Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is an island of wonders in the Gulf of Thailand off the main land of Vietnam. The island has much variety which will transport you to Italy at one moment and to Africa the next. Beaches, Theme Parks, Wildlife Safaris, Night Markets it all there. Direct flights will be rare so one has to transit through one of the main airports in Vietnam in Hanoi, Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City.

 

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Visa Requirements

Phu Quoc is a visa-free zone for Indians. You can travel there without a visa. However, it is to be noted that this is applicable for only Phu Quoc and not Vietnam main land, for which you would still need visa. However, since you will have to transit through one of the main airports of Vietnam (as there are no direct flights to Phu Quoc), there needs to be certain things to note. We are narrating our experience here.

We had Vietjet tickets from Mumbai to Phu Quoc with a change-over at Hanoi. Make sure that you have a printout of the ticket as it is important to show that is your final destination. The Vietjet officials at Mumbai airport, while checking in, told us to wait for half hour, while they secured the necessary clearances from their counterparts in Hanoi after which they said we were ok to travel. Our luggage would be checked in only till Hanoi where we have to collect and then proceed to the domestic terminal. As we arrived in Hanoi, this is the difficult part. Make sure you have ample time between the two flights. A Vietjet official (or the airline you are travelling) takes a copy of your passport and tickets, gives an undertaking to the immigration officers, sign a few documents, and then escort you outside and then to the domestic terminal. One official took us till the exit of the terminal, and ‘handed us’ over to his colleague who escorted us to the domestic terminal. She collected our passports and handed to us at the boarding gate of the domestic flight. However there were some anxious moments as once we arrived at 6 AM in the morning, there was no Vietjet official and anyone we enquired with looked clueless, until one of them said that someone will come at 9 AM. And sure enough the official attended us at 9AM. So there is a proper process in place and most people are aware of the visa-free status of Phu Quoc (In other words, they will not deport you). To summarize three points to note while planning a visa-free trip

1)Book with same airlines through to Phu Quoc

2)Have ample time between the two flights

3)Take printout of ticket which clearly shows that final destination is Phu Quoc

Things to Do – South Phu Quoc

The island of Phu Quoc can be divided into the North and South regions. Ideally if you have four days, you can stay in North for two days and South for the rest. We started off in the South and moved up North. The major attractions for South Phu Quoc are the following:

Sunset Town

A town with a whole lot of European vibes, colourful buildings and insta-worthy places . This place is a photographer’s paradise. Its a mix of Spain and Italy with amazing cafes, beaches & night market. Do not forget your walking shoes as there is much to walk and see here. We stayed at a cute boutique Hotel The Roma  which has an amazing view from the balcony. The staff was very helpful and they have a buggy which will pick and drop you off if you don’t feel like walking. We had the best view of the fireworks at kiss bridge from our room’s balcony.

Sunset Town Night Market

Located Right at the entrance of the Sunset Town the night market starts around 6 pm to 11pm . Its filled with music, souvenirs and street food. Definitely try the coconut ice cream even though we had better street food in Hoi An. Also there were some amazing street performances. Best to visit the place before or after fireworks, which is at 9-30 PM.

Honthom Island Cable Car

The Honthom Island cable car is one of the major attractions of Phu Quoc . It is one of the longest cable car ride with a panoramic view of the sea. The cable car ride starts from Sunset Town and takes you to the Aquatopia Water park which is a total fun place for kids. Fortunately our hotel gave us complimentary tickets for the cable ride and it was worth taking it.

Fireworks at the Kiss Bridge

At Sunset Town everyday is like celebrating New Year (except for Tuesday) as each day at around 9 PM they have a “Kiss the Sea ” show at the Kiss Bridge followed by a spectacular fireworks display. The Show is a combination of water, fire and light technology and gives an amazing visual experience to the audience. You have to buy the tickets for the show, however we were lucky as we could see it from our balcony. After the show the seven  minute fireworks left us awestruck as it lit up the night sky of Phu Quoc .

Sao Beach

Ideally I will not visit Phu Quoc for their beaches . Main Vietnam has some amazing beaches so its not worth making a trip just for the beaches. Sao beach is one of the crystal clear beaches with white sand, around four km away from Sunset Town. However there were lot of trash lying the on the beach which was an eyesore. Since its very close to Sunset Town, it is worth a visit.

Things to do – North Phu Quoc

Grand World Phu Quoc

Venice in a Vietnamese budget. That is what you get in Grand World Phu Quoc. The colorful buildings, the gondola, the footbridges are enough to convince you that you are in Venice. In the evening there is a light and sound show which you see while sipping on a cold Vietnamese coffee. There are lots of places to eat along the lakeside mostly serving sea-food.

Vinpearl Safari

From Venice, Italy you get directly transported to Africa when you visit the Vinpearl Safari. One can see every possible wild animal from tigers to lions to rhino in this safari.  It is an Open Safari where you get to closely observe wildlife and enjoy with them. The highlight of this place is having lunch with the giraffes and feeding them in the Giraffe restaurant. One of the best experiences in Phu Quoc.

VinWonders Theme Park

Vin Wonders is one of the biggest theme park in Vietnam , It has a wide range of rides for kids and adults. The sea shell is one of biggest aquarium with some beautiful sea creatures.

Phu Quoc Night Market

This is right in middle of the island half-way from Sunset Town and Grand World Phu Quoc. We booked a cab on “Grab” app and made it here from our home stay at Grand Phu Quoc. Apart from a number of roadside eateries and restaurants, this is a very good place for souvenir shopping for local products like pearls.