30-day guide to exploring Phu Quoc

As the only place in Vietnam with a visa exemption policy of up to 30 days for all tourists in the world , Phu Quoc Island - the "rising star" of Southeast Asia - has many attractive experiences to make your long vacation always "bustling".

This year-end holiday travel season, Southeast Asia is witnessing a new phenomenon - Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, when it was named by a series of the most prestigious travel magazines as one of the most wonderful islands in Asia and the world, surpassing other popular names in the region such as Phuket, Koh Samui (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia)...

Recharge at Kem Beach - one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet.

In July, Travel+Leisure voted Phu Quoc the second most beautiful island in the world, just after the famous Maldives in the World's Best Awards 2024.

DestinAsian put Phu Quoc in the top 10 most wonderful islands in Asia. Most recently, Condé Nast Traveler announced that Phu Quoc created a hat trick, being the only representative of Vietnam to be in the top 10 most wonderful islands in the world for three consecutive years, ranking 2nd out of 10 Asian islands in the top with a very high score: 95.36/100 points.

It's no coincidence that Phu Quoc is called the "hidden gem" of Southeast Asia and below is a suggested 30-day itinerary that is not boring and always busy for a true "adventure" on the Pearl Island.

Week 1: Enjoy the "tropical paradise" in the South Island

Phu Quoc is the first coastal city and the largest island in Vietnam, possessing invaluable natural conditions for tourism development such as temperate climate, warm sunshine all year round, rolling hills, 28 large and small islands and 14 wide beaches.

If Phu Quoc is known as a beautiful pearl, then the South Island is home to the most beautiful beaches on the planet and the largest coral conservation area in Phu Quoc.

In the South of the island, the two most prominent beaches are Bai Kem and Bai Sao, both ranked among the most beautiful beaches on the planet thanks to their wide sandy shores and distinctive creamy white sand.

You will be surprised when you first touch the sand at Bai Kem, feeling the smoothness and coolness like ice cream. Bai Kem also impresses with its very gentle sandbank, about 300 - 400 m from the shore but the water is still only up to the knees.

Explore Bai Kem in many different ways and divide into days: one day to enjoy the peace by sunbathing all day; one day to make friends with the locals to play sand sports such as volleyball; one day to kayak or adventure sports such as canoeing or jetskiing…

If you want a change of pace, you can go to nearby Sao Beach, swim in the sea and watch fishermen go out to sea every dawn, or sip a cup of authentic Vietnamese iced milk coffee at Highlands Coffee.

If you want to go further out to sea to explore the amazing ocean, you can join clubs like Eco Beach, Ngoc Hien... to become an "astronaut" of the ocean.

If you are into more "wild" style travel, you will definitely enjoy the three-island tours in Phu Quoc, where you will be taken to the most beautiful free-diving spots in Phu Quoc, and play the role of "Robinson on a deserted island" when visiting offshore islands.

La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton offers guests a unique and personalized experience, connecting you easily to the top shows in Sunset Town.

Staying in the South of the island, you can choose high-end resorts at Bai Kem such as JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, Premier Residences Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, New World Phu Quoc.

If you want to be quiet and enjoy a truly "escape" vacation, go to Premier Village Phu Quoc in Ong Doi Cape - a place separated from the world and also the only resort on the Pearl Island where visitors can watch both sunrise and sunset.

If you want to save more money, you can consider staying at mini hotels nearby, or a little further away at Sunset Town with prices starting from only 500,000 VND/night or from 7,000,000 VND/month.

Week 2: Immerse yourself in local life in Duong Dong

Say goodbye to the peace and beautiful nature of South Phu Quoc Island, experience the second week on the Pearl Island, vibrant and colorful in Duong Dong - the central district of the island. This is the place for visitors to feel most clearly the life of the indigenous people.

Phu Quoc is famous for its fresh seafood.

Rent a motorbike to explore Duong Dong early in the morning, observing life at the colorful seafood markets. Then, each morning, spend time exploring the local eateries and cafes.

Co-working places (cafes for working people) have begun to appear in Duong Dong. At noon and in the evening, experience some of the most popular specialty restaurants for Westerners such as Kien Xay AC Noodle (selling bun quay), The Home Pizza (selling traditional Phu Quoc wood-fired pizza combined with Italian flavors - with durian pizza as a specialty), Japanese noodle shops, Hanoi and Nam Dinh pho shops...

A special feature in Duong Dong is the bars suitable for chilling in the afternoon and evening. Among them, Oc Sen Beach Bar is a suitable place to sip drinks, listen to relaxing music, and bury your feet in the sand with the sunset right in front of your eyes. Chuon Chuon Bistro & Bar with the rooftop is an interesting place to see the whole view of Phu Quoc.

In the evening in Duong Dong, don't forget to explore Phu Quoc night market, or go to King Kong supermarket to buy souvenirs at very affordable prices.

In addition to culinary and entertainment experiences, if you are a culture lover, take time to explore the spiritual life of the coastal people at Dinh Cau.

About 100 years old, this is where fishermen worship Cau Quy, Cau Tai and Chua Ngoc Nuong Nuong to pray for safety at sea and good luck for their families.

In addition to its sacred reputation, thanks to its prime location on a rocky outcrop jutting out into the sea, Dinh Cau is also visited by tourists to admire the majestic scenery and enjoy the cool, pleasant sea air.

Week 3: Discover the unique features of the North Island

The journey to discover Phu Quoc will surprise you more and more as you move from the South to the North of the island. You will see the change in color of the sand.

If the beaches in the South of the island have soft, creamy white sand, the sand in the middle of the island such as Bai Truong has a darker color, gradually turning yellow, while Bai Dai in the North of the island has orange-yellow sand, with a characteristic rustling sound when you touch your feet.

In the North Island, a week is enough time to explore it all. Spend one or two days exploring the primeval forest of Phu Quoc National Park, join tours to find the island's purple treasure - Melaleuca mushrooms, and explore the picturesque streams.

Then, spend the next one or two days exploring the pristine beaches at Ganh Dau and Rach Vem. This is also the area with the most starfish in Phu Quoc. You can rent a canoe to Ham Rong beach to see these beautiful sea creatures with your own eyes.

The pristine beauty of Bai Dai.

The North Island not only has unique natural experiences but also has attractive entertainment areas, suitable if you go with your family. Typical examples are Safari Zoo, VinWonders Park with fairy tale theme, or Grand World recreating a Venice with typical gondola boats.

Week 4: Multi-experience at Sunset Town

Sunset Town in the South of Phu Quoc Island is the place with the most attractive experiences on the Pearl Island to prove this saying.

The most widely praised experience by international media is the Guinness World Record-breaking three-wire cable car experience, the world's longest, to Hon Thom Island, where visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Phu Quoc's sky and sea from a bird's eye view.

Hon Thom, inspired by the islands of Polynesia, treats you to a Kaya show with greetings from the natives, vibrant pool parties with DJs...

Here, you must spend at least a whole day playing in the water park, then experience the thrill of the only wooden roller coaster in Vietnam, bringing very new feelings.

Hon Thom Cable Car is an experience that is constantly praised by international media.

Then, spend about two days exploring every corner of Sunset Town with its bougainvillea-filled street corners and interesting murals that you'll want to stop to take photos and interpret.

In the afternoon, go with your loved one to the Kiss Bridge - the unique "no-touch" bridge in the world praised by CNN, a destination for couples to express their love and watch the most beautiful sunset in Phu Quoc.

The sun sets and opens a series of art shows that one day is probably not enough to enjoy them all.

Symphony of River Show performed at Sunset Beach, with the combination of jetski & flyboards, lights, Vietnamese flags, water cannons and artistic fireworks will bring explosive feelings.

Emotions will explode even more with the Kiss of the Sea show at Asia's largest sea theater, with the participation of 60 international artists and a combination of 8 types of performances.

Not only that, every 10pm, Sunset Town treats visitors to brilliant fireworks displays, making every night of your vacation memorable.

Symphony of the Sea brings visitors a feast of extreme sports performances, lights, music, especially water fireworks at Sunset Town.

Don't forget Phu Quoc is also the island of drunkenness, with a beer festival 365 days a year with a very special craft beer - Sun KraftBeer and the beer restaurant Sun Bavaria Bistro.

Sun Bavaria Bistro is the most fun destination in Phu Quoc and has the best view of the Symphony of the Sea show. The restaurant can accommodate nearly 1,000 guests indoors and outdoors, with a glass roof and large glass doors creating an airy space and maximizing the view of the sky, the blue sea and the iconic Kissing Bridge.

Every night, guests can burn out with vibrant DJ music, hot dances by international dancers, premium cuisine and draft beer poured directly from 14 giant beer tanks right in the restaurant.

Sun KraftBeer is brewed according to strict German regulations, which only allow natural ingredients including water, barley, hops and yeast to brew beer. Unlike industrial beer, Sun KraftBeer is unfiltered and unpasteurized. This retains the delicious and healthy proteins, while ensuring a fresh beer taste.

Interestingly, each type of Sun KraftBeer has its own unique flavor with Lager, Ale, Wheat beer lines combined with iconic images in Phu Quoc.

The 30-day itinerary in Phu Quoc suggested above is actually not enough to explore the entire Pearl Island. Once you come to Phu Quoc, you will be "addicted" and want to come back many times.

The island still has other unique experiences waiting for you to come back and explore, such as visiting the fish sauce factory, exploring the Phu Quoc ridgeback dog farm, visiting historical sites, or visiting pepper gardens... One thing is for sure: Phu Quoc will always surprise you every time you come back.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/cam-nang-30-ngay-kham-pha-phu-quoc-192241128145824969.htm