Phú Quốc (known as Koh Tral by Cambodians) is the largest island of Vietnam. The island is part of Kiên Giang province. The district of Phú Quốc includes the island proper and 21 smaller islets. The district seat, Dương Đông, which is located on the west coast, is also the largest town on this island, whose total area is 574 km².
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Located in the Gulf of Siam, Phú Quốc island lies in front of the Cambodian coast, 62 nautical miles (115 km) from Rạch Giá, 15 kilometres (8.1 nmi) from Kampot province of Cambodia, and nearly 290 nautical miles (540 km) from Laem Chabang, Thailand. Roughly triangular in shape the island is 50 km long north to south and 25 km east to west in the north at its widest.
A mountainous ridge of "99 peaks" runs the length of Phú Quốc with Chúa Mountain (603 m) being the tallest.
The island's monsoonal sub-equatorial climate is characterized by distinct rainy (June to November) and dry seasons (December to May). The annual rainfall is high averaging 2,879 mm. In the northern mountains up to 4,000 mm have been recorded. April and May are the hottest months with temperature reaching 35 °C.
Phu Quoc is famous for its two traditional products: fish sauce and black pepper. The rich fishing grounds offshore provides the anchovy catch from which the prized sauce is made. Pepper cultivation is located inland in the center of the island. More recently a pearl farm was established.
Tourism plays an important part of the economy with the beaches being the main attraction. Phu Quoc is served by Phu Quoc Airport with air links to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)'s Tan Son Nhat Airport and Rach Gia's Rach Gia Airport. Plans are in progress for a new international airport for the island. Phu Quoc is also linked with Rach Gia and Hà Tiên by fast ferry hydrofoils.
The island's history is as old as any Asian mainland. An 1856 record mentions the island: "... King Ang Duong (of Cambodia) apprise Mr. de Montigny, French envoy in visit to Bangkok, through the intermediary of Bishop Miche, his intention to yield Koh Tral to France (cf. “The Second [French] Empire of IndoChina”)". Such a proposition aimed to create a military alliance with France to avoid the threat of Vietnam on Cambodia. The proposal did not receive an answer from the French.
While the war between Annam, France, and Spain was about to begin, Ang Duong sent another letter to Napoleon III to warn him on Cambodian claims on the lower Cochinchina region: the Cambodian king listed provinces and islands, including Koh Tral, under Vietnamese occupation since several years or decades (in the case of Saigon, some 200 years according to this letter). Ang Duong asked the French emperor to not annex any part of these territories because, as he wrote, despite this relatively long Vietnamese occupation, they remain Cambodian lands. In 1867, Phu Quoc's vietnamese authorities pledge allegiance to French troops just conquering HaTien.
After Cambodia gained independence from France, sovereignty disputes over the island were raised since there was no colonial decision on the island's fate. Dating back to 1939, the Governor-general of French Indochina, Jules Brévié had drawn a line to delimiting the administrative boundaries for islands in the Gulf of Thailand: those north of the line were placed under the Cambodian protectorate; those south of the line were managed by the colony of Cochinchina. Brévié made the point that the decision merely addressed police and administrative task, and that no sovereignty decision had been made. As a result, Phu Quoc remains under Cochinchina administration.
Phu Quoc has been a sleepy historical backwater most of its life. The temple on Cau rock was built in 1937. During the Vietnam War the island housed South Vietnam's largest prisoner camp (40000 in 1973, cf. Ngo Cong Duc, deputy of the Vinh Binh province, quoted in "Le régime de Nguyen Van Thieu à travers l'épreuve", Etude Vietnamienne, 1974, pp. 99-131). On Monday, April 30, 1975, the day a tank crashed though the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, 5,000 fisherman and farmers on Phu Quoc went about their daily business.
In 1967, during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, Norodom Sihanouk aimed to make the border internationally recognized; in particular, in 1967, the North Vietnamese government recognize theses borders. As written in an article from Kambudja magazine in 1968 (and quoted in the Sihanouk website), entitled "border questions", this border definition recognize that Phu Quoc island is in Vietnamese territory, even if Cambodian claims have been made later.
On May 1, 1975, a squad of Khmer Rouge soldiers raided and took Phu Quoc Island, but Vietnam soon recaptured it. This was to be the first of a series of incursions and counter-incursions that would escalate to the Cambodian–Vietnamese War in 1979.
 Phú Quốc coastline |
 Phú Quốc coastline |
 Phú Quốc coastline |
 Fishing boat |
 Fishing boat |
 Manufacturing of nuoc mam |
 A bridge on Dương Đông river |
 Dương Đông river's mouth |
 Hotel in Phú Quốc |
 Hotel in Phú Quốc |
 Dương Đông market |
 Dương Đông market |
 Sùng Hưng pagoda |
 A beach in Phú Quốc |
 A beach in Phú Quốc (Bãi Sao) |
 Dương Đông river |
 Suối Tranh |
 Nguyễn Trung Trực's temple |
 Sale of shells at the edge of road |
 Fishermen's village |
Coordinates: 10°15′32″N 104°00′09″E / 10.25889°N 104.0025°E
Phú Quốc is a large tropical island off the coast of Vietnam.
Phu Quoc is a very mountainous and densely forested Island of 1320 sq km; it is 48 km in length from south to north and has a population of approx. 80,000 people. Situated in the Gulf of Thailand 45 km west of Ha Tien on the Vietnamese mainland and 15 km south of the coast of Cambodia, Phu Quoc is ringed with some of most beautiful beaches in Vietnam, and offers the best seafood in the country. Phu Quoc Island served as a based for French missionary Pigneau de Behaine from the 1760-80s and at one time he provided shelter here for Prince Nguyen Anh (later Emperor Gia Long) when he was being hunted by the Tay Son rebels. During the Vietnam war there was little fighting here but the Island was used by the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces as a prison for captured Viet Cong. Phu Quoc is not really a part of the Mekong delta and also doesn’t share the delta's extraordinary ability to produce rice & fruit due to its soil quality and inaccessible terrain. It is, however, home to the best Fish sauce (nuoc mam) in the world, also reputedly known to produce high quality pepper and fantastic seafood. Another point of interest in Phu Quoc is the island's native dog; this dog was originally a wild animal and later trained as a hunting dog by local people. These days they are very domesticated and it's unusual to go anywhere on the island without seeing one of these dogs! These animals have unusually sharp teeth (as they tear their food when they eat it rather than bite) and have claws that over the years have been conditioned for catching their prey and are razor sharp.
For the best information about what to do on the Island as well as a free Island/Town map, free Internet access, great NZ Ice cream & milk shakes head to Buddy Ice Cream & Info Cafe, 26 Nguyen Trai St, Duong Dong Town Tel: 077 3 994181.
Phu Quoc is what Phuket would be if it hadn't been overrun by development. Phu Quoc island and its beaches was voted to be "The Most Cleanest and Beautiful Beach of World" by ABC News as from the end of February, 2008.
Phu Quoc is famous for producing the best nuoc mam or fermented fish sauce in the world. It also has some of the best unspoilt beaches in South East Asia.
Visit www.DiscoverPhuQuoc.com packed with online information on activities and places of interest on Phu Quoc Island. Everything you need to know with free downloadable maps of Phu Quoc.
Visitors from any country arriving to Phu Quoc by cruise ship no longer need a visa for stays of up to 15 days. A passport with at least 45 days' validity is still necessary.
Visitors arriving in Phu Quoc by any other means (eg. plane) are still subject to normal visa regulations.
You can fly from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on one of four or five daily Vietnam Airlines flights or from Rach Gia which has two flights per day. 630,000 - 830,000 Dong
There are ferries and hydrofoils between Phu Quoc to Rach Gia, Ha Tien and Hon Chong. You may be told by tour agents that the fast boats are full, but if you go to the dock where the boats depart you may have the opportunity to buy tickets from street sellers.
Hydrofoils takes 2 1/2 hours, costs 240,000 Dong, book at http://www.duongdongexpress.com.vn/
Hydrofoils takes 1hour 10 mins. Costs 190,000 Dong. Daily at 0900. Slow boat takes 3 hours, costs 100,000 Dong, but doesn't go daily. Leaves at 1000.
Costs 160,000 Dong.
Do not expect to find taxis on arrival in Phu Quoc, though there will likely be a few motos. Minibus ply to the two main towns, but tickets are sold on the boat and sell out before arrival. Cost 20,000 Dong. Transfer can also be arranged through your hotel.
Walking One of the joys of the top-rated Long Beach accommodation options is that everything is so accessible. Base yourself at Mai House or the Tropicana and you can walk to everything and happily fill a three or four day holiday doing nothing at all. Camp down at La Veranda and you might not emerge. If/when you are ready to venture forth, then do it right….
Moto’s There’s no doubt about it, if you’re young enough (at heart anyway) you’ve got to try seeing some of Phu Quoc on a motor scooter. They can be hired for $5 - $12 a day from your hotel/resort. There is no paperwork, no insurance and no deposits. You negotiate if you break or lose your bike. There is a request that you refill with fuel when you finish. Roads are mostly red dirt and full of pot holes. So there you have it, not entirely safe, but an awful lot of fun. Note: don’t fret too much if you run out of petrol or get a flat tyre. You’ll be amazed how fast a local will stop to help you. Puncture repair men are plentiful on the island and will leap at the chance to come to your aid for a small fee.
Jeeps After a moto, your next best option is a Jeep with driver. Given you pay for petrol, it can work out a little more than a half or full day’s hire of a taxi, but well worth it. Call Jeep For Rent locally on 0939 402 872. $30 for 6hrs, $50 for 24 hrs. Alternatively, try Carole on 0773 8848 886 or Searama on 0773 994 577. For the best and most expensive jeep, call La Veranda on 0773 982 988.
Taxi Taxis are plentiful for Long Beach but can be a tiresome delay further a field. Booking them by the day is often a better bet. They’re more expensive than you might be used to in Saigon. For short trips they are looking for 40,000 – 50,000. $30 should cover you for a day. Ask your hotel or try Le Giang on 0773 848 444 or 0913 788 262, or give Mr Tam a call 0913 197 298.
Boat Saigon Phu Quoc Resort have their own large boat you can charter from Long Beach. Otherwise all resorts run tours with charter boats. Cost varies depending on number of passengers.
Best of the South of the Island Get out on a moto (motor schooter). Head east to pretty Ham Ninh Fishing Village. Contemplate buying pearls. Sample local seafood at Kim Cuong. Head on south and navigate your way to Sao Beach. Refuel with more seafood at My Lan restaurant on the beach. Head further south and have a wander around An Thoi. Head back up the stunning west coast road. Stop off at Phu Quoc Pearl Farm for coffee and good ice cream on your way home. This route is just as good if you start by heading down the coast road and then back via Ham Ninh.
Make a visit to one of the fish sauce factories on the island.
After dark - watch the chain of lights bobbing across the horizon as the local fishermen attach lamps to their boats to attract squid.
There is also a special breed of dogs that live on the island. They are extremely similar to normal dogs except for the fact that they have 2 special markings on their back, where the fur goes in the other direction.
Try to get out on a boat one evening for some squid fishing yourself. Make a visit to Phu Quoc National Park and swim in a quiet pool.
Motorcycles are plentiful and cheap, hire one off a local and go cruising around the island. Petrol can usually be purchased around the island at various beaches served fresh in glass bottles.
Also Bicycles is a great way to observe the island. You can rent a mountain bike for around 50,000 VND per day at Saigon Phu Quoc Hotel or some local shops (be sure to write 'xe dap' because few Vietnameses here could speak English well).
Some beaches stretch for kilometres with overhanging palms, no one else in sight what more could you want?
Try SCUBA diving. The shallow waters (max deep to 12-16m) allow even unexperienced divers to have nice dives. There is some nice coral to see and if you are lucky you might see a bamboo shark. There are several dive companies to choose from and they are all located close together making shopping around easy. Some of the more well known companies offering diving on Phu Quoc are rainbow divers, Cocodive and x-Dive. Dives cost a bit more here than in Nha Trang at about $65-75 USD for two boat dives.
The snorkeling tour (US$ 15) picks you up at your hotel in the morning and brings you to the islands in the south. It usually includes the boat trip, snorkeling gear, lunch and transportation. Don't expect to see a lot of fish and corals under water, though. But still a nice way to spend a day.
Also, watching the sunset at Pho Bo Cafe, a 2 storey place with the best view overlooking the lighthouse and the shrine, is the most romantic activity for couples and artist.
Later, try wandering around the night market (near Ferry landing in Duong Dong Town), where locals mingled with the tourists, a place that offered a selection of goods, pearls, seafoods, vegeterians, or even a playground for children.
Visit www.DiscoverPhuQuoc.com packed with online information on activities and places of interest on Phu Quoc Island. Everything you need to know with free downloadable maps of Phu Quoc.
It has to be fresh fish.
On the island you can find a fantastic FREE Map available from places such as La Veranda, Rainbow Divers, The Dog Bar, Buddy Ice Cream & Info Cafe, Phu Quoc Pearl Farm & Cassia Cottage. This map provides visitors information on Phu Quoc as well as suggested itineraries and great places for accommodation, eating or tourist services.
Your biggest risk on Phu Quoc is getting sick or being involved in an accident. When setting out on a moto trip always ensure you you have a basic first aid kit and have your hotel number with you. The mySherpa map available from most hotels contains emergency phone numbers for police, and ambulance and the hospital + what to do in an emergency. Keep these numbers with you at all times. Language is your major problem. If your hotel cannot assist then tour guides such as Tony, Anh Tu or Dung Tran may be able to assist you with translation - numbers also included on the Phu Quoc Map mysherpa.info
Ask your hotel for an island tour, which may include visits to a fish sauce factory, the Nature Reserve or the disused prison.
You can try a motorbike tour by yourself. Not all roads are good (some unpaved) but it is fun and the locals are really nice. In the far north corner you are able to see Cambodia. In the south are some really nice and quiet beaches.
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