Family trip

Phu Quoc Island is still in very early stages of developing family style entertainment, however there's still plenty to do on the island. We've suggested some of the top things to do with your family while visiting the island.

Take a tour

There are many tours to choose from now days, all of which are family friendly, and allow you to explore the island in ease, whether its a spot of night fishing, cruising and snorkelling around the An Thoi Archipelago or booking your own private tour or taxi and discovering a remote beach, there's a good range of tours to keep you busy.

Visit National Park
Did you know that national park covers more than half the island? There are some family friendly walking tracks in the national park that provide lovely cool walking conditions, or just drive through the National Park for a look at the beauty of this natural environment.

Karaoke for the whole family
Some of the Resorts on the island offer walk in Karaoke rooms that seat around a dozen people that you can hire by the hour. Prices are very reasonable, with drinks and food also available on order at most places.

This is a fantastic experience for the whole family and will leave you laughing for hours. We have sung at the Karaoke rooms at Saigon Phu Quoc Resort, which is located in the building to the left after you enter the gate, and found these to be terrific. Sasco blue also have 2 private rooms available as well.

Visit local markets
For an interesting walk, visit Duong Dong Market and take in the amazing sights of all the fruit and vegetation seller to the row upon row of seafood and fish for sale.

Night market in Duong Dong
There's a night market along Vo Thi Sau (just off Tran Hung Dao Street) as you approach Dinh Cau Temple, on most nights. The evenings are very popular here as many people come to watch the sunset near the temple, having a drink by the water and enjoying the evening markets.

Billiards
There's a couple of places in Duong Dong that now have billiards, including some cafes, all welcome tourists, otherwise try the Eden Restaurant located on Long Beach which has a couple of tables for use in their reasonably large restaurant and bar area, which is also family friendly.

Visit waterfalls
Phu Quoc island has a number of interesting waterfalls that can be visited on foot. These can be visited via a tour or just hire a taxi to take you to one of the waterfalls near Duong Dong, these are no more than 8kms away.

Cooking class

Saigon Phu Quoc resort offers Vietnamese cooking classes for the whole family, which is definitely a worthwhile experience you can take home with you, given the variety of tasty and healthily vietnamese dishes on offer. It's only a matter of time before more places offer cooking classes, and you'll want to know how to use fish sauce when you get home to flavor all those dishes.

Sung Hung pagoda

Located in Duong Dong Town, visitors will experience the peaceful ambience under the old banyan tree at Sung Hung pagoda. In the beginning there were two pagodas: Sung Nghia (Sùng Nghĩa) and Hung Nhan (Hưng Nhân), but now they are reunited into the one pagoda named Sung Hung Pagoda. Phú Quốc island, Vietnam. Built in early of the 20th century on the bottom of a mountain near the town, its gate heads North with a generally suitable structure. This pagoda is surrounded by huge old trees. The main entrance conforms to a three-gate style (called Tam Quan).
The statue of the Goddess Quan Am Bo Tat overlooks the centre of the courtyard over a small lotus pond. In the main hall, Tam The Buddha is placed on the highest altar. On the wall is a painting depicting Monk Duong Tang's journey to the West. Behind this is the shrine that worships Gautama Buddha's ascendancy to Heaven.

Duong Dong market

When you tour Phu Quoc, do not limit yourself to just the beach. In this post, I’m recommending that you check out the Duong Dong Market.

Duong Dong Market is just right across the old bridge in central Phu Quoc or, to be exact, located in Duong Dong Town. With no tarmac road and hundreds of people and motorbikes packing the narrow path, it’s gonna be quite a dusty affair. But this is Vietnam. If you want to get into the real life of the Vietnamese people, see ladies with conical hats sitting on the floor selling vegetables and hawkers shouting to get attention to their stalls, go to this Duong Dong Market. You won’t be disappointed.

Everything in Duong Dong market looks so different from anything else in town: huge fish, odd fishing tools … A lively and cheerful atmosphere permeates the marketplace from vendors in conical-palm hats sitting on the ground with their small baskets of little fruits and vegetables to salespeople at their big well-stocked stands. A walk to the market jetty where you can take wonderful snapshots of boats constantly loaded and unloaded in a hurry is also worth trying.

Phu Quoc restaurant - where to eat

The Vietnamese love their food - in fact, they obsessed about it all day! As soon as they had their breakfast, they will soon think about what they would have for lunch...so it's not surprising that you will find an abundance of small eatery places springing across this tiny island.

The food on Phu Quoc island is heavily influenced by the bountiful harvest of fresh seafood, herbs and vegetable...it is fresh, simple yet utterly deliciously refreshing...no fancy garnishes or over the top big plate with tiny portion a-la French style.

Some places you come across might appear to be shabby by western standards...but do not be fooled by their appearances! With a little sense of adventure and you will soon discover some of the tastiest and most inexpensive food you've ever eaten.

 An Thai Cafe, Phu Quoc
A nice relaxing An Thoi restaurant with a good view of town and the sea. They offer fresh seafood as well as Vietnamese and western dishes as well as variety of cocktails at reasonable prices. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Cuisine: Seafood, Vietnamese, Western, Pizza
Price: < US $7
Address: Khu Pho 3, An Thoi, (77) 844 307
Direction: Located in An Thoi Town, Southern Phu Quoc

Carole Restaurant, Phu Quoc 

Terrific place set in a lovely garden setting underneath a giant thatched roof with an excellent menu and reasonable cocktail selection.  The staffs provide a good efficient level of service. Do try their cocktails…and particularly the Mojitos!
Cuisine: Seafood, Vietnamese, Western, Pizza
Price: < US $10
Address: 88 Tran Hung Dao St, Duong Dong
Direction: A short walk from the Saigon Phu Quoc Resort

Tropicana Resort Restaurant, Phu Quoc
Lovely outdoor terraced eating area serving great variety of Vietnamese and western food, over -looking the beach at sunset. Friendly service. Try the Crab fried rice or Lemongrass Fish.
Cuisine: Seafood, Vietnamese, Western
Price: < US $10
Address: Resort, on the beach. (77) 847 127
Directions:  3km south of Duong Dong town
Web: www.tropicanavietnam.com

 Trung Duong Restaurant, Phu Quoc
 Terrific variety of seafood and Vietnamese dishes on the menu. We give this restaurant a high recommendation, having eaten here many times as recently as January 2008 and always found the food to be tasty and great quality. Try the Crab fried rice with your meal or deep fried battered prawns if available.
Cuisine: Seafood, Vietnamese
Price:  < US $10
Address: Duong Dong St., Phu Quoc, (77) 980 504
Direction: Located in Duong Dong Town Center

Palm Tree Restaurant
One of the few that will serve vegan food upon request
Cuisine:  Seafood, Vietnamese, Vegan
Price: < US $10
Address:    Located between Mai House and La Veranda
Direction:    3km south of Duong Dong town

Laguna & Neptune Restaurant, Phu QuocLocated at the Sasco Blue Lagoon Resort with sea views. These restaurants offer a wide variety of dining options with an interesting selection of dishes combining Asian and western flavours.

Cuisine: Seafood, Vietnamese, International
Price: < US $15
Address: Sasco Blue Lagoon Resort, 64 Tran Hung Dao
Web: www.sasco-bluelagoon-resort.com

 Buddy Ice Cream & Info Cafe, Phu Quoc
Friendly staff that offer a great selection of Ice creams and shakes in a clean and modern setting. Try the banana splits or strawberry shakes.
Cuisine:Ice cream
Price:< US $10
Address: 26 Nguyen Trai Street, Duong Dong Town
Direction:Centre of Town on the way to the market

 Minh Tri Restaurant, Phu Quoc
 A nice local place to relax on the beach and enjoy a range of dishes and cocktails.
Cuisine: Seafood, European & South East Asian dishes
Price: < US $10
Address: Tran Hung Dao, Khu Pho 1, (77) 848 829
Direction:Long Beach, southern end of Duong Dong

Gop Gio Restaurant, Phu QuocA local restaurant highly regarded by travelers, offering fresh seafood at very reasonable prices. Nice casual place for a bit to eat.
Cuisine: Seafood, Vietnamese
Price: < US $10
Address: 145 Bach Dang St, 2nd Quarter, (77) 847 057
Direction: Located in center of Duong Dong town

Cooking class in Phu Quoc island

Cooking classes are also innovative in nature, as they will not only teach you how to prepare a menu of dishes, they will also cover presentation and garnishing, which enhance prepared dishes and lend confidence in the overall culinary experience. Cooking classes teach students the right way to balance food textures and flavors, and how to use specific ingredients for certain dishes. You could also be exposed to various cuisines from around the world, and this will make you more knowledgeable about the art of cooking.

By attending cooking classes, you will be interacting with other individuals as well as professionals in the culinary industry. This will allow you to pick up additional tips that you might otherwise not have access to. You will also be able to contribute with tips, and thus a lot of additional information in cooking can be explored.

Cooking classes are fun to attend. You will learn new dishes, make new friends, and take home new techniques and ideas to make cooking at home more enjoyable. Find a cooking school location today in our growing cooking class directory, and take your cooking skills to the next level.

In Phu Quoc island, there are some resorts they have cooking class for you to join. 

Saigon Phu Quoc resort offers Vietnamese cooking classes for the whole family, which is definitely a worthwhile experience you can take home with you, given the variety of tasty and healthily vietnamese dishes on offer. It's only a matter of time before more places offer cooking classes, and you'll want to know how to use fish sauce when you get home to flavor all those dishes.

Vietnamese cooking class is available every Tuesday and Thursday in La Veranda resorts. Their cooks are very good. You can book the cooking class with the receptionist.

Mango bay resort :  The food was excellent (fresh spring rolls with prawns and pork, hot and sour mango soup, BBQ squid and banana and mango nems (mango and banana fried in butter, wrapped in rice paper, fried, and then covered in caramelised sugar and chocolate). The only problem was it wasn’t really a cooking class, but more of a cooking demonstration. In this cooking class, all we got to do was roll the spring rolls up, and then watch the chef do the rest. But it didn’t really matter – as we still got to eat it, which was the important part.

Phu Quoc – Haven of pearls

The Phu Quoc Pearl farm was established in 1998 under the Foreign Investment Law of Vietnam to cultivate South Sea Pearls for the local and international jewellery markets.

The company has a sea lease of 4km² and a land lease of 6,000m² granted by the Kien Giang Provincial Peoples' Committee. Situated on the West coast of Phu Quoc Island, the Pearl Farm is located 8km South of the main town, Duong Dong.Treasures from the Deep Ltd is a New Zealand registered company specializing in the Design and Hand Crafting of Pearl jewellery (set in 18k gold) Pearl Necklaces and Mother of Pearl Seashell (set in 925 Sterling Silver).

The company Owner / Director Grant Johnston has 25 years' Pearl Diving and Aquaculture experience and has been the General Director of Phu Quoc Pearls in Vietnam since 1998.

He provides the technical expertise and management to the venture and is also a major shareholder in the company. Treasures from the Deep was formed to create a marketing company for Phu Quoc Pearls who supply only the finest quality South Sea, Akoya and Mabe pearls to be handcrafted into exquisite designs for sale through out Pearl Galleries and website.

Fish Sauce in Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc fish sauce is one kind of fish sauce which is made in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. For years, Phu Quoc fish sauce has been considered as Phu Quoc speciality, it is famous both in Vietnam and all over the world.

Phu Quoc fish sauce is made from the main material is fish which is catch at Phu Quoc. Making Phu Quoc fish sauce has been over 200 years old. In Europe, Phu Quoc fish sauce has registered to keep the original name “Phu Quoc fish sauce”.

There are many kinds of fish can be used to make fish sauce but people there just only use rice fish to make Phu Quoc fish sauce. They mix 2 part of rice fish with 1 part of salt and keep them in jars for about 1 year. If the material is spoiled fish, time can be shorter but the fish sauce will not be as good as it uses.

The jars are very big. They are similar to fermentation tanks in beer, wine making industry but time for fermenting is longer. More time fish sauce is fermented, more protein it has. Phu Quoc fish sauce is the speciality which most of tourists when coming to Phu Quoc often bring back as gifts.

Black pepper in Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc produces over an incredible 400 tonnes of the best quality black pepper each year. You’ll find pepper plantations mostly around the central and northern parts of the island and most farmers won’t mind you stopping to take photo’s or viewing these amazing storks of pepper trees or the drying pepper. Organised tours also visit the Khu Tuong pepper gardens for a close look at the pepper gardens and cover the overall harvesting and drying process.

Vietnam is the leading global exporter of Black peppercorns with the best quality black pepper in Vietnam coming from Phu Quoc with big solid corns. Phu Quoc currently produces in excess of 400 tonnes of pepper every year, with the main harvesting season running from February through to July, however you can visit the farms all year round.

Peppercorn farmers have been struggling recently due to lower world pepper prices so some farmers are switching to other crops such as the Myrtle fruit for wine production which bring in more money.

Dive Sites

An Thoi Archipelago

Located south of Phu Quoc approximately a 45 minute boat ride from Duong Dong.  The Archipelago is made up of a collection of some 15 islands/islets including the largest being Hon Thon (Pineapple island), followed by Hon Roi (Lamp Island), Hon Dam (Shadow Island), Hon Dua (Coconut Island), Hon Vang (Echo Island), Hon May Rut (Cold Cloud Island), Hon Dam (Shadow Island), Chan Qui (Yellow Tortoise Island) and Hong Mong Tay (Short Gun Island). Courtesy of www.discoverphuquoc.com

The topography in this group of island varies considerably from the 60m deep strait between southern Phu Quoc island and Hon Dua Island and gentle sloping coral gardens off other islands. These islands also support some seagrass gardens which are more common off the eastern side of Phu Quoc, and home to the rarely seen Dugong. The archipelago is home to an abundance of smaller tropical fish, with the occasional grouper, tuna and mackerel also sighted.Top of page

Turtle Island (Doi Moi)

Located in the North West off the southern end of Bao Dai beach, about a 30 minute boat ride from Duong Dong, Turtle island is only 50m in length with a few palm trees and bushes with a sandy beach, and is also ideal for snorkelling. The waters surrounding the island are relatively shallow reaching no more than 10m, with an interesting range of hard corals and elephant ear and barrel sponges covered in sea worms and surrounded by small yellow damselfish, stonefish, some blue ringed angelfish and the occasional coral grouper and parrotfish.

Diving in Phu Quoc - In Troducing and Dive operators

This island paradise lies only 10o north of the equator, enjoying a tropical climate with average water temperature of 24oC (75o F) with an extensive variety of aquatic life. The best time for a dive is between October and May in the dry season, however scuba diving is still available all year.

Scuba diving is relatively new to Phu Quoc island, only having been recently introduced in 2002, so divers have the unique opportunity of discovering the marine life around the island for the first time, with many areas around the island still largely unexplored. This underwater frontier continues to yield exciting new dive sites that are only now being made available.

Even today, in some areas to the north around Turtle Island and in the coral gardens off Bai Dai, North East off Bai Thom and Rach Vem and virtually a large majority of the An Thoi Archipelago, you may enjoy the pleasure of being one of the first ever to dive the many sites.

Please report any Dive operators to us that do not take care of our marine environment, as we would prefer to promote eco friendly operators to ensure all visits can enjoy the fantastic underwater world for years to come.

The dive shops on the island offer a wide range of professional services including equipment sales, rental, diver training classes and specialty dive courses, one-day dives, multi-day packages, Discover Scuba Diving and Try Dive packages (supervised beginners diving).

For those divers travelling with families, or on a tight time schedule, the local dive-shops offer an excellent selection of dive trips. See the section on following dive operators in Phu Quoc, or visit their websites or contact them directly for more information.

It is important to make your own enquires with dive shops if you prefer to dive with PADI certified operators, as not all dive shops on the island are actually PADI certified, and some dive operators are more eco friendly when it comes to protecting the marine habit, so choose carefully.

Coi nguon Museum

 This is actually a private museum that is a MUST SEE when you’re visiting Phu Quoc. The building commands a road side location set on a hill, South of the town of Duong Dong.

This is a six floor structure that is modern in design and has great functionality…it’s a fairly new building….as is the museum itself…its barley a few years old, some parts of it are still under construction , at least were when I visited in January of 2010. Its design is such that you can move easily around from display to display and the continuity is great.

There are sections that deal with the history of Phu Quoc, including ceramics, bronze and stone tools, and animal and sea mammal skeletons.

There are sections that deal with the historical development of the people in connection to Phu Quoc.

You can see art work made by people from Phu Quoc..works using materials that are specific to Phu Quoc., sea shells and drift wood for example.

There are displays of boats here and examples of housing structures that are or were commonly used here on the island. There’s also the obligatory Shrine to Ho Chi Min and a fairly interesting display relating to the Coconut Tree Prison that I’ve mentioned earlier..

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There is in fact various structures on the property and once you finish indoors and leave the main building there’s a walkway that takes you up the hill to some of the other buildings that are a part of the museum. There is quite an elaborate Temple here, and example of a stilted house used even today by some people here on Phu Quoc.There are gardens and even an aviary where a breed of sea eagles are kept and a kennel where they are keeping a few of the “Phu Quoc” dogs, a breed that’s particular to Phu Quoc. The sea eagles are being bred here as part of an effort to save them from extinction.

It’s an interesting place to spend some time…and it was NOT busy…I was able to wander around without any worries about being crowded into a corner…I'm not sure that many people know of its existence...when I was asking people about it...before I visited the museum...no one seemed to know anything about it..

For a condensed look at the culture and history of Phu Quoc you really must make this museum a “thing to do” while you are visiting.

Access to the museum costs about $ 1.00...and access is available EVERY day from 0730 AM- 1100 AM and again from 1300 Pm - 1700 PM...

Address: No. 149, Tran Hung Dao St.,Duong Dong.

Phone: 84-77 3980206

(Source: virtualtourist.com)

Phu Quoc Hotels and Accommodation

Warning: unlike in most other East-Asian destinations, there is a substantial risk that all (affordable) hotels are fully booked if you arrive, so it is advisable to book ahead, also for back- and flashpackers. This applies at least in January, the dry high season and as of 2011 also in February, as the island gains popularity.

1.Mai House, +84-773-847 003 mailto:maihouseresort@yahoo.com. Consistently ranked the #1 resort choice on the island. Fourteen stylish, high quality thatched villas dotted around immaculate gardens on the beach. There's no air conditioning and no fridge in the villa's and no pool. The restaurant menu is good but limited. Despite this, most people who have stayed here, consider Mai House to be almost perfect. Villas: standard $45 low season, and $90 high season. Breakfast included. Booking can be tricky as owners Mai and Gerrard are not always responsive to booking enquiries during high season. Garrard's direct contact number is +84 918 123 796 should you have any difficulties.

2.La Veranda, 84-773-982 988 mailto:contact@laveranda.com www.laveranda.com Fourty three rooms and villas spread around a pool and French style colonial main building. Standard and Superior rooms US$125 low season and $240 high season. The one bed villas are better value at USA$165 low season and $250 high season.

3.Mango Bay Resort, Ong Lang Beach, +84 77 981 693 (mangobay@hcm.vnn.vn), www.mangobayphuquoc.com. A wonderfully peaceful resort spread between the sea on one side and a forest preserve on the other. The resort beaches are small, but the adjoining beach is as yet undeveloped for tourism and features a decent reef for snorkeling. This is a low-key resort, where the lawns are mowed by a herd of cows with wooden cowbells, and the spa opens directly onto the 'lawn' running down the sea. Bungalows are tastefully set back from the sea and separated from each other. There is a vegetable and spice garden on the property, and much of the food served is grown there. There are several styles of bungalows, each with its own connected outdoor bathroom. This place is the antithesis of your typical Phuket tour-bus resort. USD 90-150.

4.Long Beach's Ancient Village Resort & Spa, tel:84-773-981818, mailto:info@ancient-village.com, www.ancient-village.com contiunes with a 'soft opening' and if management is lucky will become the first 5-star resort on the island upon completion, though they have been working on the resort for 3 years and it is still not complete. Rooms are large and spacious, the fittings lovely, and the bathroom has a large wooden tub for soaking. However, the beds are hard and the linens sometimes stained. The restaurant used to offer themed dinners with a fusion of Vietnamese and Western specialties, but now even breakfast is troublesome as the staff are all new. Check with the hotel before booking as a number of guests have complained that they were not aware that the resort is still under construction, and have paid 5 star prices with 2 star quality and constant noise. There is no shuttle into town, but taxi are easy to catch along the main road. The beach is lovely, but you have to cross a bridge over a swamp with trash to get there. Hopefully things will start looking up since the hotel is now under new management.

5. Paris Beach Resort, Cau Ba Phong, Cua lap, Duong To (Go down Long Beach (south) and look for the sign on your right. If you see Eden Resort on your right, you just missed it.), 0084773994548, www.phuquocparisbeach.com. checkout: 11:00. Nice staff, very friendly owners, and one of the cheaper resorts. Owned and run by a French/Vietnamese couple - both professors - who enjoy running a hotel and having guests, it seems. Food is great and prices all rather reasonable. If there is no room at Paris Beach, try Beach Club Resort right next door - and vice versa 20$-40$.

6.Eden Resort, tel:84-77 398 5598, mailto:reservation@edenresort.com.vn, www.edenresort.com.vn/en-us/homepage.aspxEden Resort Phu Quoc is located on Western side of island, just down Tran Hung Doa rd. Guest rooms feature a fresh contemporary design and staff is friendly. The resort is located along white beaches and ocean, with a bbq restaurant pool side, and also a beach side restaurant. There is free Wi-Fi. The site has beautiful gardens, which makes up for the lack of development on either side of the property. For the price, this resort is quality with service above its rating.

7.Saigon Tourist Phu Quoc Resort, www.sgphuquocresort.com.vn. The oldest large three/four star hotel on the island.Bargain Beach Bungalows. What's still very special about Phu Quoc is the availability of small resorts built right on the beach with 8 - 16 cabins all at less that US$40.Budget accommodation can be hard to come by but the best bet is to head to the south end of long beach. In low season en suite bungalows can be found for $10 and rooms for $8.

8.Amigos Guest house, 118/10 Trang Hun Dao, Long Beach (next to La Veranda), 0917 707 456 (speak to Speedy) or 077 3 994 958. Amigos have immaculate bungalows with hot/cold water, AC, fridge, Satellite TV, queen bed in each. They are brand new having only been completed in October 2010. Amigos is located right on the beach and it has a great restaurant and bar area. Free internet and weekly promotions ongoing. There is even a children’s play area.

9.Amigos Restaurant Bar, 118/10 Trang Hun Dao, Long Beach, 077 3 994 58. This is a new facility which has the largest bar on the Long Beach strip. It is on the southern end of Long Beach and is surrounded by a number of resorts. It serves reasonably priced Mexican, western and Vietnamese food. It is owned by an Australian family who take a very hand’s on approach to the business. There is a great beach area, two pool tables and dance area that plays a good mix of music. There is a wide selection of drinks and cheap cocktails. Open till late.

Phu Quoc National park

Phu Quoc National park covers more than 50% of the island so it is definitely worth considering a visit, especially if you would like to escape the heat of the daytime sun, a walk along a park trail or motorbike ride on one of roads in the north will give you a taste of this natural environment on Phu Quoc.

Background and Park area

Phu Quoc National Park was established by the Vietnamese Government in 2001 after upgrading the previous Natural Protection Area and Nature Reserve to include an area of 31,422 hectares, which includes 8603 hectares of strictly protected area, 22,603 hectares of biological restoration area and 33 hectares for administration and services. An additional 6,144 hectares is dedicated to a land-buffer zone and around 20,000 hectares of sea-buffer zone, though the final Marine protection zones are yet to be declared.

Location and topography

The National Park is mostly located across the North of the island with the northerly and eastern boundaries following stretches of the coastline, except for the northerly villages of Gành Dầu and Rach Vem and Cửa Cạn. The park is situated within the boundaries of the following communes: Gành Dầu, Bãi Thơm, Cửa Cạn and in part of the Communes of Cửa Dương, Hàm Ninh, Dương Tơ, and Duong Dong Township.

The highest point in the national park is Mount Chua at 603m, with plans in future for a walking trail to a look out from this point. The national park contains a number of seasonal streams, with the most sizable being the Rach Cua Can river, which flows into the gulf of Thailand on the West Coast of the island just north of Cua Can village.

Visiting the National Park

Phu Quoc National Park is not strictly defined, however until the National park is made more accessible for the needs of tourism, the following options are available for visitors keen to explore what is on offer;

Hire motorbike on your own and explore the northerly parts of the island. The best areas and most forested parts can be found on the road toward Ganh Dau. To get there, take the road from Duong Dong towards Bai Thom and turn off toward Ganh Dau, the National park becomes more apparent the closer you get to Ganh Dau Village.

Walking Trails are limited, though for a great way to experience the national park there is a good walking trail 5kms before Ganh Dau, where the going is relatively easy and trail wide enough to take in the surrounding environment. The walk is a particularly pleasant way to escape the heat, as the vegetation provides cover from the heat of the sun. Take the same road mentioned previously towards Ganh Dau and 100m after the 5km Ganh Dau road marker on the left hand side you’ll find an opening in the national park with a clearly defined walking trail which continues for a couple of kilometers. Note, besides the 5km Ganh Dau marker, the actual trail is not sign posted.

If you’d like to experience the National Park along with other sites, you might consider booking a tour through one of the many tour operators on the island, or enquire with your hotel.

Flora and fauna

Located on an island with mixed terrestrial and coastal climates, Phu Quoc National Park contains many forest types and landscapes including mangroves and wet lands, sparse forested areas, coastal vegetation and forest on rocky mountains. Studies by the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center in 2005 recorded 1,164 higher plant species, including 23 orchid species and 12 rare plant species including the globally endangered Paphiopedilum callosum which was recently found in the park (www.wildlifeatrisk.org).

A total of 208 animal species were recorded in the National Park, including 28 mammals, 119 birds, 47 reptiles and 14 amphibians. Of these animal species, 6 mammal, 4 bird and 9 reptile species are globally endangered. The rare species include lorises, the long-tailed macaque, silver langur, otter, and hornbill.

The future of Phu Quoc's National Park

The national park is well recognised for it’s bio diversity and potential in future to attract tourism given the large portion of the island which is dedicated as national park area.

In recent years, local and Vietnamese authorities have made efforts to manage the National Park in a move towards protecting the environment and the ecosystems on the island. While some harmful activities still take place like hunting and trapping of animal, illegal logging, and land clearing, authorities are improving their surveillance and have greater powers in protecting the area. Additionally there is increasing community involvement and education taking place, informing local residents in the environmental value of the national park and in ways to protect the ecosystems.

Satefy tips while walking and trekking

Always plan your trip carefully in advance.

Leave written details of your route and expected time of return with a responsible person.

Take your time; set a pace that the slowest member of your party can handle.

Make sure you have plenty of water, and that you know where fresh water is available along your track.

Always carry a well-equipped first aid kit.

Never light a fire on a day of Total Fire Ban.

Getting around Phu Quoc

Just arrived or planning a holiday in Phu Quoc and wondering what to see and how to travel around Phu Quoc Island? Well this section provides a great starting point for getting around the island from the time you arrive to the moment you get off the beach to explore more of what Phu Quoc has on offer.

Menu Options:

Airport transport: options on arrival at the airport.

Island transport: options for getting around the island on your own.

Itineraries: free suggestions if planning to see the island on your own.

Tour operators: our operators: some of tour operators on the island

Road distances: and route tips and travel times for getting around the island.

Maps: free maps to give you a head start, otherwise pickup a cheap map when you arrive on the island.

Shopping in Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc Island offers some interesting shopping options for people fond to spend some money or buy some souvenirs while on holiday. The best shopping experiences can be found around the local markets in Duong Dong and An Thoi towns, however we have listed other possibilities below for you to consider along with some recommended items that are fairly unique to Phu Quoc Island.

Local markets

Duong Dong shops

Resort shops

Craft shops

Phu Quoc airport

Pearl shops

Unique shopping items

Local markets

For the best down to earth shopping and life style experience, visiting the local markets on the island is highly recommended. While western style goods are very limited, the local markets offer a colourful range of fruit, vegetables, seafood’s and much much more.

Duong Dong market located in the centre of town along the river is the islands largest and most exciting local market. At most times of the day this can be a busy place with the local traffic running along the road and boats coming and going, loading and unloading their goods, and it is here you will find lovely ladies in conical hats selling everything from tropical fruits to unusual fishing equipment.

Unless you enjoy a decent crowd, we recommend avoiding Duong Dong market when cruise ships arrive (usually once a week) at the pier, bringing thousands of travellers, who fill the town and market place.

Duong Dong shops

The local shops do offer some limited items, depending on what you are after, for instance there a number of supply shops that sell everything from biscuits, soap and shampoo and interesting toothpaste to soft drinks, water and cases of beer. There are also a number of pharmacies, sunglass shops and a number of local laundries that are far cheaper than the resort prices. If you’re in need of building supplies, there are some places that sell tiles, paints, marble, timber and plumbing goods, though the range and quality will not be the same as the mainland.

Clothing stores are limited, however if you’re in need of some long shirts or pants to keep off the dust while riding around the island or any mosquitoes at night, there are some local market style places opposite Duong Dong market on the other side of the bridge opposite that sell plenty of cheap and non fashionable clothing and hats. For something a little more modern, there's also a mini mart (Ph 0773 993366) in town about 1km past the airport at Nguyen Trung Truc after Hung Vuong Street, Duong Dong, which sells a range of clothes, cosmetics, and a variety of other items.

Resort shops

If you are after some up market souvenirs, many of the resorts have small shops or displays offering island gifts, everything from pearl necklaces to t-shirts or caps and postcards.

Craft shops

There are a couple of shops in Duong Dong that now specialise in selling arts and crafts, and while most of the products are from the mainland, these shops are still fairly new and offer discounted prices from time to time. A couple of shops are located opposite Phu Quoc Airport road entrance in Duong Dong, including Phu Quoc Crafts & Cafe (109 Nguyen Trung Truc), Phu Quoc Fine Arts (Khu Pho 4, Duong Dong) with another shop on the way to Long Beach called Phu Quoc Creation (30 Tran Hung Dao Street). Courtesy of www.discoverphuquoc.com.

Another large souvenir shop can be found on the road heading south from Duong Dong Town on Long Beach called Coinguon at 149 Tran Hung Dao (ph 773 980 206, www.coinguonphuquoc.com). They sell a wide range of souvenirs, pearls, jewellery and art and also have a fairly extensive museum towards the rear of the left hand side shop which contains an interesting array of items includes Vietnamese pottery, animal skeletons, old money and more. There is a wide range of souvenirs available so you might like to think twice before purchasing any items made from the many sea shells in the store.

Phu Quoc airport

Looking for a last minute purchase, then the airport offers a decent range of postcards, pearls and other jewellery items, along with Phu Quoc books and maps, t-shirts and caps and of course fish sauce (after immigration). There is also currency exchange counter in the arrivals hall, which offer reasonable rates.

Pearl shops

If you’re after the real deal, the pearl farm shop run by an New Zealand based company in Duong To Village about 9kms south of Duong Dong along the dirt road that follows Long Beach. See their web site for more information, www.treasuresfromthedeep.com. Here you will find some remarkable pearls and some information about the history of pearl farming on the island. You might find the prices are also quiet remarkable too, judge for yourself.

For alternatives to the best that money can buy, there are numerous pearl shops around the island and many places that sell pearls, most of these are located in Duong Dong town near Saigon Phu Quoc Resort. At these places you can pick up a wide variety of pearl gifts from bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and much more, all at very reasonable prices.

Unique shopping items

Besides the pearls, you can not go past the opportunity to either visit or purchase one of the products that Phu Quoc Island is world famous for and that is the Fish Sauce. Please note that when departing Phu Quoc by air, carrying fish sauce on the airplane is not allowed and some airlines have banned it altogether because of risk of breakage and the pungent fumes that are extremely difficult to remove. You can however purchase some fish sauce at the airport in the departure lounge, and they currently organise delivery for you to Ho Chi Minh (somehow). See our unique sights page for more details on fish sauce and locating some distilleries.

Bai Sao Beach

Over on the east coast, towards the southern tip of Phu Quoc, sits stunning Bai Sao Beach. Glistening, squeaky white sand, turquoise water and a semi-abandoned feel make this one of the top spots on Phu Quoc. A couple of basic places to stay lie towards the centre of the beach along with two seafood eateries, but the best part of the beach is towards its southern tip, near the boulders, around which you can clamber to an even better beach, Bai Khem.

Getting Phu Quoc

This page covering getting to Phu Quoc Island is currently under construction and will be with you well before the time the high season kicks in later in 2009 just in time for your family beach holiday in the sun. Visit the rest of our site in the mean time and hope you enjoy our sight!

By air: all you need to know on flying to Phu Quoc, including timetable, booking information, flight times and more...
By sea: complete details on sea operators to and from the island, schedules, costs and international cruising options.
Customs & visas: both Vietnamese and Phu Quoc Island specific visa and customs regulations, advice and information.
Beyond Phu Quoc: whether you are arriving by air, sea or land, here is a full guide to coming and going to Vietnam. Let us know if you find more ways of entering Vietnam...

Vietnam's top spot for beaching yoursel

Phu Quoc (pronounced fu kwok) is a medium sized island off the south west coast of Vietnam, close to the Cambodian border. The island is ringed by sandy beaches. The best beaches appear to be on the eastern side and at the southern end of the west coast. Most of the main hotels are located on the western beach nearer the centre of that coast. Sadly, many or Phu Quocs reputably finest beaches are closed to the public because the military have built bases on them (I wonder if they're bases or holiday places for the top brass!). Phu Quoc is a sleepy little place, which makes it a great get-away spot. There's no noisy nightlife, no shopping... just lots of hot sunshine, beaches, and a national park. A great place to take a good book, some suntan cream, your togs (swimming suit) and relax!
Highlights of Phu Quoc Island.
The highlights of Phu Quoc Island for me were:
1. Bai Sao Beach, on the east coast;
2. The peace and quiet;
3. The hot, sunny, blue-sky days;
4. The lack of traffic;
5. The sand on all the beaches is so soft.
This is a place to come and unwind. I hope it stays that like and more people can experience it.