PLAN YOUR TRIP TO PHU QUOC

Vietnam's Pearl Island

Phu Quoc Trip Planning Guide

If you are looking to be pampered at a 5 star resort or live like Robinson Crusoe, this island is for you and it has something for everyone and for all age groups. Here on Phu Quoc Island you can vaisit beautiful white powdery sand beaches, snorkel and dive and discover the exotic Gulf of Thailand marine life, shop for pearls, try the world famous fish sauce, kayak to small islets, hike through a National Park and watch monkeys jump from tree to tree, swim in natural pools created by spectacular waterfalls, go on a deep sea fishing excursion or fish from shore, play golf at a world class golf course, or just watch one of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever see.

Phu Quoc Trip Planning

This page may well be some of the most important reading you will do before setting off on your Phu Quoc trip. It deals with pre-planning homework that can make the difference between returning home with pleasant memories or with a feeling of frustration and bewilderment. Here you will find information about Phu Quoc, currency exchange, visas, places to avoid, how long your trip should be so that you get the most out of Phu Quoc, what sort of clothes and provisions you should pack, and what you may expect in terms of accommodations, restaurants, shopping, and things to see and do.

Sources of Visitor Information

One of the most useful things you can do when planning a Phu Quoc Island visit is to go online and read some of the reviews at the various social media sites such as Google Places, Facebook, TripAdvisor, etc. in order to understand the current pulse of the island. Reading PQ Guide & PQ Places will help you understand the island district in more depth and get your bearings. Also joining the Phu Quoc Facebook Page and Phu Quoc Facebook Group will keep you in the loop about what is happening on Phu Quoc Island in real time.

Unfortunately, Phu Quoc currently does not have an official tourism board and on Phu Quoc Island there are no official tourist information centers approved by the government. However, you will find plenty of businesses who like to claim they are “official tourism centers” in order to drive traffic to their business.

In 2018, the People's Committee of Kien Giang Province confirmed that there are no official tourism centers in Phu Quoc or in Kien Giang Province that have been approved and recognized by the government. For Phu Quoc Trip Planning, all the research and thorough information is available online only.

Entry Requirements

You will need a passport for entry to Phu Quoc, and it must be valid for no less than 3 months beyond the date you plan to depart. A travel tip about passports: you should take photos of your passport, your photo page, and any visa’s that you may have using your smart phone and email these pictures to yourself (or use Google Photos). You will save yourself a lot hassle in case you and those vital documents part ways. Currently there are no embassies on Phu Quoc Island and you will need to travel to either Saigon or Hanoi to deal with passport related issues.

For a stay of less than 30 days, you will not need a Vietnam visa providing that you a) have not be banned from Vietnam in the past, b) do not intend to work or study, c) plan on only visiting Phu Quoc and not any other destination in Vietnam during your stay. This unique visa exemption applies to all nationalities. If you wish to stay beyond 30 days, then you will need to proper Vietnam Visa. The Phu Quoc Vietnam Visa Exemption policy is designed of tourists to spent their entire holiday in Phu Quoc only (see below).

Language in Phu Quoc

Most hotel staff speak at least some English, French, Russian, and Vietnamese. Outside of the tourist area only Vietnamese is spoken. Hand signals and pointing at your map and where you want to go work well for directions. For prices, always ask sellers to write it down or show you the price via calculator. Having a smartphone comes in handy on this island.

What To Pack?

Ok, so you've found you your perfect beach and have chosen a hotel, now you are ready to pack. Here are a list of items you should consider packing:

Light breathable clothes, swimming wear, and a rain coat
If you plan on snorkeling, bring your snorkeling gear
Swimming goggles, sun tan or sun block lotion
Mosquito repellent
Running shoes or hiking shoes if you plan on trekking in the National Park
Camera, phone, laptop – the island has fast WIFI
A simple first aid kit

If you forget any of the above items, you can always purchase them here at Phu Quoc. There are a lot of shops selling western size clothing, sun block, etc.

Pack less to save more: If you are only going to Phu Quoc for a short period of time, and you think you can manage with a carry on luggage only, some airlines, e.g. VietJetAir, offer cheaper airfares for carry on only. Do keep in mind how much you intend to bring back, to see if this option works for you.

Banking, Money, Currency Exchange

All transactions on Phu Quoc are done in Vietnamese Dong (VND) so you need to exchange your money. There are a lot of ATM's and Banks on the island. The majority of the ATM machines can be found around Tran Hung Dao street and in the Long Beach Village area. The most comprehensive full service bank on Phu Quoc is the Sacombank and the BIDV Bank. There main branches are located in Duong Dong Town at 20, 30 Thang 4 Street. Here you can cash travelers checks, withdraw money, exchange currencies, use their local and international ATM's. Both are open from 7am to 11pm and 1pm to 4pm Monday to Saturday.

Other banks on the island include Agribank, Vietcomb, and Kien Long Bank.

Western Union on Phu Quoc Island Vietnam

There is a Western Union located inside the Agribank on 2 Tran Hung Dao Street in Duong Dong Town in case you need to transfer or receive funds.

VISA & IMMIGRATION

Phu Quoc is on pace to be Vietnam's first special economic zone and it is the only place in Vietnam where foreigners and Vietnamese with foreign passports are eligible for a 30 day visa exemption upon arrival (entry, exit, and transit). In order to be eligible for the exemption, all visitors must hold a valid passport that will not expire within the next 45 days, depart from an international country, arrive directly or indirectly (via transit) to Phú Quốc, and they must depart Phú Quốc, either directly or indirectly (via transit), to an international destination. Under this visa exemption policy, visitors can stay on Phu Quoc for a duration not exceeding 30 days and are not permitted to enter mainland Vietnam nor any islands that are outside Phú Quốc District, a 28 island archipelago.

PHU QUOC VISA EXEMPTION FAQ's

Q: I am from a country where its citizens are eligible for a 15 day Vietnam Visa exemption. Can I visit Phu Quoc within the 15 days without obtaining a Visa?
A: Yes. Phu Quoc is part of Vietnam and your 15 day exemption is applicable to all parts of Vietnam.

Q: How can I get the 30 day Vietnam Visa exemption for Phu Quoc?
A: You are eligible for a 30 day Vietnam Visa Exemption specifically for Phu Quoc if you plan on only visiting Phu Quoc and no other place in Vietnam. Your end destination must be Phu Quoc and you must leave Phu Quoc within 30 days to any international country via airplane. Upon arrival to Vietnam you must show customs officers your itinerary as proof.

Q: What does a Phu Quoc visa exemption look like in my passport?
A: It's a stamp that marks date of entry to Phu Quoc and date of exemption expiration.

Q: I am in Vietnam now and my Vietnam Visa is about to expire and/or my current Vietnam Visa Exemption is about to expire. Am I eligible for a 30 day Phu Quoc Visa Exemption while I am in Vietnam?
A: No. The 30 day Phu Quoc Visa Exemption is only applicable to those who are planning to visit Phu Quoc directly (or via transit) from an international country. If you are currently in Vietnam you do not qualify for the 30 day Phu Quoc Visa Exemption.

Q: I want to visit Phu Quoc first and mainland Vietnam. What are my options in terms of getting the right Visa?
A: You can get a Visa on Arrival (VOA), just make sure the VOA letter states Phu Quoc as port of entry. Alternatively you can get an E-Visa.

CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER VISA REQUIREMENTS

The visa exemption also applies to passengers on board international cruise ships that will dock at either the international cruise ship terminal in Duong Dong Town or at An Thoi Port. Currently there are two international cruise ship operators that visit Phu Quoc: 1) The Costa Victoria, operated by Italy’s Costa Crociere and 2) Jupiter Cruises, operated by Hong Kong’s Royal Group.

TRAVELING FROM THAILAND OR CAMBODIA TO PHU QUOC

Unless you are part of an authorized tour group you will not receive a Phu Quoc visa exemption if you travel by land (Ha Tien / Kep via Prek Chak – Xa Xia border crossing) or by boat via Cambodia (Sihanoukville) or Thailand (Koh Chang). You must obtain a Vietnam visa in advance prior to arriving to Phu Quoc. There are exceptions to this policy as there are certain number of nations that are eligible for a Vietnam visa exemption.

* Phu Quoc has 3 international border gates: Phu Quoc International Airport, Phu Quoc International Passenger Port in Duong Dong Town, and the An Thoi International Seaport in An Thoi Town.

E-VISA

Vietnam has a e-Visa portal that allows citizens of 40 countries to be eligible for a single entry 30-day visa to Vietnam. The electronic visa is issued by the Vietnamese Immigration Department and the processing time takes 3 business days and costs $26.00USD. Visitors holding the electronic visas can touch down at any of Vietnam's 8 international airports, including the Phu Quoc International Airport and can also arrive by land at 13 international border gates, and by sea at 7 ports across the country.

EXTENDED STAYS IN VIETNAM

To stay in Vietnam for more than 30 days you must obtain a special pre-approval letter and visa on arrival which can be easily and securely obtained here.

When To Travel

As Phu Quoc increasingly caters to middle to upper-middle class tourists, the island has plenty of high standard hospitals, clinics, dental facilities, etc with the latest machinery and well educated staff.

Rainy Season

From mid May to early October, the island experiences its annual monsoon. Although it rains quite a bit during the summer months, this is the best time to visit the jungle and trek to the waterfalls.

Dry Season

From late October to early May, the weather on Phu Quoc is hot and dry. This is when the island is the busiest and rightfully so. Clear skies, turquoise seas, and the best snorkeling this side of Asia.

How To Get To Phu Quoc

Since Phú Quốc is an island district, the only way to get here is by either taking an aircraft (plane or helicopter) or arrive boat (ferry, speedboat, cruise. Phu Quoc has both an international airport and seaport and by 2020 the entire area will be a special economic zone.

By Plane

Direct flights from Thailand, China, Korea are now available. There are also charter flights from London, Sweden, Italy and Norway.

By Boat

The eight ways to get to Phu Quoc Island By Sea:

1. Fast Ferry from Ha Tien or Rach Gia. Taking the fast ferry is convenient, fun, and a safe way to travel to Phu Quoc by boat.

2. Slow Ferry from Ha Tien only. The slow ferry is a great option for those transporting vehicles or want to a more relaxed journey to the island. The difference between the fast ferry and slow ferry to Phu Quoc in terms of travel time is just one hour. Both boats are equally comfortable, clean, and modern.

3. Phu Quoc Express VIP Catamaran. A new luxury ferry service to Phu Quoc.

4. Sightseeing boat from Saigon. The Saigon to Phu Quoc junk boat “cruise” is a private 2 day travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Phú Quốc with a stop at Can Tho.

5. International Cruise Ship Travel. Trial runs for an international cruise ship route to Phu Quoc first began in 2008 by Hong Kong's Royal Group “Jupiter Cruises”, followed by the successful arrival of the German ferry cruise ship “MS Europa 2” in 2013 and 2014. In 2017 Italy's Costa Crociere ferry cruise liner company launched the Thailand → Cambodia → Phu Quoc route once Bangkok's Laem Chabang Port began operations. The cruise-ship known as “The Costa Victoria” arrived on Phu Quoc at Duong Dong Port, and it's arrival officially kicked off the South East Asia cruise ship travel and tourism industry. More international routes will be established once the new Duong Dong International Seaport and the Phu Quoc Marina are fully operational.

6. Local Boat. It's possible to travel to Phu Quoc Island via a local boat however you will be sharing the boat with animals, produce, and other goods. The trip from Vietnam's mainland to Phu Quoc by a local fishing boat takes about 8 hours and it is not a comfortable journey. If this is intimate cultural experience is of interest to you then your first step involves finding a local fisherman in the Mekong Delta area who's willing to accommodate you and accept the risks of transporting tourists to the island. Traveling to Phu Quoc by a local boat is done at your own risk and will violate your travel insurance policy. If you do chose this method, please make sure you have a valid Vietnam visa.

7. Ferry From Cambodia to Phu Quoc. A new speed ferry route connecting Sihanoukville, Kampot, & Kep with Phu Quoc is currently being established via Sihanoukville Autonomous Port’s new multipurpose terminal (coming in 2018).

8. Ferry from Thailand. A new ferry route from Koh Chang to Phu Quoc is currently being established (coming in 2019).

Phu Quoc By Ferry

Numerous Vietnamese ferry companies have routes to Phu Quoc Island from mainland Vietnam. You can take a regular ferry, car ferry, cruise ship, or even a classical junk.

Phu Quoc By Plane

Fly from almost anywhere in Vietnam and over 20 countries. With its' international airport and central location, arriving to Phu Quoc by plane is very easy.

healthcare

Duong Dong Phu Quoc Hospital (Bệnh viện Đa khoa) — Phu Quoc’s main hospital.

Located in Duong Dong Town along 30 Thang 4 (Tel: 077 384 6074) provides decent health care services at a extremely affordable price. [MAP]

An Thoi Hospital & Medical Center, An Thoi Commune – There is a older hospital and a new medical center in the southern region of Phu Quoc Island which handles basic medical needs. [MAP]

International Hospital – There is also an WHO standard international hospital in Ganh Dau Commune managed by the Vingroup corporation. This hospital is cleaner and has new machinery. [MAP]

Self-treatment may be appropriate if your health problem is minor, you are carrying the appropriate medication and you cannot attend a recommended clinic. If you think you may have a serious health issue, especially malaria, dengue, or have been bitten by a wild animal you need to travel to the nearest quality facility to receive attention.

Pharmacies in Phu Quoc

There are a number of pharmacies in Phu Quoc. They are located in all the major towns and villages. Most of these pharmacies carry limited types of medication so it is best to come to the island well prepared.

Vaccinations

Travelers to Phu Quoc and in Vietnam in general should be up-to-date on routine vaccines, such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and influenza. Travelers should also protect themselves by getting vaccinated against typhoid and hepatitis A. Hepatitis B protection is also advised, especially for long-term travelers and expatriates, given the high prevalence of chronic HBV infection in the local population.

Vaccination Types:

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine: Japanese Encephalitis is endemic throughout Vietnam and a vaccination is recommended for all travelers who spend more than one month or more in the country during the transmission season between May to October.
Rabies Vaccine: Travelers should consider receiving immunizations against rabies if they will be spending a lot of time in rural and forest area. Most dogs on the island are not routinely vaccinated. Care should also be taken to avoid contact with nonhuman primates (e.g. macaques) that are not afraid of humans and may be infected with herpes B virus as well as rabies and these animals are prevalent on Phu Quoc. Human rabies immune globulin is available in larger cities, such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Malaria: Malaria is primarily a concern in rural areas and is mostly caused by Plasmodium falciparum. There are rare cases in Phu Quoc. Travelers to Phu Quoc should avoid exposure to mosquitoes but do not necessarily need to take antimalarial drugs.
Dengue: Dengue is prevalent during the rainy season. Travelers to Vietnam should take measures to protect themselves from daytime mosquito bites to prevent dengue.
Food-borne Illnesses: Drinking tap water should be avoided, as should beverages with ice. Travelers to Phu Quoc should also avoid eating raw or undercooked meat, seafood, uncooked vegetables, and raw fruits that cannot be peeled by the traveler.
Avian Influenza: Vietnam continues to report sporadic cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) or “bird flu,” as it is commonly known. To avoid infection, travelers to an area affected by avian influenza should avoid direct contact with birds, including poultry (such as chickens and ducks) and wild birds; avoid touching surfaces that have bird droppings (feces) or other bird fluids on them; and avoid places where live birds are raised or kept.
Skin Diseases: Skin rashes may result from the combination of heat and humidity or fungal infections. Efforts should be made to keep clothes, shoes and linens clean and dry

Dental Clinics

There are 2 major dental clinics in Duong Dong Town with English speaking staff. Both of these clinics specialize in cosmetic dentistry. If you have a serious dental issue we advise you to go to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi for diagnosis and treatment.

Traditional Medicine

Vietnam is a tropical Southeast Asian country possessing a broad range of natural resources and a long history of a traditional medicine system. Phu Quoc Island and the locals living here possess abundant indigenous knowledge and experiences regarding the use of plants as herbal medicine. A lot of the plants found in Phu Quoc National Park have medicinal properties and can be seen being sold at various markets throughout the island.

How to use traditional medicine:

Most of the natural medicine that is found on the island is prepared by either boiling it in water and then drinking the tea OR placing the raw material in rice wine and allowing the alcohol to leach out the beneficial material from the plant.

Medicinal Plants

About 155 medicinal plant species has been identified, including 34 plant species for tonic medicine, and 11 species used in curing serious diseases; along with them are 23 species of Orchids including a new species for Vietnam named Podochilus tenius.

Common uses of traditional medicine in Phu Quoc:

Traditional medicine is used to treat the following symptoms:

gout
headaches
menstrual cramps
fertility
chest pain
cold and cough
rheumatism
joint pain
blurred vision
diarrhea
a variety of skin disorders
general weakness
and others.

ZIKA VIRUS PHU QUOC ISLAND VIETNAM *2018 Update

The Center of Disease Control has recently stated that pregnant women should not travel to Vietnam because of the presence of the Zika. Phu Quoc is part of Vietnam and thus included in the travel warning. Zika is spread in several ways, including being bitten by an infected mosquito, an infected pregnant mother passing the virus along to her fetus, and through sex with a person who is infected with Zika, both male and female. Zika virus can stay in a man's semen for a long time and the CDC has stated that those who plan on visiting Vietnam should practice safe sex.

There is also not a lot of publicly available information about Zika in Vietnam either because the methods for collecting the data is flawed or not available or the fear of reporting information that may disrupt tourism.

Getting Away

If you get bored of Phu Quoc Island you can always take a ferry to the mainland and visit the nearby port cities such as Ha Tien, Rach Gia, and even Cau Mau. You can also take a ferry and bus combination and head into Cambodia and/or Thailand. The following are the updated ferry and bus schedules to take you away from Phu Quoc Island:

Phu Quoc to Saigon by Bus & Ferry – Schedules & Fares

Phu Quoc to Can Tho by Bus & Ferry – Schedules & Fares

Phu Quoc – Rach Gia – Can Tho | Departure Time: 7:00am – Arrive 3:30pm | $27USD
Phu Quoc – Rach Gia – Can Tho | Departure Time: 12:00am – Arrive 8:00pm | $27USD

Phu Quoc – Ha Tien – Can Tho | Departure Time: 7:00am – Arrive 5:00pm | $22USD
Phu Quoc – Ha Tien – Can Tho | Departure Time: 12:00am – Arrive 12:0pm | $22USD

Phu Quoc to Chau Doc by Bus & Ferry – Schedules & Fares

Phu Quoc – Ha Tien – Chau Doc | Departure Time: 7:00am – Arrive 1:30pm | $19USD
Phu Quoc – Ha Tien – Chau Doc | Departure Time: 7:00am – Arrive 3:30pm | $19USD

Phu Quoc to Ca Mau by Bus & Ferry – Schedules & Fares

Phu Quoc – Rach Gia – Cau Mau | Departure Time: 7:00am – Arrive 4:30pm | $30USD
Phu Quoc – Ha Tien – Cau Mau | Departure Time: 7:00am – Arrive 6:30pm | $25USD

Phu Quoc to Vinh Long by Bus & Ferry – Schedules & Fares

Phu Quoc – Rach Gia – Vinh Long | Departure Time: 7:00am – Arrive 6:00pm | $32USD
Phu Quoc – Rach Gia – Vinh Long | Departure Time: 12:00am – Arrive 9:00pm | $32USD

Phu Quoc to Bangkok by Bus & Ferry – Schedules & Fares

** All prices include: Pickup, ferry fare, bus fare.

Tips

» Bring insect repellent: Mosquito's, sand flies, ticks, spiders and other stinging insects are present on the island. The bug spray that is sold on the island is not of the same quality as those found in western nations. Although there has been no reported case of the Zika Virus on Phu Quoc, it is better to protect yourself regardless by using bug repellent. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) has stated that mosquito borne illnesses such as Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue, Avian Flu, and Malaria (rare) are endemic to Vietnam, so its best to take the necessary precautions. The CDC recommends using insect repellents containing EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone (methyl nonyl ketone).

» International Hospital: In Ganh Dau there a clean new hospital that should be your first choice in case you are sick, hurt, or poisoned. Telephone: +84773985522 | Emergency: +84981481924

» Toxic chemicals: Do not allow your children to touch any color-based print maps or print guidebooks on Phu Quoc as there is a possibility that the ink that is used contains highly absorb-able BPA which is a carcinogenic chemical. There is widespread BPA contamination in paper products in Asia due to the print industry using cheap low-grade untested Chinese inks (remember the melamine scandal?). We've asked for verification and for businesses to switch to soy ink use, but our requests fell on deaf ears. Stick with your smartphone unless you see something with a “BPA-free” logo on it, but even then the logo could be fake. Welcome to Asia!

» Fruits: since we are on the subject of toxic products, try to avoid Chinese imported fruits, e.g. kiwi, oranges, apples, grapes, etc. They are grown in uncontrolled environments with heavy pesticide and hormone use and imported into Vietnam – they are cheap for a reason. Stick with local fruits such as longines, mangoes, mangosteen, dragonfruit, and simfruit.

» Pack your own sunscreen: The sunscreen found on the island, and in Vietnam in general, is of low quality, most likely counterfeit, and probably contains a skin whitening product. On PhuQuoc there are some shops that do sell imported sunscreen, especially in the Bai Truong, Bà Kèo, and Long Beach Village area but they are marked up by over 75%. Tanning in the sun is an activity that most Vietnamese do not engage in. In fact they do everything possible to avoid the sun altogether!

» Bring your own snorkel and mask: Phu Quoc Island is an awesome place to snorkel directly from the beach, and if you have your own equipment that's even better. If you do not plan on bringing your own fins, then at bare minimum you should pack water booties as the coral here is extremely sharp and the depths are very shallow.

» Tampons: Maxi-pads are easy to find on PhuQuoc Island but tampons are not so plan accordingly.

» Google Translate App: Make sure you download “Google Translate” from either the ios or android app store prior to coming to Phú Quốc. In Google's latest release you can literally use your smartphones camera to instantly translate text. This comes in handy when translating Russian or Vietnamese language text into English as there are a lot of good restaurants on Phu Quoc that only have menus in the aforementioned languages.

» Book 1 domestic flight per day: Flights aren't reliable within Vietnam and a good portion of domestic flights are delayed or behind schedule.

» Luxury pool use: You do not necessarily have to stay at a luxury resort in order to use the resorts pool. Just buy a drink or a snack and jump in! This does not apply to boutique resorts as they charge a fee for their pool use.

» Sending Postcards: Near the Dinh Cau Temple there is a post office where you can send postcards back home. They are located on 30/4 street, Duong Doong Town.

» Sim Cards: These three Vietnamese telecom's offer 4G: Vinaphone, Mobiphone, and Viettel. If you want to buy a sim, you will need to register your passport however you can also buy pre-paid sim cards as well.

» Musical Instruments Shop: Vietnam made guitars make great gifts/souvenirs and on 95 Nguyen Trung Truc street in Duong Dong you will find a small music shop.

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Summary

Reviewer

OnePhuQuoc

Review Date

2014-10-16

Reviewed Item

Phu Quoc Trip Planning App

Author Rating