Phú Quốc Island

Phú Quốc is the largest island of Vietnam, located in the Gulf of Thailand off the country’s southwest coast and known for its beaches, coastal villages and tourism infrastructure. The island covers several hundred square kilometres and includes lowland settlements, beaches and protected forested areas.

Phú Quốc has been a fishing and trading base for centuries and saw expanded development for tourism and transport in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Its infrastructure now includes a commercial airport and ferry links that support both domestic and international visitors.

The island lies in the Gulf of Thailand off Vietnam’s southwest coast, opposite the Vietnamese mainland and relatively close to the maritime border with Cambodia; the main town is Dương Đông on the western coast and the island is served by ferry and air connections to the mainland.

• Best time to go: Dry season from roughly November to March offers the most reliable conditions for beach activities and boat trips to nearby islets.
• Access: Served by an international airport and regular ferries from the mainland, making it the most accessible large Vietnamese island for tourism.

What to See#

• Long Beach (Bãi Trường): Long Beach (Bãi Trường) - the island’s main sandy shoreline near the town of Dương Đông and the most-developed tourist area.
• Sao Beach: Sao Beach - a white-sand bay on the southeast coast noted for clear water and coral close to shore.
• Phú Quốc National Park: Phú Quốc National Park - a protected area covering upland forest and coastal habitat in the island’s north, supporting native fauna and forested slopes.

Phu Quoc island is reached either by air or by ferry. Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC) has frequent flights from Ho Chi Minh City (short domestic flights) and some flights from Hanoi and other cities. Ferries run from mainland ports Rạch Giá and Hà Tiên to Phu Quoc - Hà Tiên is the shorter ferry crossing and Rạch Giá is a longer crossing; schedules are operated daily by several ferry companies.

On the island taxis and motorbike rentals are the normal ways to get around; if arriving by ferry you disembark at one of the island’s main ports and then travel by taxi or shuttle to resorts and beaches.

• The clearest weather and calmest seas on Phu Quoc are in the dry season (roughly November-March), when ferry schedules and island services are most reliable.
• Arrive via Phu Quoc International Airport for the quickest access to Duong Dong town, or by ferry into Duong Dong from Rach Gia or Ha Tien if you prefer a sea approach - plan transfers in advance during peak holidays.
• Many visitors stick to Long Beach and the main resorts; explore quieter northern and eastern coasts, inland waterfalls (Suoi Tranh) and small production sites (pepper farms, fish sauce workshops) for a different island experience.
• Avoid weekend and peak-holiday crowds by visiting on weekdays or in shoulder-season months; for a quieter beach morning, head to bays on the island's north or east sides rather than the main west-coast strip.