DISCOVER
Gành Dầu
Casino, Safari, Hiking
Gành Dầu Region
About | Regions | Beaches | Things to do| Location | Shopping | Where to eat | Where To Stay
For most foreign visitors Gành Dầu means one thing: Bai Dai Beach — the long stretch of idyllic yellow sand that lures in tourists from all over the world. The attractions for fun-seekers are hard to resist: you can visit an amusement park and safari here, play golf, gamble at the Phu Quoc Casino, snorkel and scuba dive or enjoy sunset cocktails at one of the beach front resort bars. In fact, you can do just about everything that the average Vietnamese can only dream about. But to suggest that Ganh Dau terminates at Bãi Dài is like saying Hanoi begins and ends with Halong Bay.
ABOUT
Xã Gành Dầu
LEARN
Ganh Dau Commune is the region located in the north west corner of Phu Quoc Island. It is dominated by theme parks, integrated casino resorts, and floating seafood restaurants – all new additions to the island. The region also has Kien Giang Provinces first WHO recognized international hospital and the islands first 27 hole golf course. Along the coastline you will fine yellow sand beaches all facing the setting sun.
How to get here
Getting to Ganh Dau Commune from the main town of Duong Dong is easy. Just take highway DT45 all the way up north. Once you pass the Cua Can bridge, there will be a few gas stations that mark the communes southern border. The total journey is approximately 30 km from Duong Dong.
Regions
Làng Chài Gành Dầu
Làng Chài Gành Dầu, or Ganh Dau Fishing Village is where the locals live. There is a small market and plenty of little shops. It is a great place for photographers to capture local island living however it is not the cleanest place in the region.
Làng Chài Gành Dầu is the main fishing village in Ganh Dau commune and it is where most of the locals live. The village is located along the northern side of Phu Quoc Island and there isn't much to see and do here except explore rural living and visiting the local market.
Rach Vem
Rach Vem is a small fishing village (800 meters wide and 4 km long) located within Ganh Dau commune. There are about 160 households with approximately 1,100 people living here. Rach Vem is accessible by traveling down a relatively wide side road heading east away from Ganh Dau. The village is located between the “Nhum” and “Coc” canals and faces the sea where Cambodia can be seen in the distance. You can expect to see very basic houses built on stilts, chickens and ducks being farmed, stray dogs and cats running around, and children following you around. The original inhabitants of Rach Vem do not speak much English but are very friendly and helpful. The life here is simple and there is a certain charm that exists in the village.
Chuồng Víc
The less popular resort area of Ganh Dau lies within Chung Vic. Here you will find a few resorts, restaurants, an a low tidal beach.
Bãi Dài
The area just south of Long Beach Village which has some of the islands older beach resorts and newer boutique garden resorts located in the communes interior. There are also a few great restaurants located just off Tran Hung Dao Road worth exploring.
islands
Hòn Đồi Mồi
Hòn Đồi Mồi or Turtle Island is a lovely uninhabited island that is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving spot. Here one can abandon oneself to utter relaxation for the day feeling like Robinson Crusoe. The boats depart from Bai Dai beach, and most tour/scuba shops also offer excursions leaving from Duong Dong and Bai Trong.
Hon Thay Boi
Just off the coast of Ganh Dau in the north western section of Phu Quoc lies Hon Thay Boi , or “Mouse Island”, a tiny uninhabited island that literally resembles a mouse. Mouse Island in Phu Quoc is an ecotourism destination for low impact activities such as bird watching, freediving and snorkeling.
Hon Bang
Hon Bang Island is located off the north west coast of Ganh Dau across nearby Mouse Island. The island is popular with picnicking locals, who apparently do not like to pick up their garbage. Hon Bang is not worth visiting due to the island inundated with trash.
BEACHES
The beaches in the Ganh Dau region — especially those located along the north western coast are the stuff of dreams. You can find long stretches of beach which you can have to yourself and other stretches of beach dominated by luxury resorts, beach bars, and sea view restaurants.
Bai Ganh Dau
Ganh Dau Beach (Bai Ganh Dau) is located in Ganh Dau Village up in the northern part of Phu Quoc Island and it is widely considered to be one of the best beaches on the island. The beach is surrounded by pristine forest & mountains and it also famous for its revolutionary past, where a Vietnamese fisherman named Nguyen Trung Truc set up a base near by and fought off the French.
The beach is arch shaped and about 500 meters in length, fringed by palm trees, and is shielded by two mountains. The sand is yellow in color and a bit coarse due to the vast amount of coral found in the water.
SEE & DO
Rach Vem Floating Restaurants
The floating seafood restaurants located off the coast of Rach Vem were established in 2016 and were created solely to cater to tourists. There are several restaurants out at sea and you can either walk to them from shore via a wooden bridge or be taken out to them by a small boat. Technically these restaurants are not “floating” but built on stilts otherwise they would be swept away during the monsoon season. The attraction here is not the restaurants per se, all of which serve the same style of seafood, but rather the views of the sea and the long wooden bridges built over the shallow bay of Rach Vem Village. The best time to visit is at high noon when there are less crowds and when the water is at its bluest.
Island Hopping
From the western coast of Ganh Dau you can see three islands, Turtle Island (Hon Doi Moi), Ban Island (Hon Ban) and Mouse Island (Hon Thay Boi).
Safari
Embark on a fascinating journey through Vietnam's first safari park on Phu Quoc Island. This safari is the largest open-range safari park and wildlife care and conservation park in Vietnam. The Safari Zoo Phu Quoc will have approximately 3,000 animal representing 150 species and 400 species of plants on 380 hectares of land. Launched on Dec 24, 2015 the open air zoo concept is modeled after a similar safari-style zoo found in Singapore.
Map & Directions »
Amusement Park
Imagine a magical place on a tropical island that has fast water slides, heart stomping roller coasters, a castle, and some of the best local and international food found in all of Vietnam. That place is Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc. If you ever get bored of the sun, surf, and beach living on Phu Quoc then this is the place to go to. The amusement park is a stones throw away from Bai Dai Beach, the Phu Quoc Casino, and The Phu Quoc Safari. There are also shuttle buses that will take you from Bai Truong Duong Dong, and Ong Lang to the amusement park.
Map & Directions »
Casino Phu Quoc
The Phu Quoc casino is a unique casino in Vietnam that allows international visitors as well as locals to gamble. The casino has numerous hotels and resorts connected to it and offers more than just gambling. There are live shows, concerts, and great international cuisine.
Nguyen Trung Truc
Nguyen Trung Truc was a leader of the Anti-French Colonist movement of Vietnam from 1861 to 1868. He is known for two great military achievements: 1) The sinking of the French warship named Esperanza (December 10, 1861) and 2) Taking back Rach Gia from the French on June 16, 1868. Nguyen Trung Truc was eventually captured on Phu Quoc Island, imprisoned, and executed. There is a temple devoted to him at Ganh Dau Village on Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam.
One of the first things you will notice at the temple is a variety of different colored bark laid out on mats and left to dry. These barks are actually used to treat a variety of illnesses and are available for free for all guests. Just ask for a small bag and grab a handful.
The bed Bark is called “Cao Dang” and it is used to treat headaches. The lighter yellow bark is called “Phuch Linh” and it used for heart aches, insomnia, and for urinary tract infections. The darker yellow bark is called “Do Trong” and it is used to treat arthritis. The way you process the bark is by boiling it in water, filtering out the bark, and then drinking the juice or “tea”. Some also put the bark in alcohol, usually rice wine, and let it sit for several days before consuming it.
Snorkeling
Mouse Island is surrounded by a shallow reef teeming with marine life. You can snorkel its shores. Getting there is easy – join a our a take a local boat from Bai Dai Beach.
shopping
Ripcurl Phu Quoc
Ripcurl is located inside the Vinpearl Resort. If you need branded beach gear, this is the place.
Where to eat
Duong To has plenty of street food, local restaurants that serve traditional Vietnamese dishes, ice cream and coffee shops galore, and upscale restaurants found at the major beach resort complexes. From Indian food to Sushi, it can all be found here in Duong To.
724 Restaurant
A beachfront restaurant that serves a good selection of seafood and Vietnamese dishes. Dishes start at around 100,000VND and up. Come here during the sunset hours.
Bien Hai Quan Restaurant
Near town you can eat Pho, Bun Bo Hue, and other traditional dishes for only 35,000VND.
WHERE TO STAY
Given that Duong To region is where most of the resorts and hotels are located on Phu Quoc Island, we’ve highlighted a select few below that meet or exceed customers’ expectations. Listings have also been segmented by being north or south or the Phu Quoc International Airport.
Vinpearl Phu Quoc Resort
Grand World Phu Quoc Resort
Phu Quoc Casino Integrated Resorts
VinOasis Phu Quoc Resort
300+ integrated casino resort with 2 restaurants, pool, fitness, and spa. Located just before Vinpearl Land.
Corona Resort & Casino
Radisson Blu Phu Quoc Resort
Map
LOCATION
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