wondering what to do in Phu Quoc (or actually on Phu Quoc, since its an island)? Kick back and relax of course.
– What to do in Phu Quoc –
It is true. Vietnam does not offer the abundance of tropical paradises that Thailand, Indonesia or the Philippines does. Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, however is one of the exceptions.
Pro-tip: Phu Quoc is located close to the Cambodian shoreline and is part of a local ‘economic-zone’. This means you can go to the island from Cambodia without a Vietnam-visa! Travelling onwards into Vietnam is, sadly, not allowed making this not the ideal place to cross the border if you want to cover both countries.
If you come to Phu Quoc, your main objectives should be to relax on the beach, sip on cocktails, eat fresh sea-food and do the occasional snorkeling around the An Thoi Islands at the Southern tip of Phu Quoc. The inner island has some jungle and waterfalls to hike to, which make for a nice half-day trip but they are not extremely stunning or impressive.
The night market in Duong Dong is a nice place to taste some street-food and shop for souvenirs and also a place to meet some people in the quieter months. But since you came here to relax you should really focus on the beaches.
The Beaches of Phu Quoc
Long beach is the most popular and most developed. It runs on the west-coast from Duong Dong southwards for a few kilometers. Come here if you are looking for a ‘social beach’. Phu Quoc is however never really busy and the beach stretches out for quite a bit. Even on long beach its easy to find quiet spots here and there. The beach is also one of the most beautiful. Long beach is also the perfect spot to get sunset pictures and the place to have a fresh sea-food dinner at tiny tables right on top of the beach.
San Bao beach at the South-East side of the island offers perfectly white beaches and is a bit less developed.
Go to Ganh Dau beach if you are looking for a Robinson Crusoë-experience as this beach is beautiful but because it is so remote, rarely visited.
The rest of the west-coast of the island is dotted with small beaches but also with resorts. Rent a scooter, take some water, fruits and sunscreen and venture out on your own in search of the perfect private beach.
What NOT to visit: avoid the temples ‘museums’ and other ‘cultural sights’ on the island. The temples cannot match those on the mainland and the ‘museums’ are plain rubbish.
– Eating, Drinking & Sleeping recommendations –
Eating & Drinking
The young social crowd gathers around the hip beach-bar Rory’s. Run by an middle-aged Australian couple, this place has a perfect laid-back vibe and a beautiful décor. Free beach-stretchers, a large wooden deck and a good bar. Do not expect it to be cheap though. A few other copy-cat bars are situated around this place which also offer good food and slightly better prices but lack the atmosphere that Rory’s offers.
Avoid staying in the town of Duong Dong itself, as apart from the night market and a few nice eateries the town is mostly a busy port and lacks character.
Sleeping
If you want luxury, stay at one of the many resorts located anywhere on the island. For the more remote-island experience stay around (but not in) An Thoi or San Bao. Many people compare Phu Quoc (but also the Cambodian Island Koh Rong) to the Koh Samui of the 80ties. If you are looking for a social bohemian vibe your best bet is to stay south of Duong Dong. laid-back hippy hostels are located at the road-side, where the more trendy ‘hipster’ places are beach-faced.
– Practical information –
When
November – March is the best time to visit, when the seas are calm and the days long and sunny. Come end of March the temperatures soar and humidity picks up making it not impossible but rather tiring to do anything more than lay on a beach and sunbathe. End of July brings the monsoon meaning choppy seas and rainy days. Occasional sunny days do occur but do not count on it.
Budget
| Daily Budget | EUR 30 (35 USD) |
| Street food | EUR 2 ( 3 USD) |
| Meal in a restaurant | EUR 5 (6 USD) |
| Dorm | EUR 5 ( 6 USD) |
| Double in a 3-star hotel | EUR 20-50 (25-60 USD) |
In & Out
The perfect way of getting to or from Phu Quoc is travelling through the Mekong Delta from HCMC. Fast boats leave from Rach Gia and Ha Tien. The fastest and most interesting route is through Rach Gia. If you are travelling to or from Cambodia, Ha Tien is the better option, as this is a border-town. You can also take a boat straight to Cambodia (Kep, Kampot and Sihanoukenville) but take in mind that you need a Cambodian Visa to actually enter the country. Phu Quoc can be visited from Cambodia without a Vietnamese visa because it functions as an exclusive economic zone.
If you do not have the time or come from further away you can also fly into the island for about 450-750,000D from Hanoi, Da Nang or HCMC. A flight from HCMC only takes 50 minutes, Hanoi is about 2.5 hours. Make sure to arrange for pick-up from the airport as the cabdrivers there will try to rip you off. I have not heard of any busses and walking here is really not a viable option. Getting to long beach by foot will take you about 2 hours trudging through the burning sun.
– Things to take to Vietnam –
Waterproof Bag
A waterproof bag is a lifesaver when caught in the rain but also when kayaking, jungle-trekking or chasing waterfalls. If nothing else it gives you piece of mind when traveling with camera gear or other stuff that just can’t get wet. Get a 5L or 10L version so you can pack it within your daypack. I recommend this one from Mountain Splash. It’s durable and tough, transparent and it has got an easy handgrip.
Hand Sanitizer
Yes I view anti-bacterial hand sanitizer as essential. Not because I am germophobic but because this will save you from diarrhea and food poisoning. Most people that get sick from eating street food in South-east Asia don’t get sick from the shitty hygiene at the street food stall but because they didn’t probably wash their hands. Use hand sanitizer, stay a happy traveler. This set got handy Carabiners to latch it on you any pack.
3MM climbing rope
Even if your not going to do any climbing or trekking, you need a 3MM climbing rope. Most often you will only use this as a washing line. Or to tie stuff to the outside of your backpack. I for one have never needed to use my rope for anything else than that. However 3MM climbing rope takes up as much space as any washing line. It is nice to know it can also take the full weight of any person when needed.
Lonely Planet
Because its just the best compact travel guide out there. I always take a lonely planet with me for its practical information and background on certain sights. It is a lifesaver for when you find yourself unexpectedly off the beaten path in search of accommodation for the night. For me this is still the best way to read up on a destinations in long haul bus rides. You don’t need internet or battery-life and you can keep it dry in your recently purchased waterproof bag!