Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, sits in the Gulf of Thailand off the southern coast, its interior still thick with jungle despite a fast-growing string of resorts along the coastline. White-sand beaches, clear water, pepper plantations, and pearl farms give it a tropical character distinct from the rest of Vietnam, and a boom in luxury development has turned it into the country’s premier island getaway for travellers who want beach time without leaving Vietnam.
Long Beach (Bai Truong)
Long Beach, stretching along the island’s southwest coast, is Phu Quoc’s most developed strip of sand, lined with resorts, restaurants, and bars that make the most of some of the island’s best sunset views. It’s the natural hub for first-time visitors, with easy access to Duong Dong town, dining options, and water sports operators. Despite the development, the beach itself remains wide and pleasant, with calm, swimmable water for most of the year.
Sao Beach
On the island’s southeast side, Sao Beach is often considered Phu Quoc’s most beautiful, with squeaky white sand and shallow, turquoise water that stays calm for swimming. It’s quieter and less built-up than Long Beach, though beach clubs and simple seafood shacks have moved in along the tree line. The drive out takes visitors past pepper farms and quieter countryside, making it a natural pairing with an inland day trip.
Hon Thom Cable Car
The Hon Thom Cable Car holds the record for the world’s longest over-sea cable car, stretching nearly 8 km from An Thoi on the mainland to Hon Thom (Pineapple Island). The ride offers sweeping views over turquoise water and scattered fishing boats below, and deposits visitors at Hon Thom’s Sunset Town complex, which has beaches, a water park, and amusement rides. It’s as much an attraction in itself as a way to reach the island.
Phu Quoc Prison & Dinh Cau Shrine
Phu Quoc Prison, once used to hold political and military prisoners during the war, is preserved as a museum documenting the harsh conditions inmates faced, with reconstructed cells and exhibits similar in tone to Con Dao’s prison sites. In Duong Dong town, the small Dinh Cau Shrine sits dramatically on a rock outcrop at the harbour mouth, dedicated to a sea goddess and popular with fishermen seeking safe passage — it’s especially photogenic at sunset with waves breaking below.
Food & Night Market
Phu Quoc’s cuisine centres on exceptional seafood, thanks to the island’s fishing fleets, along with famous local products like fish sauce (nuoc mam) and black pepper grown on the island’s plantations. The Phu Quoc Night Market in Duong Dong is the best place to sample it all, with stalls grilling scallops, prawns, and squid to order alongside classic Vietnamese street food. Ham Ninh Fishing Village, on the island’s east coast, is another good spot for ultra-fresh seafood straight off the boats.
Suoi Tranh Waterfall & Ham Ninh
Suoi Tranh Waterfall offers a cool, jungle-shaded escape from the beaches, with a short forest walk leading to cascading pools where visitors can wade and swim. It’s a modest waterfall by regional standards but a pleasant break from sun and sand. Nearby, Ham Ninh Fishing Village retains a working, low-key character, with stilted houses over the water and a jetty lined with vendors selling fresh and dried seafood, offering a glimpse of island life away from the resort strip.
Best Time to Visit
Planning a trip to Phu Quoc? We arrange private guided tours — day trips, multi-day itineraries, and custom routes.
Phu Quoc’s dry season runs roughly November to April, bringing sunny days, calm seas, and the best conditions for beach time and boat trips, with temperatures typically in the high 20s to low 30s°C. The wet season, May to October, brings heavier rain and rougher seas, particularly in July and August, which can disrupt boat trips to outer islands, though showers are often short-lived. November to March is considered the peak and most reliable window.
Getting There
Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC) receives direct domestic flights from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and other Vietnamese cities, as well as a growing number of direct international flights. As an island, there’s no road access — ferries also run from Ha Tien and Rach Gia on the mainland for those travelling overland first. The airport is a relatively short drive from Long Beach and Duong Dong town.
Where to Stay
Long Beach and Duong Dong town offer the widest range of accommodation and the most convenient access to restaurants, nightlife, and the night market. Ong Lang Beach, quieter and less developed to the north, suits travellers seeking a more laid-back, resort-focused stay away from the crowds. Luxury resorts are concentrated along the western coast, capitalising on sunset views, while the island’s north and interior remain comparatively undeveloped.
Practical Tips
Rent a scooter or arrange private transport to reach spread-out sights like Suoi Tranh, Ham Ninh, and Sao Beach, as distances are longer than they appear on a map. Book Hon Thom Cable Car tickets in advance during peak season to avoid queues. Bring reef-safe sunscreen for snorkelling trips. Try to time outer-island boat excursions for the dry season, when seas are calmer and less likely to cause cancellations.