Phu Quoc is an island of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, off the coast of Cambodia. It’s Vietnam’s largest island, covering 515 sq km (199 sq mi). It’s been popular with backpacker crowds for a while but couples – young and old – and even families are descending on the low-key island with its easy access, incredible coastline and laid back atmosphere.
Why Visit Phu Quoc?
The first important thing is that you do not need visa to stay 30 days in Phu Quoc, that sounds good. Second, Phu Quoc is a kind of place where you could get stuck for weeks to chill out in a hammock. In Phu Quoc, you can spend all day to eat delicious street food while sitting on tiny chairs by the side of road, or scoot around from beach to beach.
There’s not much tourism infrastructure in Phu Quoc that means you won’t find the big party hostel here. Instead, you will be getting back to basics with a couples of hammock and a fan.
Phu Quoc is slightly more expensive than mainland in Vietnam, since everything needs shipping into the island. But there are still affordable.
You can hire motorbike from your hostel to wandering the island. A word of warning: Phu Quoc is extremely hot so don’t forget to bring a couples of water bottles.
Hiring Motorbike in Phu Quoc
There is not much transport in Phu Quoc. However, you will find heaps of scooter hire shops dotted around the island. Be prepared to bargain, especially if you will rent for more than a few days, the cost will be cheaper. Phu Quoc’s traffic is nothing like Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi. The island is quite traffic-wise, so even first-time motorbike riders can get around without much hassle. You need to buy a tank of petrol for just a few dollars.
Snorkeling/Diving:
As with many places in SE Asia the snorkelling in Phu Quoc is on point. There’s also plenty of diving schools if you’re after a PADI certificate.
Bioluminescent Plankton
One of the things you just HAVE to do is experience the wonder that is bioluminescent plankton. There’s a few places in the world where this exist but if you’re enjoying a nighttime stroll along the shore you’ll probably notice what appears to be the odd dot of ultraviolet sand. Wait until all the lights go out – you’ll have to wait until the early hours of the morning for this – but if you go into the sea and wave your arms around the water around you will light up a brilliant shade of blue. The plankton only turns blue when it’s disturbed and it’s a truly beautiful sight – think Leo in The Beach.
