Phu Quoc’s best souvenirs are the things the island actually makes: fish sauce, pepper, sim wine and seafood, plus pearls from its pearl farms. Most of what you see at the night market — T-shirts, bags, “branded” clothes, cheap pearl strings — is not from the island at all. This guide covers what is worth buying, the shops visitors rate most highly, and the one thing that catches people out: getting fish sauce home on the plane.
What to buy
- Fish sauce (nước mắm). The island’s most famous product. “Phu Quoc” fish sauce is a protected designation of origin in the EU — the first Vietnamese product to get that status, in 2012–2013 — and several local producers’ fish sauces hold OCOP ratings, Vietnam’s national quality stars for local products. See the flying rules below before you buy a big bottle.
- Pepper. Black, red and white peppercorns from the island’s pepper farms, many of which you can visit for free. Phu Quoc pepper holds a 3-star OCOP rating.
- Sim wine. The island’s wild-berry wine and syrup, from the producers’ gardens near Duong Dong.
- Dried seafood. Dried squid, fish and shrimp, vacuum-packed in the specialty shops; put them in your checked bag.
- Snacks: cashews, coconut candy, dried fruit and coffee — easy, light and cheap.
- Crafts and design souvenirs: a newer generation of shops sells locally designed gifts, clothes, ceramics and essential oils.
Where to buy
Ratings from Google Maps, October 2026:
- Huong Nguyen Phu Quoc Local Food Store — 5.0 from 673 reviews, 11 Nguyễn Trãi, near the night market. A specialty food shop that reviewers like for its friendly, unpushy service and fair prices; recommended for cashews and local delicacies. The same brand has a second shop, Nguyên Hương Mart, at 76 Trần Hưng Đạo (4.9 from 487).
- Kingkong Mart — 4.4 from 5,254, 141A Trần Hưng Đạo (and a smaller branch on Bạch Đằng). A huge supermarket with groceries, souvenirs, specialty foods, clothes and toys under one roof; many visitors do their last-day shopping here. More supermarkets and the airport duty free: shopping on Phu Quoc.
- LOCA — 5.0 from 688 at its main store, 149 Trần Hưng Đạo, and 4.9 from 1,107 at its night-market shop on Trần Hưng Đạo. Beautifully designed shops with locally made gifts, snacks, essential oils and postcards; a little pricier than the street, and a few reviewers found the quality uneven.
- Boutique Balibang — 4.9 from 214, in Cửa Lấp. Handmade clothes, jewellery and pottery.
- The markets. For dried seafood and pepper at local prices, try the Duong Dong market in the morning; at the night market, bargain.
A specialty food store in Duong Dong. Photo: Nguyen Hương Mart, via Google Maps
Pearls: buy carefully
For how Phu Quoc pearls are farmed and how to check what you are buying, see our full guide to Phu Quoc pearls.
Phu Quoc has pearl farms, but much of the cheap jewellery sold on the island has never been near one. Vietnamese press reports have found that many pearls sold on the island are imported, and that some are imitations made from shell powder and resin, pressed and polished to look perfectly round. Street stalls and the night market are the riskiest places to buy.
If you want real pearls, buy from an established showroom, ask what the pearls are and where they were farmed, ask to see them tested, and keep the receipt and any certificate. The main pearl showrooms, all on or near Trần Hưng Đạo (Google Maps, October 2026):
- Ngoc Hien Pearl Farm — 4.2 from 3,776. Founded in 1994, with a display on how pearls are farmed and a large shop on the way out. One reviewer noted that Grab drivers earn points for bringing customers here.
- Quoc An Pearl — 4.1 from 1,128. A presentation on pearl farming, then the showroom; one reviewer was followed round by several sales staff.
- Long Beach Pearl — 4.1 from 267, 124 Trần Hưng Đạo.
Prices for genuine pearl jewellery run into millions of dong; one reviewer paid 11 million dong for several pieces in 2025.
Flying home with fish sauce
Fish sauce is not allowed in the cabin, and airlines limit it in checked baggage. Vietnam Airlines’ rules:
- Checked baggage only — and not at all on its ATR-72 turboprop flights.
- No more than 3 litres or 3 kg per passenger.
- Plastic bottles, filled to no more than 95%, caps taped shut, packed in a taped foam box.
Other airlines have similar rules; check yours before you buy, and if you are connecting onwards, check your destination country’s rules on food imports too. Alcohol such as strong sim liquor (over 24%) must be in sealed retail packaging, up to 5 litres per passenger on Vietnam Airlines.
What not to buy
- Starfish, seahorses (dried or in wine), shells, coral and turtle shell. Many are protected under CITES, the international treaty on trade in endangered species, and you may not be allowed to take them home. Leave them on the shelf.
- Large amounts of agarwood (trầm hương). Agarwood is CITES-listed; small personal amounts are usually allowed, but check the rules for your country before you buy anything substantial.
- Counterfeit brands. Copies of branded clothes, bags and sunscreen are common; one reviewer got badly sunburnt using a bottle of fake sunscreen.
Ratings, review counts and visitor comments: Google Maps, October 2026. Baggage rules: Vietnam Airlines (see sources) — check your own airline before flying.
