Phu Quoc, an island to the West coast of Vietnam and Cambodia, is the perfect tropical component for any Vietnam travel itinerary. If you’re looking for perfect beaches, cocktails by the sea and island vibes, then look no further than Phu Quoc. Although Phu Quoc is a small island, there is still plenty to do, especially if you’re on vacation looking for good vibes. Here’s our eclectic guide to finding the most colourful things to do on Phu Quoc.
Visit Khem Beach
Khem beach to the South East of the island is known as Khem beach because Kem means ice-cream, and the sand is said to be some of the whitest of beaches on the island. Personally, we thought the sand was actually whiter in Sao Beach (controversial), but we still enjoyed Khem beach.
Khem beach is easy to get to, especially by scooter, it will take around 20 minutes on decent roads. On the beach itself, there are some fun bars selling sushi and cocktails, with a few happy hour deals.
Go snorkelling in Phu Quoc
Snorkelling and scuba diving is on offer around Phu Quoc. The best place to get a trip booked easily is Long Beach, where there are lots of places offering snorkelling. If you want a different experience, try Johns Tours, which offers boat and snorkelling trips visiting the small islands to the south of Phu Quoc.
Spend the day at Rorys wreck
Rory’s wreck, owned by a charming man called Rory, is a big hit on the island of Phu Quoc. It’s one of the main tourist attractions on the East Coast of Phu Quoc and we can see why.
This fun bar really is somewhere you can spend an entire day. It boasts a colourful deck, a rock pool, crazy golf, shuffle board and a pool table. It’s a bit like someone (Rory!) has dreamt up the funnest bar and created it.
Visit the safari park in Phu Quoc
A safari park on a tropical island, why not? If you’re looking for colourful things to do in Phu Quoc, you can’t get much more vibrant than the Vin Pearl Safari park. The park is open every day from 09:00 to 16:00 and tickets can be purchased online. Be sure to see the giraffes and parrots too.
Head to the night market
The night market in Phu Quoc is somewhat of an institution. Head here from around 18:30, but it gets busy at 20:00. You’ll find all the food stalls that you can possibly imagine, with seafood, BBQ, spring rolls and sweet treats like banana pancakes. Even after dark, the night market in Phu Quoc is one of the most colourful things you can do.
Chill at Zen Bar in Phu Quoc
Long beach is (you’ve guessed it), the longest beach in Phu Quoc at 20km. Here you’ll find lots of cocktail bars and beach bars lining the sandy shores. Our favourite spot to enjoy all day was Zen Bar. Here you can enjoy colourful food and drinks from the comfort of a bean bag on the beach. Expect to find house music and a young crowd.
Eat local Vietnamese food
No visit to Vietnam is complete without enjoying as much Vietnamese food as you can. Phu Quoc is a great place to enjoy good food. Understandably seafood is a bit of a speciality, but you can get all kinds of excellent food from spring rolls to noodles. Think colourful plates of fresh herbs and vegetables.
One of our favourites in Duong Dong is Iris cafe which has inexpensive local food and cocktails too.
Visit a fishing village in Phu Quoc
Rach Vem on the North coast is a delightful fishing village known as starfish kingdom. There’s nowhere quite like Rach Vem, with wooden jetty’s jutting out into the ocean. You can stay a while and enjoy some freshly caught seafood for lunch with the locals.
Enjoy Komboucha on Sao Beach
Sao Beach on the East Coast is simply one of the most stunning beaches you can imagine. This small cove has the whitest of sand and the greenest of palm trees fringing the coast.
Be sure to try the homemade Komboucha at Chez Dugong. The dragon fruit flavour is a delight for the senses.
Try a fancy Banh Mi
In Duong Dong, one of our favourite spots is the newly opened Banh Mi & You. A Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich, and this lunch venue has taken the Asian classic to a new level, with a Western twist. It’s a little more expensive than local venues, but the food is tasty and it’s a nice cool and colourful spot in town.
Ride the cable car
Phu Quoc is home to the world’s longest cable car. Quite a claim for such a small island. During this 20 minute ride, you’ll get the chance to see Phu Quoc from a unique birds eye view. From the moment you ride over the colourful port town of An Thoi until you touch down on the tropical island of Hom Thom, you’ll be amazed by all that you see.
Prices are 350,000 VND (approx $15) for a one way ride on the cable car. Lookout for restricted opening hours, with the cable car closing down from 12:30 to 13:30 and at other points in the week.
Visit the waterpark
The Aquatopia water park lies on Hon Thom island at the end of the cable car. If you pay an extra 50,000 VND (approx $2) when you pay for the cable car ticket you can get access to the waterpark. We understand that only around 10 of the promised 28 rides are currently open (as of January 2023), but this is set to change soon and it is still a fun and colourful day out.
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