Things to do in Phu Quoc: the honest 2026 guide

Phu Quoc is Vietnam's winter sun island. From November to April, when Hanoi is grey and Europe is cold, it gives you calm water, long sunsets and a warm sea. It has also changed fast. There's a cable car over the sea, a theme-park town in the north, a fireworks show in the south, and a lot of building work before the island hosts APEC in 2027. Some of it is wonderful and some of it isn't, so this guide tells you both: the best things to do in Phu Quoc, what they cost in 2026, where to stay, when to go, and where to play pickleball in the morning.

Phu Quoc in 2026: what's new, and what's changed

Phu Quoc sits in the Gulf of Thailand, closer to Cambodia than to Saigon. On 1 July 2025, when Kien Giang merged into An Giang province, the island became a special zone (đặc khu) covering Duong Dong town, An Thoi and six communes. For visitors, that changes nothing day to day.

What you will notice is construction. Phu Quoc will host APEC Economic Leaders' Week in 2027, and a new airport terminal, a second runway and a big convention centre are being built. Expect cranes and roadworks around the airport and in the south through 2027. It doesn't spoil a beach holiday, but it's worth knowing before you book a hotel next to a building site.

One more thing to get right: the island's famous 30-day visa exemption only works if you arrive on a direct international flight into Phu Quoc airport. It can't be extended and doesn't let you travel to the mainland. Most of our travellers come via Hanoi or Saigon, so they use a normal e-visa or their country's national exemption. Our Vietnam e-visa guide explains how it works.

The best beaches in Phu Quoc

The west coast faces the sunset and is calm in the dry season. The east coast is more sheltered when the south-west monsoon blows from May to October.

• Long Beach (Bai Truong): 20 kilometres of sand south of Duong Dong, lined with resorts. Easy, central and close to the airport, but busy in places.
• Ong Lang: a quieter stretch north of town with small rocky coves, boutique resorts and good sunsets. Our favourite for a slower stay.
• Sao Beach: the postcard beach on the south-east coast, with fine white sand. Beautiful on a good day, but crowded at weekends and sometimes littered after storms.
• Bai Khem: a lovely cove in the south, mostly taken by luxury resorts.
• Ganh Dau and the far north: quiet sand and views towards Cambodia.

A word of honesty: beach cleaning varies a lot. Resort beaches are raked every morning; public stretches can collect plastic after rough weather, especially outside the dry season.

Island hopping and snorkelling from An Thoi

South of Phu Quoc lies a chain of small islands, the An Thoi archipelago, and a boat day around them is the best thing to do on the island. The classic "four islands" trip stops at places like May Rut, Gam Ghi and Mong Tay for snorkelling, swimming and a seafood lunch.

• Cost: shared tours run roughly 500,000 to 1,500,000 VND per person. A private boat costs more but lets you choose the islands and avoid the crowds.
• When: November to April, when the sea is calm and clear. Outside that, trips are often cancelled or bumpy.
• Tip: leave early. By late morning the most popular spots fill with tour boats. Bring a rash vest or long-sleeved top: the sun on the water is fierce.

The Hon Thom cable car and Sun World

From An Thoi, one of the longest sea-crossing cable cars in the world carries you across the islands to Hon Thom, where Sun World runs a water park and beach area. The ride itself is the highlight: around 15 minutes over fishing boats and turquoise water.

• Price: about 850,000 VND for adults and 700,000 VND for children 1 to 1.4 metres tall, including the return ride and the Aquatopia water park. Under one metre is free.
• Hours: from about 9:30am, with the last ride back around 5:30pm.
• Tip: go early or mid-afternoon. The queue is longest from about 11:30 to 1:30.

If you don't want a water park, the ride and a swim on Hon Thom's beach still make a good half day.

Sunset Town and the Kiss of the Sea show

In the far south, Sunset Town is a new, Mediterranean-style resort town of pastel buildings and a clock tower, next to the cable car station. It's built for photos, and it works. The two curved halves of the Kiss Bridge almost meet over the water and are busiest at sunset.

Each night at about 9pm, the Kiss of the Sea show plays on the water: a little over 30 minutes of water screens, lasers and music, followed by fireworks. Tickets are around 950,000 VND, with combo tickets that include the bridge. It's showy and commercial, but many people love it. Times can change with the weather, so check on the day.

Phu Quoc's north: Grand World, VinWonders and the Safari

The north of the island is Vingroup country. Grand World is a free-to-enter shopping and entertainment town with a Venice-style canal, gondolas (about 200,000 VND) and evening shows. Next door are VinWonders, a large theme and water park, and Vinpearl Safari, an open-range zoo.

• Vinpearl Safari: 850,000 VND for adults; seniors pay the child price of 650,000 VND.
• VinWonders and Safari combo: 1,500,000 VND for adults, 1,100,000 VND for children and seniors.

Fun with grandchildren, less so as a couple. It's also 40 minutes or more from Long Beach, so plan a full day if you go.

History and local life

Phu Quoc Prison

Also called the Coconut Tree Prison, near An Thoi. French and then South Vietnamese forces held tens of thousands of prisoners here, and the museum doesn't soften it: there are graphic mannequins showing torture. It's free and open roughly 7:30 to 11am and 1:30 to 5pm. Go in the morning, as there's very little shade.

Ho Quoc Pagoda

A large, modern Buddhist pagoda built on a hillside on the east coast, with sea views from the top of its steps. Free, peaceful and best in the early morning or late afternoon. Cover shoulders and knees.

Fish sauce, pepper and pearls

Phu Quoc is famous for its fish sauce, aged in huge wooden barrels, and for its pepper. A short stop at a fish sauce house and a pepper farm is free and interesting, if a bit pungent. Airlines have strict rules on carrying fish sauce, so if you want to take some home, buy the sealed, specially packed bottles sold for flying, and check with your airline first.

Ham Ninh fishing village

A stilt village on the east coast, with a long pier and simple seafood restaurants. Come for crab and the view. Bring cash.

Eat in Phu Quoc

Seafood is the point. At the Duong Dong night market (Dinh Cau), stalls fill with crabs, prawns, scallops and fish on ice from early evening. Point, agree a price by weight, and choose how it's cooked. Ask the price first, and use Grab rather than the taxis waiting outside.

• Bún kèn: a local noodle soup with fish and coconut milk, eaten for breakfast.
• Gỏi cá trích: a raw herring salad with herbs, rolled in rice paper. Phu Quoc's signature dish.
• Grilled sea urchin and scallops with spring onion oil.
• Sim wine: a sweet local wine made from rose myrtle berries.

Resort restaurants are good but pricey, so eat out at least a few times. Our guide to what to eat in Vietnam covers the rest of the country.

Play pickleball in Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc isn't Da Nang or Saigon, but the island now has enough courts for a morning game every day of your stay, and in May 2026 it held its second tourism pickleball open with more than 200 players.

• Phu Quoc Dynamics Center (Nguyen Trung Truc street, Duong Dong): seven pickleball courts plus badminton, open from 5am. The best place to find local players.
• Novotel Phu Quoc Resort (Long Beach): three outdoor courts, pay to play.
• Pullman Phu Quoc Beach Resort (Long Beach): two outdoor courts, pay to play.

Ask the resorts about access and prices for non-guests before you go. Play from 6 to 8am: by mid-morning the sun on an outdoor court is intense, even in winter. Our guides to resorts with pickleball courts and playing in the heat will help.

Getting to and around Phu Quoc

• Flights: about an hour from Saigon and two hours from Hanoi, with many daily departures. Some international routes fly direct.
• From the airport: 15 to 20 minutes to Long Beach and Duong Dong, 30 to 45 minutes to Ong Lang and the north.
• Getting around: Grab works across the island. For day trips, hire a car and driver for roughly US$40 a day. We don't recommend scooters if you're not used to them.

Where to stay in Phu Quoc

• Long Beach: the best all-round base, close to the airport, town and restaurants. Novotel and Pullman are here, both with courts.
• Ong Lang: small resorts, gardens and calm sunsets. Good for a slower stay.
• The north (Bai Dai, Ganh Dau): big resorts next to Grand World and VinWonders. Self-contained, but far from everything else.
• Sunset Town and An Thoi: handy for the cable car and the island boats.
• Bai Khem: luxury resorts on a beautiful cove, 40 minutes or more from town.

When to visit Phu Quoc

November to April is the dry season and the time to go: sunshine, calm seas on the west coast and the best boat trips. December to March is ideal. January and February are the busiest and most expensive, especially around Tet, which falls on 6 February in 2027.

May to October is the rainy season. June to September is the wettest, with rough seas on the west coast and many boat trips cancelled. Showers are usually short and heavy rather than all day, and prices drop. If you go then, stay on the sheltered east or south coast. Our Vietnam in December and Vietnam in January guides show how Phu Quoc fits a winter trip.

Is Phu Quoc worth it? The honest version

Yes, if you want warm, calm sea and easy rest at the end of a busy trip. Phu Quoc is the most reliable winter beach in Vietnam. But it's not the sleepy island it was ten years ago:

• It's built up, especially in the north and south, and there's construction until APEC 2027.
• Distances are long, so plan around one or two areas rather than seeing everything.
• Theme parks and shows are pricey by Vietnamese standards.
• Some beaches aren't clean, especially after storms.

Pick a quiet area, take a private boat to the islands, eat at the night market and play in the cool of the morning, and it's a lovely place to end a trip. Our two weeks in Vietnam guide shows how to fit it in.

Phu Quoc FAQ

How many days do you need in Phu Quoc?

Three to five days. That's enough for an island boat day, the cable car, a day exploring by car and plenty of beach time.

Do I need a visa for Phu Quoc?

Not if you fly direct to Phu Quoc from abroad: you get 30 days visa-free on the island only. If you arrive via Hanoi or Saigon, you need a normal Vietnam e-visa or your country's exemption.

What's the best month to visit Phu Quoc?

December to March, in the middle of the dry season. November and April are good too, and cheaper.

How much is the Hon Thom cable car?

About 850,000 VND for adults and 700,000 VND for children 1 to 1.4 metres tall, including the return ride and the water park.

Can you play pickleball in Phu Quoc?

Yes. Phu Quoc Dynamics Center in Duong Dong has seven courts, and Novotel and Pullman on Long Beach have pay-to-play courts.

Is Phu Quoc better than Nha Trang or Da Nang?

For winter beach weather, yes: Phu Quoc is at its best from November to April, when Da Nang can still be rainy. Da Nang has far more culture and pickleball. Many trips do both.

The bottom line

The best things to do in Phu Quoc are simple: a boat day around the An Thoi islands, a ride over the sea on the cable car, seafood at the night market and a sunset on the west coast. Go between November and April, pick one or two areas to stay, and play in the cool of the morning. When you're ready, we can plan it as a private trip, with Phu Quoc as the warm, easy last chapter.