Beaches with beautiful waters, pleasant sunsets, tropical scenery, national parks, night markets and welcoming people are just some of what awaits you in Phu Quoc during your stay.
Sitting in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, off the coast of neighboring Cambodia, Phu Quoc is the largest of all Vietnam’s islands and one of the most interesting and peculiar you can visit.
Phu Quoc is also one of the most touristy islands in Vietnam, especially among Asian visitors from countries like Malaysia, China and Korea. We visited in low season, so we were lucky enough to enjoy it almost to ourselves.
That said, not everything that glitters is gold on this island: it has suffered from unchecked development, with a glut of resorts and residential complexes — many still unfinished — that have stripped away a fair bit of its coastal charm.
To give you a clearer picture of what to expect and help you decide whether this island is what you’re looking for, we’ve put together this guide to the best things to do in Phu Quoc.
In this post
1. Suoi Tranh Waterfall
One of the best things to do in Phu Quoc is to visit the Suoi Tranh waterfall, hands down the most popular and accessible of all the island’s falls.
Its entrance sits right by the road, so getting there couldn’t be easier. The whole site has recently been renovated, and inside you’ll find parking, restrooms and what amounts to a small theme park built around the falls.
To reach the waterfall itself, you’ll climb a long stretch of stairs running parallel to the river, passing several pools where you can take a dip.
The most famous is the last one — a pretty little pool of cool, crystal-clear water, perfect for washing off the sweat the walk up has almost certainly earned you.
Visitor information
- Open: Daily from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Entrance: Adults 30,000 VND (~US$1.15). Children 20,000 VND
2. Thien Son Dinh Trekking
One of Phu Quoc’s must-dos, especially if you love hiking and nature.
This short but intense trek leads to what is probably the most emblematic viewpoint on this Vietnamese island.
The climb is essentially one steep uphill slog through a good stretch of jungle-type vegetation — which means mosquitoes, heat and humidity.
Along the way you’ll hit several flights of stairs, plus one of the most beautiful and iconic trees in Phu Quoc.
Once at the top, take a breather and soak in the views over the whole southern half of the island and the nearby airport — an ideal spot to watch the planes take off and land, loaded with the tourists who arrive on the island every day.
3. Explore Phu Quoc by motorbike
For us, the best way to explore an island like Phu Quoc is to rent a motorbike and roam it at your own pace.
Surprisingly, despite being a big island, it has a good road network that lets you get from one side to the other relatively quickly.
The real fun, though, is getting lost down the many dirt tracks and smaller roads, which lead to simple little villages, beaches and places far less trodden by tourism in general.
Where to rent a motorbike?
We rented a motorbike through our accommodation for 150,000 VND (~US$5.80) a day.
That said, almost any accommodation or agency you come across offers this service, especially if you’re staying in Duong Dong. The more days you rent, the cheaper the rate you can get.
4. Unwind on Phu Quoc’s beaches
Phu Quoc’s main tourist draw is its beaches. They’re what bring thousands of visitors to the island every year.
We’ve said it many times: beaches aren’t Vietnam’s strong suit, and although Phu Quoc’s are probably among the best in the country, if a beach destination is what you’re after, we’d point you toward places like the Philippines or Indonesia instead.
Criticism aside, it’s fair to say several of them are in pretty good shape.
You won’t find crystal-clear waters in Phu Quoc, but you will find beaches that deliver a few days of peace and seaside relaxation to round off your trip through Vietnam.
Here’s a rundown of our favorites:
Khem Beach
Located in the southeast of the island and packed with resorts and private hotels, it’s without doubt one of the best beaches in Phu Quoc.
Most of the beach is taken up by areas reserved for the various hotels, restaurants and their sun loungers, but there’s a stretch very close to the parking lot where you can lay your towel freely.
It’s your typical tourist-filled beach, mostly upper-middle-class Western visitors.
Still, it’s an enormous beach that takes a good while to walk end to end, and where — budget permitting — you can try activities like kayaking or parasailing.
Sao Beach
Right next along the coast from the previous one, and cut from exactly the same cloth.
European-style buildings and developments, and beachfront bars with similar prices.
Ba Keo
Our favorite beach on the island. It’s generally clean too, although finding the odd bit of plastic floating by is fairly normal (that happens all over the island).
Ba Keo beach is ideal for watching the sunset, mojito in hand — from the shore, at any of its beach restaurants and bars, or by renting a kayak and enjoying the sunset from out on the water.
Starfish Beach
One of the best beaches in Phu Quoc is, without question, Starfish Beach.
Located in the north of the island, reaching Starfish Beach is no easy feat.
To get there, follow the paved road to the village of Rach Vem, after which a long stretch of dirt track — currently under construction — still awaits you.
Coming from the center of the island (Long Beach or Duong Dong), brace yourself for a good hour and a half of travel.
If you don’t ride, we recommend booking an excursion with any agency in Duong Dong, or you can book one online.
Once there, you’ll find several seafood restaurants — and we’re fairly sure a few people will approach you offering a boat trip to the most famous part of the beach, where the starfish gather in the greatest numbers.
You’ll spot plenty of starfish in many parts of Phu Quoc, but the sheer concentration in this corner of the island is what gave the beach its fame and its name.
One request: please don’t be that tourist who pulls starfish out of the sea, dumps them on the sand and lets them dry in the sun just for Instagram photos. Try not to touch them at all — just admire their natural beauty in the water.
5. Hon Thom Cable Car and Sun World Phu Quoc
Another of Phu Quoc’s big attractions is this popular cable car in the south of the island, whose nearly 8,000 meters of cable connect Phu Quoc with the Sun World Hon Thom amusement park on Hon Thom island, in the An Thoi archipelago.
The best thing the cable car offers is, without doubt, its beautiful views over southern Phu Quoc and the archipelago, which you can enjoy for the 15 minutes each crossing takes.
Once on Hon Thom, make the most of the park’s attractions, like its water slides or the wooden roller coaster.
Or simply use the trip as an excuse for some beach time.
Visitor information
- Hours: Open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Prices: Adult round trip: 650,000 VND (~US$25). Child round trip: 500,000 VND (~US$19) - You can also buy combos with meals or various shows included — an interesting option, especially for families with kids.
6. Island hopping around the Hon Thom archipelago
Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Phu Quoc is touring the Hon Thom archipelago on an island hopping excursion.
The route varies depending on the operator and the tour you choose, but you’ll typically visit the islands of Kim Quy, May Rut, Mong Tay and Gam Ghi, or similar.
These tours generally take in 3 or 4 different islands and a couple of coral reefs.
Fair warning: they tend to be very touristy. After reviewing practically every option on the island, we went with this tour, and honestly the experience was excellent — both for how much time is devoted to snorkeling and for the professionalism of the guides.
They also taught us a heap of interesting things about the corals and their conservation.
If you’re traveling as a family or prefer less snorkeling and more beaches, you can opt for this other tour with a barbecue included — less snorkeling, but according to other travelers we met along the way, a good experience as well.
7. Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc
Located in the northern part of the island, Vinpearl Safari is nothing less than the largest zoo in Vietnam, and another of Phu Quoc’s notable sights.
The park is split into two main sections:
- An open-air zoo: In the style of any regular zoo, with a range of native and imported species. This area also offers various shows and activities for children.
- A semi-free-range safari area: In the style of drive-through safari parks, where the animals roam at their leisure and you tour the grounds by bus.
Personally, as travelers, we’re not fans of this kind of place at all — but if you’re traveling with kids, they’ll probably have a whale of a time and stay entertained most of the day, while learning about and getting familiar with the animals.
Visitor information and tips
- Entrance prices are shown in the photo below.
- You can book through the official website or via this link.
- Hours: Open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
8. Grand World Phu Quoc
If you missed your gondola ride on your last visit to Venice, don’t lose hope — you can fulfill that dream after all, this time in Vietnam.
Grand World Phu Quoc is one of Vietnam’s biggest theme parks, featuring — among other things — a host of shows from around the world and even an exact replica of Venice’s Grand Canal, water included.
The park is really more of a gigantic town, with the distinct feel of a place built by and for tourists.
We barely set foot inside during our visit, but like any theme park, you could easily spend a full day among its shops and shows. It may appeal to families or those with a taste for the touristy; for us, it was entirely skippable.
9. Phu Quoc Night Market
The Phu Quoc Night Market is another of the island’s essential stops and the perfect place to wander in search of food or a souvenir once night falls.
You’ll find it on Bach Dang Street in Duong Dong, packed with food stalls and souvenirs of every kind.
Hours: Open daily from 6:00 pm until around midnight.
10. Phu Quoc Coconut Prison
Also known as Phu Quoc Prison and built during the French colonial era, it was one of the largest prisons in the country.
It sits in the south of Phu Quoc and was used mainly during the French occupation and the Vietnam War to hold prisoners.
Now converted into a museum, it’s somewhat reminiscent of Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, both in its dark subject matter and in its rather propagandistic presentation.
Visitor information
- Hours: Open daily from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Free entry.
How to get to Phu Quoc?
Phu Quoc lies in the Gulf of Thailand, off southwestern Vietnam, very close to the Cambodian coast.
The easiest way to get there is by plane, through Phu Quoc International Airport, which has daily flights from Vietnam’s main cities, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
You can also fly in directly from some of Southeast Asia’s major cities, such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Seoul and several cities in mainland China.
How to get around Phu Quoc?
The best way to get around Phu Quoc is on a rental motorbike. The good state of the roads and the generally light traffic make the island ideal for exploring at your own pace on two wheels.
If you don’t ride, you can hire a private driver to take you around the island’s sights with ease, for a full day or several days. You can arrange this service right at the airport or with any agency in Duong Dong.
If you don’t plan to move around much and mainly want beach time, you can simply book a tour for the activities that require transport — it’s included in almost every tour offered on Phu Quoc.
