Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is Vietnam's largest island, covering approximately 574 square kilometres in the Gulf of Thailand, close to the Cambodian coast. Elevated from a district of Kien Giang Province to a special administrative zone and then to a municipal city, the island has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past fifteen years from a quiet fishing retreat into one of Southeast Asia's most talked-about resort destinations, with a string of internationally branded luxury hotels lining its southern and western coastlines.

Long Beach (Bai Truong) on the western coast is the island's primary tourist zone, a seven-kilometre stretch of golden sand where hotels range from backpacker guesthouses to five-star resorts. Ong Lang Beach in the northwest remains comparatively undeveloped and is popular with visitors seeking a quieter atmosphere. The southernmost point of the island, Bai Sao and Bai Khem, features fine white sand and crystal-clear shallow water, and is home to the JW Marriott and Premier Village resorts. The world's longest non-stop cable car connects the southern mainland to the Hon Thom Nature Park island.

Beyond the beaches, the island retains substantial areas of protected national park occupying around 37 percent of its land surface. Phu Quoc National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, protects tropical forest and offshore marine habitats including coral reefs where hawksbill turtles nest. Fishing and agriculture — particularly the cultivation of Phu Quoc pepper, which is exported worldwide, and the production of nuoc mam (fish sauce) for which the island is nationally famous — continue alongside the tourism economy.

The island's transformation accelerated with the opening of Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC), which now serves direct domestic flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, as well as regional international routes. The dry season from November to April brings near-perfect beach weather; May to October is the wet season, with the heaviest rain in July and August, though the island remains open and accessible year-round. The Vinwonders amusement complex and the vast Vinpearl resort campus in the north continue to expand, drawing large numbers of domestic Vietnamese visitors and families.