Phu Quoc

Phú Quốc (pronounced fú-kwóg) is a large tropical Vietnamese island off the coast of Cambodia. It is only accessible from Vietnam. In the Gulf of Thailand 45 km west of Ha Tien on the Vietnamese mainland and 15 km south of the coast of Cambodia, Phú Quôc is ringed with some of most beautiful beaches in Vietnam and offers the best seafood in the country. The island is undergoing rapid change as high-rise resorts and other tourist amenities spring up all over the island.

Understand


Phú Quôc is a mountainous and densely forested island of 574 km². It is 48 km in length from south to north and has a population of approximately 103,000 people (2012).

Phú Quôc Island served as a base for French missionary Pigneau de Behaine from the 1760-80s and at one time he provided shelter here for Prince Nguyen Anh (later Emperor Gia Long) when he was being hunted by the Tay Son rebels. During the Vietnam War there was little fighting here but the island was used by the South Vietnamese Army as a prison for captured Viet Cong.

Phú Quôc is not part of the Mekong delta and also doesn’t share the delta's extraordinary ability to produce rice and fruit due to the low quality of its soil and inaccessible terrain. It is, however, home to the best fish sauce (nuoc mam) in the world, and is also reputed to produce high quality pepper and fantastic seafood.

Another point of interest in Phú Quôc is the island's native dog. This dog was a wild animal that was trained as a hunting dog by local people. These days they are very domesticated and it's unusual to go anywhere on the island without seeing one. These animals have unusually sharp teeth (as they tear their food when they eat it rather than bite), and have claws that over the years have been optimised for catching prey and are razor sharp.

Phú Quôc Island and its beaches were voted "The Cleanest and Most Beautiful Beach in the World" by ABC News in 2008. However, this has changed dramatically. Insiders call the island "the world's first rubbish dump on which tourism is run" or "the island, where nature and rubbish grow together" because of the excessive pollution (mainly plastic bags) outside the tourist resorts.

As of 2020, parts of Phú Quôc have become a huge construction site for high-rise residential areas, several new towns and suburbs. There are plans for a complete rebuilding of Dương Đông city center, and to replace the existing small PQC airport. The new international airport south of Dương Đông opened in early 2013. The main north-south road between Bai Thom and An Thoi is already being upgraded to a 2+2 lane highway, a new all-weather road from Dương Đông to Gan Dau is ready as far as Cua Can, which has a new bridge. A golf course and a casino are planned in the north. Phú Quôc is becoming something completely different.

Climate
Phú Quôc Island has a tropical climate with three seasons: high, shoulder, and low.


 * High season: During Nov-Mar, the daily maximum temperature typically averages about 31°C, and the daily minimum temperature (before sunrise) about 23°C. The skies are generally sunny, with possibly some light high cloud in early morning that clears by mid-morning, and the humidity is at its lowest for the year.
 * Shoulder season: During Apr-May, the temperatures are a bit higher than during the high season, and the humidity around 80-85%. Crowds are fewer during this time and there are good chances of reasonable weather.
 * Low season: The period between Jul-Sep is dominated by the monsoons.

Get in
Visitors from any country arriving in Phú Quôc by cruise ship do not need a visa for stays of up to 15 days. A passport with at least 45 days' validity is required. Visitors arriving by plane can get a 30-day tourist visa free of charge, even if they'd otherwise need a visa to enter Vietnam.

By plane


There is a wide variety of transport options available on arrival. Many of the more expensive hotels can have somebody pick you up on arrival, and taxis are of course available (120,000 dong to Dương Đông as of Feb 2020). It is also only a short walk to the center of Dương Đông. If you arrive late without a reservation then you can stay the first night in one of the inexpensive guesthouses opposite the airport entrance.

As of Dec 2022, there's no motorbike taxis nor regular buses that can take you to city center.

If air tickets are fully booked, you can do the following:


 * Keep an eye on the airline websites and grab any published tickets at the earliest opportunity. They should put on extra tickets closer to departure.
 * Ask any travel agents in the area.·
 * Go to the airport and try to get a flight on standby.

By boat
There are ferries and hydrofoils between Phú Quôc and Rạch Giá (pronounced: Rad-Ya), Hà Tiên and Hon Chong. Operated by Superdong and Phu Quoc Express.

You may be told by tour agents that the fast boats are full, but if you go to the dock where the boats depart you may have the opportunity to buy tickets from street sellers, or book tickets online with Baolau.com.
 * Rach Gia - Phú Quôc: 08:00 - 10:20, 12:40 - 15:00, 13:00 - 15:20 operated by Superdong

Hydrofoils take 2½ hr, cost 320,000 dong. Book at Superdong. When coming from Ho Chi Minh City you can book a combined night-bus + boat ticket for around USD26 (including pick up from hotel) at travel agencies. The boats are clean, comfortable and efficient.
 * Ha Tien - Phú Quôc 08:00 - 13:00 - 230,000 dong - operated by Superdong about 1½ hours (as of Jan 2020)

Small fast ferries (not hydrofoils) take 1½ hr. Cost, 230,000 dong. Daily at 08:00 and 13:00. Large car ferry (steel -hulled, capacity 400 passengers, 300 motorbikes, and 30 cars) leaves at 08:20, takes 2½ hr and costs 165,000 dong. Motorbikes cost 100,000 dong.
 * Hon Chong - Phú Quôc - 10:00. Costs 160,000 dông.

As of May 2024 there are now free buses (large low floor, electric, green colour, displaying "xe buyt mien phi") connecting the fast ferries' landing port of Bai Vong (Cảng Bãi Vòng) and main town (Duong Dong, Dương Đông) center. So do not be deceived by taxi touts. Route 20 serves Bai Vong port — Suối Tranh Waterfall — Duong Dong main town stopping at Highland Coffee shop — Grand World (Parking T2). Departures approximately hourly, 05:30 to 14:00 from Grand World end and 07:30 to 16:00 from port Bai Vong end.

At Bai Vong pier there are free electric golf carts shuttling the 500 m between the pier and parking lot to save walking.

The boat can get overcrowded and may have the unfortunate lingering odor of vomit. The journey is pleasant and smooth during the low season, but is often beset by jarring waves during the high season. Hotel staff can advise you of ocean conditions.

A ferry connection to Sihanoukville (Cambodia) and visa-free-entry have been discussed.

Get around

 * Walking: One of the joys of the top-rated Long Beach accommodations  is that everything is so accessible.  Base yourself at Mai House or the Tropicana and you can walk to everything and happily fill a three- or four-day holiday doing nothing at all. Camp down at La Veranda and you might not emerge.
 * Motorbike: There’s no doubt about it, if you’re young enough (at heart anyway) you’ve got to try seeing some of Phú Quôc on a motorbike. They can be hired for US$5-12 a day from your hotel or resort. There is no paperwork, no insurance, and no deposits. You negotiate if you break or lose your bike. There is a request that you refill with fuel when you finish. Roads are mostly red dirt and full of potholes. As in much of Asia, there are no traffic rules in the usual European or North American sense: you are responsible for not hitting anybody or anything, and you are responsible for anyone else hitting you, and that's about it. You are supposed to drive on the right, but not everybody always does that. So there you have it, not entirely safe, but an awful lot of fun. Don't fret too much if you run out of petrol or get a flat tire. You’ll be amazed how fast a local will stop to help you. Puncture repairmen are plentiful on the island and will leap at the chance to come to your aid for a small fee. See also Vietnam by motorcycle.


 * If you do find yourself in a bit of strife with your rental, there are a few repair shop on the island that will mend your bike at a price cheaper than at the place you rented it. One place that does this, is Gia Phu at 25 Tran Phu in Dương Đông (Linh- +84 93 813 7988). Depending on the severity of the damage, it could save you a lot of money.
 * Motorbike and scooter rental market rate is: automatic scooters 150,000 dong/24 hr, manual motorbike 120,000 dong/24 hr, as of May 2024
 * Motorbike taxis are about 200,000-400,000 dong or US$10-20 for a day trip. Be sure to be precise as to how many hours and locations you want to see with the driver. It's difficult to really lower the price for a half-day or less.


 * Jeeps: After a motorbike, your next best option is a Jeep with driver. Given you pay for petrol, it can work out a little more than a half or full day’s hire of a taxi, but well worth it. Call Jeep For Rent locally at +84 93 9402 872. US$30 for 6 hr, US$50 for 24 hr.
 * Taxi: Taxis are plentiful in Long Beach, but there can be a tiresome delay. As of Dec 2019 there are plenty of taxis, and Grab works well in the main centers of population. Booking taxis by the day is often a better bet. They’re more expensive than you might be used to in Saigon. There are small yellow taxis that have a flag fall of 5,000 dong (Dec 2019) which is as cheap as the cheapest Saigon taxis. All taxis use meters, and you pay what the meter shows. Short trips in Dương Đông are up to 60,000 dong. For a full day and a given itinerary you make a flat deal, e.g., 650,000 dong for around one-half of the island, which may be what you would end up with also if the meter were running. It seems that you mostly pay for the distance driven; the driver sleeping in the drivers' hammocks does not cost that much.
 * Boat: Saigon Phú Quôc Resort have their own large boat you can charter from Long Beach. Otherwise all resorts run tours with charter boats. Cost varies depending on number of passengers.

See
There are pearl farms on the west side of the island south of Dương Đông town. The Phú Quôc Pearl Farm is about 10 km away, and they have a cafe/restaurant and a shop.
 * The roads going round the northwest corner of the island are an interesting ride on a motorbike. The roads are quiet and safe, and also the unpaved roads are easy to ride (just be careful of loose sand in some places). You can stop for coffee or lunch at the to see the views at the mouth of the . There are nice quiet beaches at the westernmost shore of the island, and the road east from Ganh Dau goes through dense forest. There are dozens of large colourful fishing boats in front of Ganh Dau in the afternoon.
 * At the southern tip of the island is the fishing of . There are some fishing boats to see. You can hire a boat to take you to the small islands south of Phú Quôc from there.
 * There are a couple of pepper farms that can be visited. The pepper plants is grow hanging from a long pole, with small green peppers on them. You can buy pepper products there to bring home as souvenirs.
 * Some of the fish sauce factories can be visited.

Ask your hotel for an island tour, which may include visits to a fish sauce factory or the nature reserve.

Diving and snorkeling
Phú Quôc offers diving in two separate locations. Up north on the west side of the island or south at the An Thoi Islands.

Up north there are three main diving locations with all of them at a maximum depth of 10 m. They are especially great for beginners. Sites are surrounded by corals and funky rock formations which provide shelter to a variety of fish and species of nudibranch.

Down south there are up to 20 different dive sites around a group of 13 islands with depths ranging from 10-40 m. The majority of the islands are surrounded by coral and are slowly being converted to marine protected areas, thus giving you a slightly better chance of seeing more and bigger fish and lots of nudibranches.

The route to the south is not as well protected as the northern site which means you might be in for rocky ride on the boat and mild to strong currents.

Snorkeling tours pick you up at your hotel in the morning and take you to the islands in the south. It usually includes the boat trip, snorkelling gear, lunch, and transportation. Don't expect to see a lot of fish and coral under water. But still a nice way to spend a day.



Buy
There are ATMs in Dương Đông town around night market area. If you want to exchange money, the nearest bank is 500 m from the Night Market.

Main articles to buy are:
 * Fresh seafood
 * Pearls

Eat

 * Other Indian restaurants on Phu Quoc include New Delhi and the excellent Sher-e-Punjab (Dec 2019).
 * Other Indian restaurants on Phu Quoc include New Delhi and the excellent Sher-e-Punjab (Dec 2019).
 * Other Indian restaurants on Phu Quoc include New Delhi and the excellent Sher-e-Punjab (Dec 2019).

Sleep
Unlike most other Southeast Asian destinations, there is a substantial risk that all (affordable) hotels are fully booked when you arrive, so it is advisable to book ahead. This certainly applies in Jan-Feb, the dry high season as the island gains popularity.

Budget accommodation can be hard to come by but the best bet is to head to the south end of Long Beach. In low season en suite bungalows can be found for USD10 and rooms for USD8. The cheapest lodgings are Nhat Lan, Viet Thanh or Lien Hiep Thanh. They are at about 40 min on foot or 10 min by motorbike taxi (10,000-20,000 dong) from Dương Đông.


 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * resort phu quoc Daisy Resort, Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 7, Dương Đông town, +84 84773. 844 412. email: info@daisyresort.com.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.
 * 9 Station Hostel, a very large hostel. Hostel has a great common area, pool, billiards, and foosball. Very clean and great decor. Same owners as the fancy Lahana Resort next door although all facilities are separate.

Stay safe
Your biggest risk on Phú Quôc is getting sick or being involved in an accident. When setting out on a motorbike trip, ensure you have a basic first aid kit and your hotel telephone number with you.

By boat
When leaving the island by boat, you can get a mini-bus ride from Dương Đông night market to Superdong East Pier for 25,000 dong at 07:00, about a 40-min journey. Hotel pickups seems to vary from free to 60,000 dong.


 * Rach Gia - 2 hr 20 min
 * Ha Tien - 1 hr 20 min

By plane

 * Ho Chi Minh City - 1 hr
 * Hanoi