Phu Quoc is also known as Pearl Island. It’s the largest island of Vietnam, is also the largest island in a population of 22 islands. Located in the Gulf of Thailand. Phu Quoc island and other islands form the Phu Quoc island district of Kien Giang province.

The whole island district has a total area of 589.23 km². Duong Dong Town, located in the northwest, is the capital of the island district. Far from Rach Gia about 120km and 45 km from Ha Tien town. In 2006, the Kien Giang Coastal was recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.

Phu Quoc tourism is strongly invested in transportation infrastructure and accommodation. There are many direct flights from domestic and foreign are set up to Phu Quoc, hundreds of large resorts are built.

Phu Quoc has 22 large and small islands, of which the largest is Phu Quoc Island. Which covers an area of 574 km² (56,200 ha), 50 km long, 25 km wide in the north of the island. The highest point is 603 m (Lord Mountain). The natural topography runs from south to north with 99 hills. The shallow sea areas are less than 10 m deep. However, the small island cluster of An Thoi port is completely separated from the southern tip of Phu Quoc Island by a strait with a depth of more than 60m.

You can go to Phu Quoc at any time of the year. But if you do not want to be upset with rain so you can avoid the rainy season (June – October). But dry season of Phu Quoc around November to April. This time will be perfect time for Vietnam beach holidays. If you do not plan to spend a few months in advance (to hunt for cheap airfare) but only schedule a few days before. The weather can be monitored on the weather forecast to be able to choose suitable time.

 

On the island of Phu Quoc always available taxi services, car rental service for the delegation. However, if you do not have a baby and old people, you should rent a motorbike to discover Phu Quoc more conveniently and economically. Motorbike rental in Phu Quoc is around 150k / day, gasoline car dump

The best thing to do in Phu Quoc is, of course, lounge on the beach. You’ll likely hear many different responses when you inquire about the most beautiful beach in Phu Quoc. And that’s because there are so many to choose from, you really can’t go wrong!

Sao Beach is arguably the most picturesque on the island with powdery white sand and crystal clear water. There are plenty of umbrellas and lounge chairs that you can rent to spend the afternoon enjoying the beautiful calm water. Sao Beach is eastern facing so unfortunately, you won’t get the best sunset here. But you can always head to the west side of the Phu Quoc in the afternoon to catch sunset.

Long Beach (also called Truong Beach or Bãi Trướng) is the most popular beach on the west side of Phu Quoc island. True to its name, the beach is incredibly long with over 12 miles of golden sand. Long beach is broken into two sections – North Long Beach and South Long Beach.

North Long Beach stretches for ~3 miles from the Trang An Phu Quoc Beach Resort on its northern end to the Song Tranh Canal at its southern end. This part of long beach sits closer to the town of Duong Dong (Dương Đông) which is the main town on the island of Phu Quoc. It’s also more built up with a variety of bars, restaurants, and hotels lining North Long Beach.

South Long Beach is about 9 miles in length and is home to newly developed upscale resorts. It is separated from the north end by the Sông Tranh estuary. Most of the beaches are owned by the luxury resorts here but you can still find pockets of public beach access.

Phu Quoc Prison is where Northern Vietnamese soldiers were imprisoned during the Vietnam War. The prison is now a museum where you can see torture instruments, photographs of former prisoners and various exhibits with life-sized mannequins depicting graphic scenes of what life was like in prison during its operation.

Whilst not for everyone, the prison is a way for tourists to learn more about Vietnam’s history and a reminder of the brutalities of war.

The prison is open between 7.30 am to 11 am and 1.30 pm to 5 pm daily 

Vinpearl Land Amusement Park features thrilling water slides, rollercoasters, outdoor and indoor arcade centres, amphitheatre, 5D cinema, and a wide range of dining options. Accessible within a 20-minute drive from Ong Lang Beach, Vinpearl Land Amusement Park is set between Vinpearl Phu Quoc Resort and Vinmec International Hospital. Vibrant street performances, mermaid shows, and traditional dances are also held every day, making it an ideal destination for travelling families looking to enjoy a fun-filled day on Phu Quoc Island. Vinpearl Land Amusement Park also offers complimentary shuttle services for those who purchase tickets from travel agents within Duong Dong Town

The Phu Quoc Cable Car is an oversea cable car and is the longest and continuous 3 cable aerial car system in the world. It’s located on the southwestern tip of the island. Your journey will begin on Phu Quoc island at An Thoi and your ride will last for about 15 minutes, ending at Hon Thom Island (also known as “Pineapple Island”).

During your cable car ride you’ll enjoy 360° views of the An Thoi Archipelago filled with tiny islands and vibrant turquoise water. Just make sure you go on a day when the weather is clear so you get the best views from your seat!

 

The Phu Quoc Night Market is a bustling open-air street market in Duong Dong that runs in the evenings from 5:00pm until midnight. Here you’ll find more than 100 different stalls selling seafood, ice cream, banana pancakes, drinks, and traditional souvenirs. After a long day of lounging at the beach, the best thing to do in Phu Quoc in the evenings is to explore the night market.

You can stop at one of the many seafood restaurants lining the streets of the night market for dinner or you can simply graze your way through all of the food stalls while eating a little bit of whatever catches your eye!

 

 

Cau Temple is located just by the Duong Dong Fishing Harbour and is an oddly shaped rock formation which local fisherman pray to before heading off to fish.

The temple has a brightly coloured lighthouse and Buddhist shrine making it totally Instragramable.

You can walk to the top of the temple for fantastic views of Dinh Cau Beach and fishing boats. Dinh Cau Rock is also a fantastic spot to photograph the sunset. The temple is open between 7 am to 6 pm.

 

 

 

The Ham Ninh Fishing Village is a bustling little pier on the east side of the island where you’ll find several local restaurants perched right above the sea. They are serving the freshest fish out of large bins that were obviously caught earlier that morning. It’s a great place to sample the seafood while getting to witness daily life in a small island fishing village.

 

 

If you thought Phu Quoc Island was stunning, wait till you see the gorgeous An Thoi Islands!! Just off the southern end of Phu Quoc Island you will find 15 tiny islands which make up the An Thoi Islands. The various islands are perfect for spending the day snorkelling, swimming, and fishing.

You can join various boat trips or even charter your own private boat. Just book in advance as these tours do book out quickly!

 

 

Suoi Tranh Waterfall is the perfect place to relax and breathe in fresh air while enjoying the surrounding nature. Just a short drive from Duong Dong, Suoi Tranh Waterfall is a popular place for locals and tourists alike as there are plenty of shady walking tours to explore and the waterfall is ideal for swimming.

The main attraction, Suoi Tranh Waterfall, is just a 20-minute walk from the entrance to the park. But you’ll find that the area also has several caves, rock pools, and streams to enjoy. There is a small entrance fee and keep in mind that the area gets crowded, especially on weekends.

 

 

 

Someone who travel to Phu Quoc will also be interested in what to play in Phu Quoc. Previously, Pearl Island was pristine and not many services, but in recent years, the investors massively to Phu Quoc makes this place no longer seem to have peace. But in exchange for full services to serve visitors.

Located in the Long beach area, northwest of Phu Quoc island, Vinpearl Safari is the largest zoological park in Vietnam. In phase 1, with a scale of 180ha, Vinpearl Safari gathers about 2,000 individuals, representing 140 species of rare animals from all over the world; is divided into two main areas: wildlife park, zoo:

• 660 individuals of 45 animal species

• Visitors have the opportunity to view some of the typical animals such as White Angels, Bengal Tigers, African Lion, Giraffe, Zebra and African Wildlife.

• 1,500 individuals of 100 species of animals

• Some rare species of animals will be taken care of here such as Chimpanzee, Black-legged Black-cheeked Fox, White-cheeked Crested Gibbon, Haunted Gibbon, Haunted Red Guinea and White-tailed Pheasant.

Not only a wildlife park, Vinpearl Safari also serves as a center for storing, preserving and propagating rare and precious animal and plant species of Vietnam and the world.

From the center of Duong Dong town. You can use the free bus of Vinpearl to visit this zoo. Opening hours: 9am – 4pm.

At Phu Quoc Island Aquarium, you will be admired hundreds of species of marine life from all over the world, divided into separate areas such as fresh water, saltwater or cattle.

Alternatively, exciting shows such as the mermaid’s performance, or the fish show will also be held daily in this beautiful Aquarium.

• Fish Salmon Program: 11:00 am and 3:00 pm

• Fish Feed Program: 10:00 am and 5:00 pm

Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc is a complex of beaches and a variety of exciting, fun, exciting underwater games for all ages. In the midst of the vast space of water, you will burn your energy with games, experiences, endless fun. With games such as Tornado Cyclone, Super slider, Multi-lane slider

In addition to indoor games, Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc also has an outdoor game area with many unique thrilling games such as flying saucers, spinning discs, giant swords.

Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc’s amusement park offers a wide variety of games that are suitable for a variety of ages. Beside the high tech games area such as: 3D virtual world games, fairy gardens…, there is also a large 5D movie theater with capacity up to hundreds of people.

It was revealed that “the most magnificent stage in the history of Miss Vietnam” – Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc will be the crowning place of Vietnam’s 2014 beauty. With a capacity of up to thousands of people , modern and sophisticated investment, Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc Water Music Theater will not only be the place of beauty. But also the place where art and music flourish.

In this show, visitors will enjoy and be enthralled by the attractive performances, familiarize with the strange black seagulls intelligent strange performances to greet the audience, swimming on land jumping around or swimming around. Or cute, hyperactive dolphins – the protagonist of the show. Audiences will see the acrobatics on the air, or more attractive than the strange dance steps with Coach, painting, pushing the Train glide on the water. Dolphins like children compete in each game to receive food from the coaches.

Ken noodle is a unique dish that you definitely cannot find anywhere outside Phu Quoc. The broth is made from dried shredded fish, fish broth, coconut milk, added curry powder and cook until they are vicious. The dish is served with thin noodles, fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, sliced cucumber, bean sprouts, raw papaya and added a little bit of sweet and sour fish sauce.

 

 

 

 

You can find thick noodle soup with fish cakes everywhere in Vietnam but trying the one in Phu Quoc is extraordinary. Banh canh in Phu Quoc is famous for its chewy, crispy fish cake which is made from mackerel and well-seasoned. Local people in Phu Quoc made the broth from simmered mackerel bone, pig bones, and minced pork. Additionally, thick noodle is made from rice flour, so that its texture is bouncy, soft that will melt in your mouth.

Thick noodle soup is a perfect combination of the sweetness of white chewy thick noodle, flavorful broth, tasty mackerel cake, spicy dipping sauce, pepper and fresh vegetables.

 

Raw herring salad is an exquisite Phu Quoc food that you would not want to miss. The locals call it salad but the way they eat this dish is pretty different from other normal Vietnamese salads. Shredded coconut and sliced raw herring are mixed with mint and onion then wrapped with fresh vegetables in rice paper and dipped in special sauce. The ingredients for the sauce are chopped chili, garlic, shallots, roasted peanuts which are all mixed with authentic Phu Quoc fish sauce in order to create a spicy yet fragrant and unforgettable flavor. A tip for you to enhance the flavor of this dish is to squeeze the lemon juice on the fish.

Echinus is amongst many must-try dishes in Phu Quoc and there are the 3 common ways that are recommended by the locals. The first one is scraping the meat inside, stir-fried with garlic then simmering in porridge. The echinus porridge is rich, sweet, and nutritious that  helps you recover promptly after many days traveling.

The most common way is to cut the echinus in half, and grilled on hot charcoals and topped with spring onion grease, roasted peanuts, then you use spoon to scrape the meat out and dipping it in black pepper salt mixed with lemon juice, you will feel the creamy texture and aromatic of the echinus.

The second way is to cut the echinus in two halves, top with spring onion grease and roasted peanuts, then grill it on hot charcoals. Take a spoonful of the meat and eggs inside and dip it in the mixture of black pepper salt mixed with lime juice, you will immediately feel the creamy texture and aromatic of the fresh echinus.

Or, you can also try raw echinus served with some drizzles of lime juice or wasabi. Enjoying fresh echinus in this way will help you fully taste all of the freshness and intriguing texture of this unique dish.

Being considered the most unique Phu Quoc food, shrimp noodle will definitely give you an unforgettable culinary experience. The word “quậy” means stir because the noodles are freshly made in place by the restaurant, running straight from the press to the pot of boiling water and are stirred around to cook. Fish paste and shrimp paste are finely ground, mixed well and then stirred around the bowl. After that, the boiling noodles water is added immediately to make them cooked so that you can taste the freshness and sweetness of the broth.

Self-service is another interesting point of the restaurant in which you have to mix your own condiments with salt, sugar, pepper, kumquat, chili and be ready to receive your vermicelli bowl from the owner. The shop is always crowded with long lines of people waiting, therefore make sure to come in the low hours to save your time.

Trachurus is most delicious when it is seasoned with chili salt and grilled on hot charcoal. To enjoy grilled trachurus, wrap the meat in rice paper with fresh herbs, vegetable and dip it in chili lime sauce. All create the sweetness but not fishy, and the meat is chewy that will melt in your mouth. Do not miss the chance to try this Phu Quoc dish when traveling to the island because it is not easy to find in other places and the trachurus is quite hard to catch.

 

Slipper lobster is truly amazing beyond your expectation! The most common way is to boil the lobster so that you can enjoy the sweetness and freshness of thick meat and its fascinating fragrant when dipped in black pepper salt mixed with lime juice. Alternatively, grilled slipper lobster with cheese, stir-fried with butter and garlic or grilled slipper lobster with spring onion grease are also common ways of cooking in many local restaurants in Phu Quoc.

 

 

Flower crab is another specialty in Phu Quoc Island and readily available in many local seafood restaurants but the one in Ham Ninh is the locals’ most favorite place. Ham Ninh crab is quite small but the meat is rich fragrant, fresh and delicious with a firm texture. Aside from boiled crab, crab fried rice is also a must-try. The dish is a harmonious combination of steamed rice, tasty boiled crab meat, slices of fried eggs and spicy chili sauce. All of these ingredients are blended to create a very idyllic and mouthwatering flavor that mesmerizes even the pickiest eaters.

Tips from Inspitrip: A large crab is not tasty as the smaller ones so that you should choose the medium size. In addition, if you like crab roes, choose female crabs. If you like meaty ones, choose male crabs. Crabs on Phu Quoc island are so good that it is a pity if you do not try this kind of seafood when arriving in the island.

Fried squid with fish sauce is also one of the best Phu Quoc food for the island visitors. The baby squids are fried with fish sauce, sugar, saute, garlic, chopped spring onions, and chili, creating the attractive smell and toothsome taste. It may sound easy to make the dish but Phu Quoc is the only place where you can taste the freshest and most authentic version of fried squid with fish sauce.

 

 

 

 

It is highly recommended that you should try as many kinds of snails as possible when you come to Phu Quoc Island. Most local seafood restaurants offer the same cooking ways but different kinds of snails will come with different flavors and distinctive tastes. However, there are some kinds of snails that are hardly found in the mainland or other coastline cities in Vietnam.

 

Baler snail (ốc giác) is a nutritious food with its meat is divided into two edible parts – chewy white meat and a rich soft brown part called roe. The popular baler snails salad uses cooked whi

te meat that is thinly sliced and mixed with diced banana flower, mints, chili peppers, cooking oil and other spices then topped with the roe and roasted peanuts. Besides that, grilled baler snails, baler snails with saute and boiled baler sn

ails are also must-try dishes.

 

Barbed snails (ốc gai) are relatively rare, so they are rarely sold in many seafood stores like others. This delicious dish of Phu Quoc can be grilled or boiled, with the meat is opalescent, creating chewy, crunchy texture and strong flavor that is totally different from other dishes.

 

Strombus (ốc nhảy) is known as one of the most awesome specialties of Vietnam’s sea areas like Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang, Phu Yen, etc. The snail’s flesh is crispy and fat with a provoking aroma, so it is used to make appetizing dishes such as strombus fried with sauté sauce or with garlic and onion, flower banana strombus salad, strombus steamed with ginger, grilled strombus and many more.