I recently travelled to the island of Phu Quoc in Vietnam, which has emerged as one of the world’s most talked about destinations for a beach holiday. Here’s my suggested bucket list for an unforgettable stay!
The white sands and azure water on Kem Beach
Life’s a beach
First up, I say hit the beach! But which one? Located off the southern coast of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc (pronounced ‘foo ku-wok’) is blessed with a number of white sandy beaches with azure waters that are on par with the Maldives and Bali.
From my explorations, I believe the southern half of the island has the best beaches. My favorite is Bai Kem (Kem Beach), which has been named among the world’s 50 best beaches by Flight Network. But you should also check out Bai Sao (Sao Beach), voted by readers of Condé Nast Traveller (CN Traveller) as one of the top 10 most pristine beaches in the world. You can kick back on either beach and enjoy local seafood – or if you want to treat yourself, you can enjoy a meal or drinks at the nearby JW Marriott, a sumptuous 5-star resort.
Kiss Bridge has become a modern symbol of Phu Quoc Island. The bridge is formed with two 400-meter-long walkways that don’t quite connect in the middle – but you can still lean over for a kiss!
Sealed with a kiss
A new symbol of Phu Quoc, the very instagrammable Kiss Bridge is a tantalising architectural creation with two pathways that are each 400 meters long and run over the sea toward one another. They don’t quite connect in the middle, but, as the name suggests, lovers can meet each other in the middle and easily (and safely) lean over a distance of 50cm for a kiss! It’s particularly beautiful at sunset. Fun fact: in Vietnamese the bridge is called “Cau Hon” which means both “kiss bridge” and also “proposing marriage” – but hey, even if you’re not planning to ‘pop the question’, it’s definitely the ideal rendezvous for couples when visiting Phu Quoc. And if you’re there with a friend, well, I guess you can just lean across and shake hands!
Phu Quoc is the best place in Vietnam for diving and snorkeling, especially around Hon Thom (Pineapple Island), where you will discover a vast coral reef
Underwater bliss
I have travelled extensively in Southeast Asia and I was delighted to discover Phu Quoc has incredible coral and marine life. It’s easily the best place for diving or snorkelling in Vietnam. All around Hon Thom (Pineapple Island) is a vast coral reef which covers an impressive 9,720 hectares. If you are not so keen on going underwater, you can go squid fishing with locals on a small boat – the perfect way to relax as the sun goes down! With any luck you can then grill what you catch on shore and wash it down with a cold beer! You can easily arrange a kayaking expedition from Hon Thom Island or Kem beach. In general, I should stress you can’t go wrong with the seafood on Phu Quoc – always super fresh and always very tasty. Check out the Phu Quoc Night Market for super cheap local dishes.
Hon Thom Cable Car which connects the southern tip of Phu Quoc Island to Hon Thom (Pineapple Island)
Gliding over the sea
Phu Quoc is actually part of an archipelago with numerous islands and islets all around. For an unforgettable travel experience, you simply must take the Hon Thom Cable Car from the center of An Thoi town on the southern tip of Phu Quoc Island and glide over the sea to Hon Thom (Pineapple Island), where you will find more stunning beaches, scenic coconut fields and a water park. But the cable-journey is worth the price of admission alone! It’s the world’s longest 3-wire sea cable car with a length of 7899.9 meters and you will be treated to awesome panoramic views the whole way to Hon Thom.
Staged at Sun World Hon Thom, ‘Kiss the Stars’ is Asia’s largest multimedia show operating on seawater and a spectacular extravaganza of lights, lasers, fireworks, music and more
A spectacular show
After taking the cable car to ‘Pineapple Island’, I also checked out Sun World Hon Thom – one of the leading amusement parks in Asia with a host of fun rides and games for people of all ages. But I also recommend buying tickets to ‘Kiss the Stars’, which I am told is Asia’s largest multimedia show on seawater. It really was a blast! Combining a light show, lasers, fireworks, music, and more, this visual extravaganza is the perfect way to cap off a wonderful day on Vietnam’s paradise island.
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