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When I was planning my trip to Vietnam, I wanted to set aside a few days for a place where we could rest from the intense schedule. I decided that place would be Phu Quoc Island – the pearl of Vietnam.
How many days should you spend there?
There’s a lot to see on Phu Quoc. This island is developing literally by the day. We set aside 6 nights, and even though we thought that would be plenty, we ended up filling the schedule completely. The different parts of the island each have their own charm. To really enjoy the place and explore the surroundings, don’t plan for less than 4-5 nights.
You can watch the video with more information about the island on my YouTube channel here
Which part of Phu Quoc Island should you stay in?
We stayed here for our first 3 nights, and it was our favorite part of the island. The area is quiet, the beach is one of the most beautiful on Phu Quoc, and the atmosphere is perfect if you want a real getaway rather than crowds.
Brand new neighborhoods and areas have literally been built in this part of Phu Quoc. Our hotel was close to Khem Beach, so if you’re looking for a place to stay, I’d recommend looking in this area. See the hotel and check available dates here.
We spent the second part of our stay here. The hotel is close to restaurants and shops, and the sunset from the rooftop pool is unforgettable. Check prices and room availability here.
Our favorite, though, remained the southern part of the island. The western part is closer to the center, the market, and the shops, but the southern part feels like a little slice of land cut off from everything – full of beautiful views, beaches, and atmosphere.
How to get around Phu Quoc Island
Wherever you stay, there’s always the option to rent a scooter for the day for about $6. If you want to explore rather than just stay at the beach closest to your hotel, a scooter is the ideal option.
When we moved from one part of the island to the other, we used Grab – an app for booking taxis, with great prices.
If you’re planning your trip to Vietnam yourself, you can find useful information on how to prepare here.
Things to See on Phu Quoc – The Pearl of Vietnam
The Beaches
Of course, I can’t start the list of the island’s attractions with anything but the beaches. I’ll talk about the ones we visited.
1. Khem Beach
This is the TOP beach on the island. It was the first beach we visited, thanks to how close our hotel was to it, and it stayed our favorite. The water is crystal clear, warm, and shallow – I have no words for this beach. If you’re traveling with small kids, this is the place for you. The palm grove on the beach is incredible. Lying on the sand, looking up at the coconuts overhead, feels like a fairy tale. There aren’t many places to eat nearby – this area is quieter, but walking along the beach in the evening is an incomparable experience.
2. Sao Beach
My second favorite beach here. The water is again super clean, warm, and shallow. There are more places where you can grab a drink or a bite. For those of you into Instagram-worthy photos, there’s a swing here that makes for great shots – and it’s a lot of fun to swing from a palm tree, even if I personally didn’t want to get off. The palms here are very tall and curved. The atmosphere is a bit different from Khem Beach, but I’d still recommend visiting.
3. Starfish Beach
The beach with the starfish. What I loved most was how you get there. We took a scooter to the spot where the boats depart. The price for two people was around 400,000 dong, roughly €16. Crossing along the docks made me feel like Lara Croft – it was such a fun experience. The boat ride takes about 10-15 minutes, drops you at the beach, and picks you up again after 2 hours. The beach itself is cool and wild, the water is clear, and in the distance you can even see the coast of Cambodia. There’s one place where you can grab drinks.
4. Long Beach
This beach is quite hyped, but compared to the first two, I’d say it didn’t impress me at all.
Coconut Tree Prison – The Island’s Prison
The prison was built in 1946 by the French colonizers. It was used to imprison enemies of the regime during the Indochina War, and at the time was considered one of the largest prisons in all of Southeast Asia. In 1954 everyone was released. It was used again during the Vietnam War, between 1967 and 1973.
Today it’s open to visit, free of charge. You can read a lot about its history there. The designers have recreated the entire setting well, and at times it feels a little eerie. It’s hard to imagine that such hell once existed in this paradise-like place.
Sunset Town Phu Quoc – The Spirit of Italy, Brought to Vietnam
Developers built a completely new town from scratch, bearing Italy’s spirit and transporting visitors to Europe. I was skeptical about this place, but when I visited it completely won me over. It reminded me of the spirit of Las Vegas. They’ve built a Colosseum, created their own Venice, and every street carries a piece of Italy – Positano, Capri, Amalfi. The place is definitely not tacky, and after more than 2 weeks in Vietnam, the sudden shift into this atmosphere was a pleasant surprise. There’s a cable car that departs from Phu Quoc and continues to a nearby island with a water park. I don’t know how they came up with this place, but it’s definitely worth visiting. It remains unfinished, and I believe now is the right time to visit before crowds of tourists pack it. We even met Italian tourists there who were impressed and loved the place.
In the evening there’s a beautiful light and sound show, for which they built an entire bridge and structure – the Kiss Bridge. You can check times and tickets for the “Kiss the Stars” show there.
This island is one of my favorite places in Vietnam – and honestly, a favorite among all my travels. Khem Beach will stay in my heart as a very special, romantic place. Here’s why:
What’s ahead for Phu Quoc Island, and why I believe it may soon go from a “rising paradise corner of Vietnam” to a “fading” one
Vietnam is a country developing at an incredible pace. The investments flowing in here keep growing every year. But unfortunately, just as we’re destroying beautiful places in Europe, they’re heading down the same path here. When we rented a scooter and rode around the island trying to find a wild beach, it was impossible to reach the shore in most places. Why? Because huge – truly massive – complexes are currently being built, with investments from Arab countries and American chains. This will soon make free access to the beaches nearly impossible. But sadly, that’s the risk and the consequence of a beautiful country’s development.
