Phu Quoc

Phú Quốc is a large tropical island off the coast of Cambodia, though is part of, and only accessible from, Vietnam. Understand Sao Beach Phu Quoc is a very mountainous and densely forested Island of 1320 sq km; it is 48 km in length from south to north and has a population of approx. 80,000 people. Situated in the Gulf of Thailand 45 km west of Ha Tien on the Vietnamese mainland and 15 km south of the coast of Cambodia, Phu Quoc is ringed with some of most beautiful beaches in Vietnam, and offers the best seafood in the country. Phu Quoc Island served as a based for French missionary Pigneau de Behaine from the 1760-80s and at one time he provided shelter here for Prince Nguyen Anh (later Emperor Gia Long) when he was being hunted by the Tay Son rebels. During the Vietnam war there was little fighting here but the Island was used by the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces as a prison for captured Viet Cong. Phu Quoc is not really a part of the Mekong delta and also doesn’t share the delta's extraordinary ability to produce rice & fruit due to its soil quality and inaccessible terrain. It is, however, home to the best Fish sauce (nuoc mam) in the world, also reputedly known to produce high quality pepper and fantastic seafood. Another point of interest in Phu Quoc is the island's native dog; this dog was originally a wild animal and later trained as a hunting dog by local people. These days they are very domesticated and it's unusual to go anywhere on the island without seeing one of these dogs! These animals have unusually sharp teeth (as they tear their food when they eat it rather than bite) and have claws that over the years have been conditioned for catching their prey and are razor sharp. Phu Quoc is what Phuket would be if it hadn't been overrun by development. Phu Quoc island and its beaches was voted to be "The Most Cleanest and Beautiful Beach of World" by ABC News as from the end of February, 2008. Phu Quoc is famous for producing the best nuoc mam or fermented fish sauce in the world. Phu Quoc is also famous for its pepper. It also has some of the best unspoilt beaches in South East Asia. Climate Phu Quoc Island has a tropical climate which has three seasons: High, Shoulder and Low Season. High Season: During the period between November to March, where the temperature ranges around 25-28 Celsius. The skies are generally sunny and the humidity is at it lowest throughout the year. Shoulder Season: During the period between April to June and late October, where the temperatures are at there highest around 35 Celsius and the humidity around 80-85%. Crowds are less during this time and good changes of reasonable weather. Low Season: During the period between July to September, which is dominated by the monsoons. Get in Visitors from any country arriving to Phu Quoc by cruise ship no longer need a visa for stays of up to 15 days. A passport with at least 45 days' validity is still necessary. Visitors arriving in Phu Quoc by any other means (eg. plane) are still subject to normal visa regulations. By plane You can fly from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on one of four or five daily Vietnam Airlines flights or from Rach Gia which has two flights per day. 630,000 - 830,000 Dong Or try Air Mekong for faster Jet service from Ho Chi Minh City. Air Mekong provides the only Jet serivce to Phu Quoc on their new Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft. From the airport its a quick walk into town and not too much farther to several hotels/guesthouses. Tip: Avoid weekends What to do if air tickets are fully booked: - Keep an eye on the website and grab any published flight at the earliest opportunity. They should put on extra flights closer to the time. - Ask any travel agents in Ho Chi Minh or Phu Quoc - Come to the airport on stand by There is a wide variety of transport options available on arrival. By boat There are ferries and hydrofoils between Phu Quoc to Rach Gia, Ha Tien and Hon Chong. You may be told by tour agents that the fast boats are full, but if you go to the dock where the boats depart you may have the opportunity to buy tickets from street sellers. Phu Quoc - Rach Gia - 0800, 0810 Rach Gia - Phu Quoc - 1300, 1310 Hydrofoils takes 2 1/2 hours, costs 295,000 Dong, book at http://www.duongdongexpress.com.vn/ or http://superdong.com.vn/Pages/HomePage.aspx When coming from Ho Chi Minh City you can book a combined night-bus + boat ticket for around US$26 (including pick up from hotel) at travel agencies. Phu Quoc - Ha Tien Small fast ferries (not Hydrofoils) takes 1hour 30 mins. Costs 230,000 Dong. Daily at 0800 and 13.00 Large car ferry (steel hulled,capacity 400 pax 300 m/cycles and 30 cars) leaves at 08.20,takes 2 + 1/2 hours and costs 165000 VND m/cycles 100,000 VND Phu Quoc - Hon Chong - 1230 Hon Chong - Phu Quoc - 1000 Costs 160,000 Dong. Depending on the season, you may not find taxis on arrival in Phu Quoc, though there will likely be a few motos. Minibus ply to the two main towns, but tickets are sold on the boat and sell out before arrival. Cost 20,000 Dong. Transfer can also be arranged through your hotel. On Sep 2011, three choices to leave the pier: taxi ~210,000 Dong, mini-bus down to 120,000 Dong (three persons) or moto-taxi (but it's a long ride on a not so good road) Be warned that the boat can get overcrowded and may have the unfortunate lingering odor of previous passengers' weak stomachs. The journey is pleasant and smooth during the low season but is often beset by jarring waves during the high season; hotel staff can advise you of ocean conditions. You can arrange a transfer from ferry port (Bai Vong port) to your hotelor book online at [YourLocalBooking.com][1] and get instant confirmation. Taxis and motorbikes congregate outside the ferry port and can shuttle you to the bus terminal (some 15 km out of town). Get around Walking One of the joys of the top-rated Long Beach accommodation options is that everything is so accessible. Base yourself at Mai House or the Tropicana and you can walk to everything and happily fill a three or four day holiday doing nothing at all. Camp down at La Veranda and you might not emerge. If/when you are ready to venture forth, then do it right…. Moto’s/ Scooter There’s no doubt about it, if you’re young enough (at heart anyway) you’ve got to try seeing some of Phu Quoc on a motor scooter. They can be hired for $5 - $12 a day from your hotel/resort. There is no paperwork, no insurance and no deposits. You negotiate if you break or lose your bike. There is a request that you refill with fuel when you finish. Roads are mostly red dirt and full of pot holes. So there you have it, not entirely safe, but an awful lot of fun. Note: don’t fret too much if you run out of petrol or get a flat tyre. You’ll be amazed how fast a local will stop to help you. Puncture repair men are plentiful on the island and will leap at the chance to come to your aid for a small fee. If you do found yourself in a bit of strife with your rental, there's a few repair shop on the island that will mend your bike at a cheaper price than it is to pay for damages from the hirer. A known place that does this, is GIA PHU on 25 Tran Phu in Duong Dong (Linh- 0938137988). Depending on the severity of the damage, it could save you alot of money. Moto taxi are about 200,000-400,000 Dong or US$10-20 for a day trip. Be sure to precise how many hours and locations you want to do with the driver. It's difficult to really lower price for half-day or less. Jeeps After a moto, your next best option is a Jeep with driver. Given you pay for petrol, it can work out a little more than a half or full day’s hire of a taxi, but well worth it. Call Jeep For Rent locally on 0939 402 872. $30 for 6hrs, $50 for 24 hrs. Alternatively, try Carole on 0773 8848 886 or Searama on 0773 994 577. For the best and most expensive jeep, call La Veranda on 0773 982 988. Taxi Taxis are plentiful for Long Beach but can be a tiresome delay further a field. Booking them by the day is often a better bet. They’re more expensive than you might be used to in Saigon. For short trips they are looking for 40,000 – 50,000. $30 should cover you for a day. Ask your hotel or try Le Giang on 0773 848 444 or 0913 788 262, or give Mr Tam a call 0913 197 298. Boat Saigon Phu Quoc Resort have their own large boat you can charter from Long Beach. Otherwise all resorts run tours with charter boats. Cost varies depending on number of passengers. See Best of the South of the Island Get out on a moto (motor schooter). Head east to pretty Ham Ninh Fishing Village. Contemplate buying pearls. Sample local seafood at Kim Cuong. Head on south and navigate your way to Sao Beach. Refuel with more seafood at My Lan restaurant on the beach. Head further south and have a wander around An Thoi. Head back up the stunning west coast road. Stop off at Phu Quoc Pearl Farm for coffee and good ice cream on your way home. This route is just as good if you start by heading down the coast road and then back via Ham Ninh. Make a visit to one of the fish sauce factories on the island. After dark - watch the chain of lights bobbing across the horizon as the local fishermen attach lamps to their boats to attract squid. There is also a special breed of dogs that live on the island. They are extremely similar to normal dogs except for the fact that they have 2 special markings on their back, where the fur goes in the other direction. Do Try to get out on a boat one evening for some squid fishing yourself. Make a visit to Phu Quoc National Park and swim in a quiet pool. Motorcycles are plentiful and cheap, hire one off a local and go cruising around the island. Petrol can usually be purchased around the island at various beaches served fresh in glass bottles. Also Bicycles is a great way to observe the island. You can rent a mountain bike for around 50,000 VND per day at Saigon Phu Quoc Hotel or some local shops (be sure to write 'xe dap' because few Vietnameses here could speak English well). Some beaches stretch for kilometres with overhanging palms, no one else in sight what more could you want? Try SCUBA diving. Phu Quoc offers diving in two separate locations. Up North on western side of the island or Down south at An Thoi islands. Up north there are three main diving locations with all of them maximum depth of 10 they are especially great for beginners. Sites are surrounded by corals and funky rock formations which provide shelter to a variety of fish and species of Nudibranch. Down south there are up to 20 different dive sites around a group of 13 islands with depths ranging from 10m to all the way down to 40m. Majority of the islands are surrounded by coral. Majority of the islands are slowly being converted in to Marine Protected Areas thus you get a slightly better change of seeing more & bigger fish and lots of Nudibranches. South is not as well protected as the northern sites which means you might be in for rocky ride on the boat and mild to strong currents. Average visibility while diving is around 7-8m, but it chances a lot, which means it can worse and on the next day much better. Companies offering diving on Phu Quoc are Rainbow Divers, Flipper Diving Club, Cocodive and x-Dive. Dives cost a bit more here than in Nha Trang at about $65-75 USD for two boat dives. The snorkeling tour (US$ 15) picks you up at your hotel in the morning and brings you to the islands in the south. It usually includes the boat trip, snorkeling gear, lunch and transportation. Don't expect to see a lot of fish and corals under water, though. But still a nice way to spend a day. Two companies mainly: John's tour (0919.107086), Sunny boat trip (www.phuquocsunny.com) Also, watching the sunset at Pho Bo Cafe, a 2 storey place with the best view overlooking the lighthouse and the shrine, is the most romantic activity for couples and artist. Later, try wandering around the night market (near Ferry landing in Duong Dong Town), where locals mingled with the tourists, a place that offered a selection of goods, pearls, seafoods, vegeterians, or even a playground for children. There are many options for food at the market, with fresh seafood laid out next to each restaurant for you to check out while you're making your choice of place to sit and eat. Vietnam Explorer Dive Center - Phu Quoc, 7 Ward Tran Hung Dao, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc, ☎ 084077384637, [2]. 7. Locally owned and managed dive center operating out of Phu Quoc. Established and knowledgeable dive center running day trips to various islands surrounding Phu Quoc. 20-70USD. X-Dive, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc. 7. Operates dives to both the north and south of the island depending upon the conditions. They do not offer PADI courses. Rainbow Divers Phu Quoc, 11a Tran Hung Dao, Duong Dong (directly opposite the night market), ☎ +84 (0)913-400-964, [3]. 8AM-9PM daily. The longest established dive center on Phu Quoc and the islands only PADI five star dive center. Staffed by Divemasters and instructors from around the globe. PADI-courses are available in most European languages and in Vietnamese. Friendly staff and great trips. Also works very closely with local businesses in organizing local charities events and beach and sea clean-ups. They have an Eco-friendly policy with regards to looking after the reefs and in training new divers. Dive trips from $75. Flipper Diving Club, Phu Quoc, 42 Tran Hung Dao, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc, Kieng Giang (When headed southwards from the night market about 200 meters from there on the right side of the road), [4]. 9AM-8PM daily. Established 2009, Flipper Diving Club is the youngest dive shop on the island and also the fastest growing one. Flipper Diving Club is the only dive company on Phu Quoc that is a PADI Resort and also a SSI center. Staffed by instructors from both organizations, thay can provide training from beginner level to all the way up to a Divemaster They are also very environmentally aware: Organizing clean up days, actively try to raise awareness of the divers and enforce "no-touching" policy while diving. Phone +84 (0) 939402872 (Manager-Willy) or +84 (0) 773994924 (office) Fun Dives 65$, For non certified starting from 85 $, PADI & SSI Courses starting from 300$. Morning market, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc (north-east of the city, after night market). Night market, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc (west of the city, near the lighthouse). Temple, lighthouse and pier, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc. Buy There are plenty of ATM on the islands. Check morning and night market to buy some stuff. Eat It has to be fresh fish. Ocean Bar and Grill. The Ocean bar provides excellent service and food. The seafood is fresh and cooked to order whilst the staff are highly trained and attentive. Michelle, the owner, speaks to every customer about their meal and keeps a photo and book of comments from all patrons. Highly recommended. Buddy Ice Cream & Info Cafe, 26 Nguyen Trai St, Duong Dong Town, ☎ 077 3 994181. Great New Zealand icecream at 20,000 Dong a scoop. Also does toasted sandwiches and shakes. Free internet, wifi and had lots of information about the island. Gives out free Phu Quoc maps too! Bich Nguyên, Tran Hung Dau (Near Chez Carols, 20 meters down on the road to Kim Hoa resort), ☎ 0916 788 719. Small family owned restaurant srrving fresh Vietnamese food. Night Market. From 18.00 there are lots of small restaurants open on the street of the night market. Great, cheap local food. From 20,000 Dong. The Dog Bar, 88 Trang Hung Dao st (Next to Chez Carole), ☎ +84-903814688, [5]. open til late. The Dog Bar serves good burgers and pizza's, as well as a range of western, Vietnamese and seafood dishes. Watch live sports, play pool or darts, or just listen to the music and relax with your friends. They had live music when we were there. You can also book dive and snorkelling trips there with Rainbow divers and Anh Tu. They have ice cold beer, mixed drinks and cocktails and friendly English speaking staff. A good place to spend you're evenings in paradise. Very reasonable prices.. Sleep Mai House Warning: unlike in most other East-Asian destinations, there is a substantial risk that all (affordable) hotels are fully booked if you arrive, so it is advisable to book ahead, also for back- and flashpackers. This applies at least in January, the dry high season and as of 2011 also in February, as the island gains popularity. Mai House, +84-773-847 003 [6]. Consistently ranked the #1 resort choice on the island. Fourteen stylish, high quality thatched villas dotted around immaculate gardens on the beach fully equiped with sunloungers. There's no fridge in the villa's and no pool, but AC, safety box, tea coffee facilities,beach towel furnished, free wifi in lobby and restaurant. The restaurant menu is good. Most people who have stayed here, consider Mai House to be almost perfect. Villas: standard $50 low season, and $90 high season. Breakfast included. Gerard's direct contact number is +84 918 123 796 should you have any difficulties. La Veranda, 84-773-982 988 [7] [8] Fourty three rooms and villas spread around a pool and French style colonial main building. Standard and Superior rooms US$125 low season and $240 high season. The one bed villas are better value at USA$165 low season and $250 high season. Mango Bay Resort, Ong Lang Beach, ☎ +84 77 981 693 (mangobay@hcm.vnn.vn), [9]. A wonderfully peaceful resort spread between the sea on one side and a forest preserve on the other. The resort beaches are small, but the adjoining beach is as yet undeveloped for tourism and features a decent reef for snorkeling. This is a low-key resort, where the lawns are mowed by a herd of cows with wooden cowbells, and the spa opens directly onto the 'lawn' running down the sea. Bungalows are tastefully set back from the sea and separated from each other. There is a vegetable and spice garden on the property, and much of the food served is grown there. There are several styles of bungalows, each with its own connected outdoor bathroom. This place is the antithesis of your typical Phuket tour-bus resort. USD 90-150. Long Beach's Ancient Village Resort & Spa, tel:84-773-981818, [10], [11] contiunes with a 'soft opening' and if management is lucky will become the first 5-star resort on the island upon completion, though they have been working on the resort for 3 years and it is still not complete. Rooms are large and spacious, the fittings lovely, and the bathroom has a large wooden tub for soaking. However, the beds are hard and the linens sometimes stained. The restaurant used to offer themed dinners with a fusion of Vietnamese and Western specialties, but now even breakfast is troublesome as the staff are all new. Check with the hotel before booking as a number of guests have complained that they were not aware that the resort is still under construction, and have paid 5 star prices with 2 star quality and constant noise. There is no shuttle into town, but taxi are easy to catch along the main road. The beach is lovely, but you have to cross a bridge over a swamp with trash to get there. Hopefully things will start looking up since the hotel is now under new management. Paris Beach Resort, Cau Ba Phong, Cua lap, Duong To (Go down Long Beach (south) and look for the sign on your right. If you see Eden Resort on your right, you just missed it.), ☎ 0084773994548, [12]. checkout: 11:00. Nice staff, very friendly owners, and one of the cheaper resorts. Owned and run by a French/Vietnamese couple - both professors - who enjoy running a hotel and having guests, it seems. Food is great and prices all rather reasonable. If there is no room at Paris Beach, try Beach Club Resort right next door - and vice versa 20$-40$. Eden Resort, tel:84-77 398 5598, [13], [14]Eden Resort Phu Quoc is located on Western side of island, just down Tran Hung Doa Rd, about 3 kilometers south of Duong Don and the island's airport. The road from Duong Don is sealed until the Eden Resort and continues unsealed further south. The spacious guest rooms feature a contemporary design, with a largish bed, flat 32" TV (lots of channels but most with quite poor picture quality), sidetable/desk, 2 armchairs, minibar/fridge, airconditioning and a balcony. The bathroom has a bath tub. The main building has elevators, which are nice if your room is on the 3rd floor. The resort is located along a sandy beach and ocean, with a restaurant pool side, and a small bar. There is free Wi-Fi, and a small gym. The site has nice smallish gardens. The beach south of the resort is undeveloped (there are a couple unfinished older buildings a short distance away, and occasionally some small fishing boats at the beach). The beach right north of the resort is being developed to villas and is under construction (as of December 2011), and about 200 meters further north there is another large hotel, with a line of bungalows close to the beach. The views from the rooms on the northern side are not particularly good. The beach at the hotel is clean and suits well to sunbathing and swimming. There are not much trees to provide shade. The rate of the rooms in the main building at high season is $150, which is a bit high. The hotel transports its guest to and from the airport when you notify them about your flight details. Cassia Cottage, tel:84-773 848 395, [15], [16] Cassia Cottage is located along the Lovely Long Beach in the west of the Island. Has both Sea view and garden cottages ranging from $85.00 in low season to $170 in the high season. Saigon Tourist Phu Quoc Resort, [17]. The oldest large three/four star hotel on the island. Bargain Beach Bungalows. What's still very special about Phu Quoc is the availability of small resorts built right on the beach with 8 - 16 cabins all at less that US$40. Budget accommodation can be hard to come by but the best bet is to head to the south end of long beach. In low season en suite bungalows can be found for $10 and rooms for $8. Most budget place for sleep are Nhat Lan, Viet Thanh or lien hiep thanh. They are at about ~40min by walk or ~10min by moto taxi (10-20 000 VND) to Duong Dong. Amigos Guest house, 118/10 Trang Hun Dao, Long Beach (next to La Veranda), ☎ 0917 707 456 (speak to Speedy) or 077 3 994 958. Amigos have immaculate bungalows with hot/cold water, AC, fridge, Satellite TV, queen bed in each. They are brand new having only been completed in October 2010. Amigos is located right on the beach and it has a great restaurant and bar area. Free internet and weekly promotions ongoing. There is even a children’s play area. Amigos Restaurant Bar, 118/10 Trang Hun Dao, Long Beach, ☎ 077 3 994 58. This is a new facility which has the largest bar on the Long Beach strip. It is on the southern end of Long Beach and is surrounded by a number of resorts. It serves reasonably priced Mexican, western and Vietnamese food. It is owned by an Australian family who take a very hands-on approach to the business. There is a great beach area, two pool tables and dance area that plays a good mix of music. There is a wide selection of drinks and cheap cocktails. Open till late. Lang Toi, Sao Beach, ☎ +84 773 972 123, [18]. There are only two hostels in the most beautiful beach- Sao Beach, and this one offers aircondition + hot shower, aircondition is not only for cooling off but also for getting away those mosquitos. Suggest to book the room in full-moon evening, you can watch the moon raise from the sea, as Sao Beach is in the each side of the island. fr USD 60. Viet Thanh Bungalow, Khu Pho 7 - Duong Dong - Phu QUoc - Kien Giang (south of western long beach, same lane that La Veranda), ☎ 0122.9866 542 - 0979.46 36 07 (vietthanhphuquoc@yahoo.com), [19]. Mosquito net, hot shower, Free Wifi (only front bungalows) US$6-15. Stay safe On the island you can find a fantastic FREE Map available from places such as La Veranda, Rainbow Divers, The Dog Bar, Buddy Ice Cream & Info Cafe, Phu Quoc Pearl Farm & Cassia Cottage. This map provides visitors information on Phu Quoc as well as suggested itineraries and great places for accommodation, eating or tourist services. Your biggest risk on Phu Quoc is getting sick or being involved in an accident. When setting out on a moto trip always ensure you you have a basic first aid kit and have your hotel number with you. The mySherpa map available from most hotels contains emergency phone numbers for police, and ambulance and the hospital + what to do in an emergency. Keep these numbers with you at all times. Language is your major problem. Get out Ask your hotel for an island tour, which may include visits to a fish sauce factory, the Nature Reserve or the disused prison. You can try a motorbike tour by yourself. Not all roads are good (some unpaved) but it is fun and the locals are really nice. In the far north corner you are able to see Cambodia. In the south are some really nice and quiet beaches. When leaving the island by boat, you can get a mini-bus ride from Duong Dong night market to Superdong east pier for 25,000 Dong at 7am, about 40min. Else hotel pickup seems to vary from free to 60,000 Dong. This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!