Phú Quốc: Vietnam's Tropical Island That Grew Up

Phú Quốc is Vietnam's largest island (574 km²), 45 km off the southern coast in the Gulf of Thailand. Until about 2010 it was a backpacker secret, sleepy fishing villages, empty beaches, no international airport. Then Vinpearl, the largest Vietnamese resort conglomerate, built a megaresort. Then a few more megaresorts. Then an international airport. Then the new cable car (the longest over-sea cable car in the world, 7.9 km). The island has changed — but it has not been destroyed, and large parts still feel like the original place.

It's still a real Vietnamese island: 100,000 residents, mostly fishing families; the country's #1 producer of fish sauce (the famous Phú Quốc nước mắm) and a major pepper-growing region; a small national park with rare langurs; and 150 km of coastline with more than 20 distinct beaches.

Where to stay

The fundamental question: which beach?

• Bãi Trường (Long Beach): The main tourist strip, all the megaresorts (Marriott, Hilton, Vinpearl, Movenpick), the easiest but also the most developed. 20 km of sand, mostly fine.
• Bãi Khem (Khem Beach): The prettiest bay, quieter, on the southern tip. The JW Marriott is here, also some smaller boutique resorts.
• Bãi Sao (Sao Beach): The classic day-tripper beach, white sand, calm water, but the day-trippers from cruise ships descend around 10 a.m. Best early or late.
• Phú Quốc city (Dương Đông): The main town, working port, not pretty but the night market here is the best food scene on the island.
• Bãi Dài (North): The longest stretch of empty beach, the new VinWonders, the airport. Avoid the center; the ends are still wild.

What to do

• Beach day at Bãi Sao or Bãi Khem: The whole point. Bring a book, swim, eat grilled seafood at one of the beach shacks.
• Snorkeling/diving at An Thới islands (south): Half-day boat trips to 4-5 small islands with decent snorkeling. Reefs are not world-class but the water is warm and clear.
• Phú Quốc National Park (north): 31,000 hectares of rainforest, hiking trails, streams, the rare silver langur. A morning or half-day trip.
• Pepper farm tour: The island is famous for its pepper. Several farms offer tours with tastings. The pepper is good — buy some.
• Fish sauce factory: Phú Quốc produces 70% of Vietnam's fish sauce. The Khai Hoan and Phụng Hương factories offer tours. The smell is extreme; the resulting nước mắm is the best in the country.
• Sunset town cable car + Hòn Thơm island: The 7.9-km cable car to Hòn Thơm island. The water park on the island is for kids; the beaches and snorkeling are for adults.
• Dương Đông night market: Every night, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Grilled seafood, sugarcane juice, bánh tráng nướng (Vietnamese pizza), souvenirs. The best meal on the island for under $5.

The food

Phú Quốc is seafood, and the seafood is good. The specialties:

• Gỏi cá trích (raw herring salad): The island's signature dish. Fresh-caught herring, sliced thin, dressed with lime, chili, herbs, coconut. Served with rice paper and crispy rice crackers. Try Nhà Hàng Việt Phú (Trần Hưng Đạo).
• Nhum biển (sea urchin): Grilled with scallion oil, eaten with rice crackers. Try at any beach shack.
• Cá chiên xù (whole fried fish): The local grouper or red snapper, fried whole, with a tamarind dipping sauce. The freshest fish in Vietnam.
• Bún quậy (shaken noodles): A Phú Quốc version of noodle soup, where the cook shakes the noodle basket vigorously. Quick, fresh, breakfast-y.

How long to stay

3-4 nights is enough for a beach holiday with one day trip. 5-6 nights if you want to explore the north. A week is the resort stay length.

How to get there

Direct flights from HCMC, Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, and several regional Asian cities. 1-2 hours. Or the hydrofoil from Rạch Giá (4.5 hours) or Hà Tiên (1.5 hours) — slower but cheaper and more scenic.