Essential Tips for First-Time Travelers to Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc offers ferry transport for island hopping, featuring two prominent islands named Mong Tay and varying standards of resorts and bungalows.

Essential Guide for First-Time Visitors to Phu Quoc

If you're a first-time traveler to Phu Quoc, remember these tips for a smooth journey.

Ferry to Phu Quoc Island

Airplanes and high-speed ferries are the main transportation options to the island. All three domestic airlines operate daily flights from major cities to Phu Quoc.

If you choose the sea route, you can depart from Ha Tien or Rach Gia in Kien Giang with travel times ranging from 1 hour and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes, ticket prices between 230,000 to 330,000 dong. Few know that ferries are also used as a means of island access. Ferries depart from Ha Tien, taking 4 hours for the journey, accommodating both motorcycles and cars, with a fare of 185,000 dong per person.

Best Seasons to Visit

Phu Quoc experiences two distinct seasons, rainy and dry. The most favorable time to visit Phu Quoc is during the dry season, from October to March the following year, with clear skies and golden sunshine. Although traveling during the rainy season may be challenging, it offers the advantage of abundant streams, plentiful seafood, and better prices. Rain in Phu Quoc is often sudden and short-lived.

Bungalows and Resorts

When visiting Phu Quoc, choosing accommodation can be overwhelming amidst numerous resorts and bungalows. These are ideal options for beach vacations, owing to their harmony with nature. However, note that the standards of resorts and bungalows vary greatly, with some resembling homestays and costing around 500,000 to 600,000 dong per night.

Therefore, when booking, pay attention to the images and amenities before deciding. Opt for resorts and bungalows near the beach and town center for convenience in sightseeing and transportation. For cheaper options, consider homestays, hostels, or guesthouses.

A Must-Try Dish

Phu Quoc boasts a variety of delicious dishes, hard to find elsewhere, such as herring salad, stirred vermicelli, horned vermicelli, razor clam fried rice… Seafood, though common in coastal tourist spots, should not be overlooked here. Dinh Cau Night Market is one of the places with the highest concentration of seafood in Phu Quoc. The seafood stalls here are very enticing, and if you have the time, you should try a meal because prices here are usually higher.

If you have ample time to explore, when visiting the small islands in the south, you can choose seafood from the locals' cages and ask them to prepare it for you. The seafood here is fresh and inexpensive.

Mong Tay Island

Mong Tay Island has been likened to the Maldives of Vietnam for its fine white sand and crystal-clear emerald waters. However, it's worth noting that there are two points with this name in Phu Quoc, one in the northwest and one in the south of the island.

Among them, Mong Tay Island in the northwest is currently developing a luxury resort. The similarly named island in the south remains untouched, attracting more visitors for sightseeing. From Dinh Cau, you can rent a boat to Mong Tay Island in the south, taking about an hour. Visitors can swim, snorkel, or visit nearby islands like Dam Ngang, May Rut Trong… The price for a day trip boat ride is around 750,000 dong per person.

Bringing Fish Sauce Home

Fish sauce is a specialty of Phu Quoc that many people choose to buy as gifts. However, this item is restricted for carry-on baggage on airplanes. Normally, fish sauce cannot be placed in carry-on luggage and can only be transported in checked baggage when properly packaged (sealed, not in glass containers, packed in foam boxes, and odor-free). The amount of fish sauce allowed for checked baggage is also limited, typically 3-5 liters, depending on the airline. Note that Vietnam Airlines does not accept the transportation of fish sauce on short-haul flights operated by small aircraft.

Currently, many Phu Quoc fish sauce stores offer shipping by sea for customers, with an estimated delivery time of about 7 days.

According to Vy An/Vnexpress

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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour