48 hours in Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is at its most beautiful time of the year when the rainy season has ended, the weather is mildly sunny, windy, suitable for fun activities.

48 hours in Phu Quoc this week is for tourists who want a luxurious experience, love taking photos and enjoy moments of rest and relaxation more than activities and travel. The destinations are mainly concentrated in the south of the island. The experience is suggested by VnExpress reporter and Ms. Hoang Huong, a tourist from Hanoi who came to Phu Quoc in mid-November with Cam Nhung, a local tour guide.

Day 1

Morning

The Phu Quoc journey starts from Duong Dong town, the center of the island. It takes less than 10 minutes by car from the airport to Duong Dong town. One of the breakfast dishes you should try here is bun quay. The dish is special thanks to the way it is prepared, the delicious broth and the dipping sauce that diners mix themselves from available ingredients. The price of each bowl ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 VND.

Some addresses: Kien Xay Stirred Noodles (Bach Dang, Tran Phu, 30/4 locations) and Thanh Hung Stirred Noodles.

Kien Xay Stirred Vermicelli. Photo: Nguyen Chi — Kien Xay Stirred Vermicelli. Photo: *Nguyen Chi*

After breakfast, visitors visit Cao Dai Pagoda, located right in Duong Dong town. This place often holds many religious ceremonies in the morning. The pagoda has elaborately carved pillars, paintings stretching from floor to ceiling and embroidered curtains with eye-catching colors. If visitors want to participate in the morning ceremony at Cao Dai Pagoda, remember to choose modest clothing.

On the way from Duong Dong town to the south of the island, visitors should stop at a Phu Quoc pepper garden to learn about the most widely grown plant on the island, which is also a plant with high economic value. In the pepper gardens, visitors can take beautiful photos and buy pepper as gifts. Phu Quoc pepper has three main product lines: dried peppercorns (white pepper, pink pepper, black pepper), fresh whole pepper and processed pepper products such as pepper salt, ground pepper, candied pepper.

Noon

Ham Ninh crab. Photo: Nguyen Thanh Luan — Ham Ninh crab. Photo: *Nguyen Thanh Luan*

Go to Ham Ninh fishing village to enjoy seafood. This is one of the "must-see" places if you love seafood because this place is the source of many types of seafood for the whole Phu Quoc island. When eating seafood in Ham Ninh, visitors must definitely try the specialty of green crabs associated with the name of this fishing village. Some other dishes include grilled or raw sea urchins, melaleuca mushroom soup, crab blood pudding, grilled abalone. Each person costs about 500,000 VND per meal.

Afternoon

Check-in JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa and relax in the southern part of the island, on Khem beach. The spaces at the resort are the story of Lamarck University, named after the famous French scientist Jean Batiste Lamarck, in the early 20th century, designed by the world's leading architect Bill Bensley. Rooms, depending on the time, have the lowest price from 6 million VND per night.

After resting, visitors should walk around the resort and Sunset Town. Any corner in this area will give you beautiful photos, with landmarks such as the love slope, the pen tower, the clock tower, the cable car station, the Roman arena, the Arc de Triomphe, Pompeil Ruins, the ceramic road, the Mediterranean village, and the dragon ladder.

In the late afternoon, don't miss the sunset moment at Sunset Sanato Beach Club, about 20 minutes away from the resort.

"You should come here before 5pm to enjoy the most beautiful moments of the afternoon. Sunset here is later and longer than other places in Phu Quoc because the view is not blocked," said Ms. Huong, adding that the sun does not set completely until around 6:30pm.

Watch the sunset at Sunset Sanato Beach Club at 5:30 pm. — Watch the sunset at Sunset Sanato Beach Club at 5:30 p.m. Photo: *NVCC*

Most tourists who come here to watch the sunset will also conveniently have dinner, with the most popular food being the BBQ buffet right on the beach. This place also has a stage, music shows, and a bar. "The food is of average quality, but the atmosphere is fun and pleasant," Ms. Huong commented.

Evening

Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, visitors can relax with the multimedia technology show (fire, water, laser, light) and fireworks Kiss The Stars at the Kiss Bridge area in the town of Hoang Hon. The show starts at 20:30 and the 3-minute fireworks display will be performed at the end, around 21:00.

If you're still not ready for bed, stop by the Department of Chemistry Bar right on the beach for a Ridgeback's Rules cocktail and live music.

Department of chemistry bar. Photo: JWM — Department of chemistry bar. Photo: *JWM*

Day 2

Morning

Get up early to take a walk or jog around the JW Marriott campus or the neighboring Premier Residences Phu Quoc. Have breakfast at Tempus Fugit restaurant with traditional Vietnamese dishes such as banh mi, pho bo, banh cuon, bun moc, mien ga, xoi sa. Choose a table outside the corridor if you want to enjoy the fresh air, watching the sea at the beginning of the day in the cool air.

Noon and afternoon

Tourists visit Hon Thom Island. The usual means of transportation is the cable car or canoe. The cable car will resume operation from December 21, from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 19:00 every day. Currently, tourists take the canoe, the journey takes about 20 minutes with three time slots a day, from 10:00 a.m. and the latest return is at 17:30 p.m.

Coral viewing at Hon Thom. Photo: DL Phu Quoc — Coral viewing at Hon Thom. Photo: *DL Phu Quoc*

The island is 3.5 km long and 1.2 km wide, about 10 km from the resort. On the island, visitors can continue traveling by boat or canoe to experience the "3-island tour" of snorkeling and exploring May Rut Trong island, Gam Ghi island, and Mong Tay island. Other activities include parasailing, jet skiing, floating houses, and water parks. "Those who have never been here should experience the SUP tour to see coral and take photos from a flycam, you will have photos of a lifetime," said Ms. Huong.

Hon Thom Island also has restaurants and cafes for tourists. You should have lunch and rest here. The cost ranges from 500,000 VND to 3 million VND.

Return to the main island in the afternoon. Time on the island depends on your needs.

Some alternatives: Have fun, take photos at Sao beach and enjoy the famous Phu Quoc herring salad here. Within a 3 km radius from the resort, you should visit Phu Quoc prison, Phung Hung fish sauce factory, pearl factories. If you have more time on the island, you should move to the North, visit Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, Rach Vem beach with many starfish.