TROPICAL PARADISE
Azure-hued water. Soft, white-sand beaches. Palm trees swaying in the ocean breeze. Deliciously fresh seafood. For most Westerners who’ve never been to the island of Phu Quoc, these aren’t images we would typically equate with Vietnam.
But the rapidly developing resort island in the Gulf of Thailand offers all that and more at a price point that even perpetually underemployed and indebted millennials can afford. Imagine seaside resorts for $20-$60 a night, freshly caught and prepared seafood for a few bucks and a full-body massage right on the beach for less than the price of a single cocktail in an American city.
A relatively new international airport and relaxed visa rules for Phu Quoc visitors make this paradise resort island the most accessible to Western tourists it’s ever been. And with the monsoon rains in the rearview, the island comes alive for the dry season from November to March, when the humidity drops and average daily temperatures hover around a pleasant 80 degrees.
There’s no way around it: Flights to Asia from the U.S.
are long and often involve a layover or two. This is certainly the case for travel to Phu Quoc, whose new international airport only has one runway and few airlines that service it.
From Ho Chi Minh, it’s a short 40-minute flight to Phu Quoc on a local airline.
Vietnam Airlines is the most reliable, and though the cost of airfare can sometimes be double the rate of the ultra-low-cost VietJet and JetStar, those airlines are plagued by delays and cancellations.
The island offers a range of accommodations and experiences, from low-cost hostels to five-star resorts. But even in the middle, a three-star hotel located on Long Beach, where most resorts are located, can be found for as little as $20-$60 a night. At the top end of the scale, rooms at the ultra-chic JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa start at around $400 a night and go up from there.
Accommodations on Long Beach offer the convenience of being right on the main drag, with beachside bars and restaurants lining the strip all the way into Duong Dong town. Located on the western side of the island, Long Beach also offers multiple locations to watch breathtaking sunsets.
Accommodations can be booked on agoda.com and booking.com.
Phu Quoc has yet to catch on to the ride-sharing app craze that’s prevalent on mainland Vietnam and elsewhere. Luckily, taxis are abundant and easy to hail from the airport and in town. While taxi scams are common in Ho Chi Minh and should generally be avoided on the mainland, they’re all metered and regulated on Phu Quoc — no shady business here. A ride from the airport to most hotels on Long Beach runs about $4.40 and a ride into central Duong Dong from Long Beach is about $1.
While relying on taxis is perfectly fine, many visitors opt to rent a motorbike. At about $5-$15 a day, a motorbike allows you to zip around the island and explore the more pristine hidden beaches and fishing villages that dot the island.
Many hotels also provide bicycles to guests, and though the island is 220 square miles, much of the action is on Long Beach and the adjacent Duong Dong town, making walking a viable option as well.
Most visitors come to Phu Quoc for its pristine beaches. Resorts on Long Beach provide lounge chairs and food and drink service. There are also vendors hawking fresh coconuts to drink from ($1.30) and other fruit delivered to your chair. You can get an hourlong fullbody massage on the beach for less than $9.
Bai Sao Beach, on the southeastern tip of Phu Quoc, is the most picturesque of the island’s betterknown beaches. It can get crowded midday, making the morning and late afternoon the best times to visit.
For a more active water experience, there are plenty of guides and boat operators for hire who’ll take you snorkeling, scuba diving or night fishing for squid. Some resorts also offer jet-ski and kayak rentals.
Watching the sunset is somewhat of a daily ritual on Phu Quoc and one of the best spots to do so is the Dinh Cau temple, lighthouse and pier, where locals and tourists alike gather every evening to watch the sun disappear into the ocean. The temple is located atop a rocky outcropping that reaches into the sea, offering unobstructed views.
As darkness falls, the surrounding area fills up with street vendors hawking all sorts of grilled meats, banh mi sandwiches, fresh fruits and cheap souvenirs. For a boozier sunset option, grab a Hanoi beer ($1.32) and a seat at Sunset Beach bar and toast the end of another day in paradise.
When the night takes over, the island comes alive with activity. Children zoom around on lighted bicycles and other two-wheeled vehicles in a park near the marina in Duong Dong, and families gather for dinner at low tables in open-air restaurants and residences. The Phu Quoc Night Market in the heart of Duong Dong is a must-visit at this time. Beginning around 7 p.m., hundreds of vendors set up shop in this district where you can find fake pearls, Thai rolled ice cream and seafood so fresh it’s still swimming in tanks that front the entrance to many of the restaurants.
With everything Phu Quoc has to offer, it’s unlikely you’ll want to leave.