1. Long Beach (Bai Truong)
Phu Quoc's longest beach runs down most of the west coast, backed by the island's biggest cluster of hotels, guesthouses and beach bars. It's the easiest first stop after you land, since most of the accommodation sits along or just behind it, and it faces west, so it's also the default spot for a sunset drink.
Where: the west coast, roughly from Duong Dong town south. Cost: free. Time: an hour for a walk, or a whole evening for sunset and dinner.
2. Sao Beach (Bai Sao)
Sao Beach, in the island's southeast near An Thoi, is usually named the best beach on Phu Quoc: a curve of fine white sand against shallow, very clear water. It's more developed than it used to be, with sun loungers and a few beach clubs, and it gets busy with day-trip groups by late morning.
Where: southeast Phu Quoc, near An Thoi, about 30 to 40 minutes from Duong Dong by taxi or scooter. Cost: free to walk on; a lounger at a beach club runs a small daily fee. Time: half a day.
3. Ong Lang Beach
Ong Lang sits on the west coast north of Long Beach, and it's the quieter option: a broken run of sandy coves between rocky outcrops, with fewer resorts and a slower pace. It's also one of the better sunset spots on the island, with less competition for a good view than Long Beach.
Where: west coast, north of Duong Dong town. Cost: free. Time: a few hours, or a full afternoon into sunset.
4. An Thoi archipelago boat trip and snorkelling
A boat out of An Thoi port, in the island's south, is the main way to see Phu Quoc's smaller islands and reefs. Group boats stop at 2 to 4 islands over 4 to 8 hours, usually with snorkelling gear and lunch included, and a private speedboat is an option if you'd rather set your own pace. Some operators bundle the trip with the Hon Thom cable car and a buffet as a longer day out.
Where: departs from An Thoi port in the south of the island. Cost: roughly US$15 to 40 per person for a group boat; from about US$34 for a private speedboat; combined boat-and-cable-car days run around US$80. Time: 4 to 8 hours, or up to 8.5 hours for the combined day.
5. Hon Thom cable car
The cable car out of An Thoi runs the last leg to Hon Thom island, and it's one of the longest sea-crossing cable cars anywhere. The ride itself takes about 15 to 20 minutes each way, with views over the archipelago and the boats below, and the ticket also covers entry to the Sun World Hon Thom park at the other end, including its water park.
Where: the Sun World Hon Thom station in An Thoi. Cost: 850,000 dong for an adult, 700,000 dong for children 1 to 1.4m tall, free under 1m. Time: the crossing takes 15 to 20 minutes. The cable car runs in time slots with a midday break, and listings differ on the exact hours, so check the timetable for your day.
6. Duong Dong night market
Duong Dong's night market, on Vo Thi Sau street, is the easiest way to eat well on Phu Quoc without booking a restaurant. Stalls start setting up around 5pm, and it's busiest and freshest between about 6.30pm and 9pm. Look for grilled seafood sold by weight, Phu Quoc fish cake, and banh xeo, the crisp Vietnamese pancake.
Where: Vo Thi Sau street, Duong Dong town. Cost: a full seafood dinner for one runs roughly 100,000 to 300,000 dong; bring cash, since most stalls don't take cards. Time: an hour or two; open roughly 5pm to 11pm.
7. A fish sauce or pepper farm visit
Phu Quoc's fish sauce is a rival to the mainland's better-known Phan Thiet product, and a handful of factories on the island let you walk past the wooden barrels and hear how it's made, usually free or for a small fee. Several of the island's pepper farms, mostly in the north, run similar short visits, with a taste of fresh green peppercorns and a look at how the vines are grown. Half-day tours combine both with a stop at a local pearl farm.
Where: factories are dotted around the island, with several near Duong Dong; pepper farms cluster in the north. Cost: many factories are free to visit; pepper farms typically charge a small entry fee; a guided half-day tour runs roughly US$50 to 70. Time: 30 to 45 minutes per stop, or half a day on a combined tour.
8. Phu Quoc Prison History Museum (the Coconut Tree Prison)
Known locally as the Coconut Tree Prison, this was one of the largest prisoner-of-war camps in southern Vietnam, used by the French and later by South Vietnamese and US forces to hold captured soldiers through the 1960s and early 1970s. The site is now a preserved history museum, with the old cells, guard towers and reconstructed scenes left in place. It's a sobering stop, and worth the same respect you'd give any wartime memorial.
Where: An Thoi, in the island's south. Cost: free; a small tip for a guide is appreciated if you take one. Time: about an hour; open roughly 8.30am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 5pm.
9. Sunset Town
Sunset Town is a newer, Mediterranean-styled development on the hillside above An Thoi, built around a public square, shophouses and a walkway out over the water. It's free to wander, and it's become one of the island's more reliable sunset viewpoints. The paid extras, a footbridge over the water and an evening light-and-water show, cost separately on top of the free areas.
Where: An Thoi, on the island's southwest coast. Cost: free to enter; the footbridge and evening show are ticketed separately. Time: an hour or two around sunset.
10. Phu Quoc National Park
The park covers most of the island's north and northeast, and it's the place to go for forest and hiking rather than beach. Trails run through primary forest around Bai Thom, mostly dirt tracks best covered by motorbike, bicycle or on foot, with bird-watching and a couple of designated camping spots. There are no food stalls inside, so bring water and snacks.
Where: the island's north, roughly 35 to 40 minutes by road from Duong Dong. Cost: no entry fee as of 2026. Time: half a day for a short hike, longer if you're camping.
All 10 experiences at a glance
| Experience | Where | Cost | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | West coast | Free | 1 hour or more |
| Sao Beach | Southeast, near An Thoi | Free; loungers cost extra | Half a day |
| Ong Lang Beach | West coast, north of Duong Dong | Free | A few hours |
| An Thoi archipelago boat trip | Departs An Thoi | US$15 to 40 group; from US$34 private | 4 to 8 hours |
| Hon Thom cable car | An Thoi | 850,000 dong adult | 15 to 20 minutes each way |
| Duong Dong night market | Vo Thi Sau street | 100,000 to 300,000 dong for dinner | 1 to 2 hours |
| Fish sauce or pepper farm | Around the island; pepper farms in the north | Free to small fee; tours US$50 to 70 | 30 to 45 minutes, or half a day |
| Phu Quoc Prison History Museum | An Thoi | Free | About 1 hour |
| Sunset Town | An Thoi | Free; extras ticketed | 1 to 2 hours |
| Phu Quoc National Park | The island's north | Free | Half a day or more |
Getting there from Ho Chi Minh City
The quickest way to Phu Quoc is a domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh City, about 1 hour in the air, with one-way fares roughly US$25 to 80 depending on how far ahead you book. Phu Quoc International Airport also has some direct international flights, which matters for the visa rule below. Check current routes and fares on the airline's own site, since schedules change. Once you're on the island, a rented scooter or a Grab covers everything on this list; there's no train and no useful public bus network.
Best time to visit
November to April is Phu Quoc's dry season, and the best window for the beaches, the boat trips and the cable car. May to October is the wet season, when some boat operators cut back trips and a few resorts scale down. Our Vietnam best time guide covers how this fits with the rest of the country.
The visa rule that only applies here
Phu Quoc has its own visa exemption, separate from the mainland's. If you fly or sail in directly from outside Vietnam, you can stay on the island up to 30 days without a visa, whatever your nationality, but you can't then continue to the mainland on it. That exemption only covers a direct arrival. Enter Vietnam through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City first, as most of our own southern Vietnam itinerary does, and your visa needs are the same as anywhere else in the country. Check your own situation against the full Vietnam visa guide before you book.
Practical notes
Long Beach and Duong Dong town make the easiest base, since most of this list is within a short scooter ride. Sao Beach, the archipelago boat trips and Phu Quoc Prison all sit down in the south near An Thoi, so group them into one day rather than crossing the island twice. If you want to ride yourself instead of relying on Grab or a driver, Vietnam only accepts an International Driving Permit issued under the 1968 convention, carried alongside your home licence. Permits from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India are the older 1949 type and don't count here, and riding without a valid one risks fines, an impounded bike and insurance that won't pay out. Our Vietnam visa guide has the full rule by country. Two to three days covers the beaches, one boat trip and the night market; four or five lets you add the cable car, a farm visit and the national park without rushing.
