Lonely Planet gives tips to fully explore Phu Quoc

The cable car to Hon Thom provides a breath-taking panoramic view of Phu Quoc sea and sky. (Photo: Sun Group)

Hanoi – Going on an island-hopping snorkelling tour, taking the cable car to an amusement park on Hon Thom (Pineapple Island) and visiting Sunset Town are among top activities while travelling Phu Quoc island in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, recommended Lonely Planet, the travel information website dubbed “the backpacker's blue bible”.

In a recent post, Lonely Planet gave a guideline for visitors who travel the “pearl island” for the first time. The author described Phu Quoc as a blessed island with 150km of gorgeous coastline, a heavily forested interior (more than half of the island is a national park) and bountiful seafood.

It’s also the only place in Vietnam where tourists of any nationality can visit for up to 30 days visa-free. Besides suggesting the best time to enjoy the island, Lonely Planet highlighted prioritised experiences that any visitor to the island should try, especially in the southern part of the island.

Taking the cable car to Hon Thom

According to Lonely Planet, one of the most interesting experiences in Phu Quoc is to take the world’s longest non-stop three-rope cable car to Hon Thom. It takes about 15 minutes to cover the nearly 8km distance to the island.

“The views over fishing boats and forested islands alone are worth the price of admission,” the author emphasised.

On the island, a family-friendly day awaits with water slides, a wooden roller coaster, an observation deck and more.

The cable car provides visitors with a bird's eye-view of the crystal clear blue sea waters to the south of Phu Quoc that continuously changes colour over time, embellished by the vibrant colours of hundreds of fishing boats anchored in the bay. In a previous post about Phu Quoc, Lonely Planet said this as an experience at a reasonable price.

With only 600,000 VND (23.74 USD), visitors can enjoy the cable car tour plus a ticket to the Aquatopia water park to experience water slides, or indulge in adventure games like the wooden roller coaster Moc Xa Rage in the village of Exotica.

Some other experiences that are available for an extra fee including "walking" on the ocean floor to see coral and feeding fish at Eco Beach Club.

Visitors will be transported by canoe to a raft in the middle of the sea, then wear oxygen helmets like astronauts to begin the journey of discovery.

Touring three islands

As a tropical paradise, one of the top experiences in Phu Quoc is definitely swimming, relaxing all day on the beach or participating in scuba diving.

The Lonely Planet suggests that tourists take tours to visit 2-3 islands in the south, which will provide a full range of experiences such as fishing, eating seafood, scuba diving to see corals.

“Other options include visiting more islands, going in a smaller group, or ending up on Pineapple Island and returning to the main island via cable car,” the article's author suggested.

Being transported to the Amalfi Coast at Sunset Town

While it sounds completely kitschy, the town is a wonderful place, the author commented on Sunset Town, a unique new world destination in Phu Quoc.

Sunset Town recreates a part of the Italian coast on a tropical island like Phu Quoc.

“The town is surprisingly well done, complete with pastel-coloured houses and terracotta tile roofs, cobblestone lanes, and cute boutiques and cafes,” described the author.

In addition to the surreal setting, this place attracts tourists as an entertainment complex that is difficult to find elsewhere in the world, with many attractive experiences that make it impossible for visitors to stay just for a day.

The draw here is its plethora of tourist attractions, including the Kiss Bridge, a nightly fireworks show, free water puppet shows and street performances, a beachfront night market, and the multi-sensory Kiss of the Sea show with acrobatics, pyrotechnics and lights projected onto falling curtains of water.

Immersing on paradise beaches

Phu Quoc has nearly two dozen beaches – some of the best in Vietnam – ranging from the wild and secluded to picture-perfect stretches of powdery sand bordered by clear, turquoise waters.

Two of the best are in the island's southeast: Bai Sao (Sao Beach) and Bai Kem (Kem Beach).

For those who like vibrant atmosphere, Sao Beach is a good choice, as it is home to restaurants and beach clubs.

Meanwhile, Kem Beach is quieter.

Tourists are suggested to consider spending a few nights at hotels on Bai Kem to enjoy the most. Recommended hotels with their own "personalities" include New World Phu Quoc Resort, Premier Residences Phu Quoc or JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort.

Enjoying local specialties

The Lonely Planet said that Phu Quoc has a surprising number of specialties for being such a small island. Tours of the southern part of the island typically visit a sim wine factory (a sweet liquor made from the fruit of the rose myrtle), a pepper farm (expect to see strands of fresh peppercorns in stir-fries), a pearl farm where the process of cultivating pearls is explained, and a fish sauce factory (Phu Quoc fish sauce is prized throughout Vietnam).

Drive through the national forest in the island’s northern end to sample local honey and a seafood lunch, it suggested.

Phu Quoc named among most affordable tropical destinations Phu Quoc island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has been honoured by US magazine Travel+Leisure as one of the 10 most affordable tropical destinations to visit around the world, while the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Dailian journal has described the “pearl island” as the most popular healing destination.

Phu Quoc, Nha Trang among most favourite destinations for Korean tourists Tourists from the Republic of Korea (RoK) are increasingly interested in destinations in Vietnam, according to a survey conducted by Rankify Korea website.