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    Phu Quoc Island photoblog

    / Last updated 09 Mar 2012

    Introduction

    Phu Quoc Island is fast becoming Vietnam's most popular beach destination. In this gallery, we take a look at things to see and do there.
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • Phu Quoc Island is all about the beach. There isn't a whole lot to do but enjoy some of Vietnam's finest beaches. This is stunning Long Beach - where most of the island's hotels are located.
    • If you do feel like something more than lying around the beach, motorcycle rides around the island are a good option. This is Bai Thom around 30kms northwest of Long Beach. The ride takes you through some beautful national park terrain but the red dust thrown up by road building trucks gets into your eyes, your lungs and your clothes.
    • The other downer is the amount of rubbish accumulating around Phu Quoc's beaches. Quite a bit of it is washed up from fishing boats. Either way, Phu Quoc's booming tourism industry should by now have justified some proper regular beach cleaning.
    • Phu Quoc Island. Around Long Beach
    • Phu Quoc Island. Around Long Beach
    • As the tastes of the Vietnam's new rich assert themselves in Phu Quoc and elsewhere, expect more of these beachside abominations.
    • Phu Quoc's port of An Thoi. We took a wonderful boat trip from here. Boat trips can be booked at booths on the major beaches. If you feel like negotiating directly, you could come directly to the port - though English isn't widely spoken here.
    • Phu Quoc Island boat trip. The snorkelling off this and other small islands off Phu Quoc's southern tip is excellent. Plenty of coral and colourful sealife
    • A great snorkelling spot off Phu Quoc's southern tip. Diving is also offered on Phu Quoc. We were given no guidance on coral preservation and with boatloads of travellers using these snorkelling spots each day, the coral must be threatened. Happily, during our afternoon visit, we had the bays to ourselves.
    • Lunch on board our island boat trip.
    • Our friendly skipper
    • Back at An Thoi port - the soft drink seller
    • An Thoi port Phu Quoc Island
    • We enjoyed our motorcycle ride south to An Thoi and to Bai Sao beach more than our northern journey. The coastal views were beautiful and there were far fewer trucks. The route was lined with perfect swimming spots.
    • Towards An Thoi town, Phu Quoc Island
    • Towards An Thoi town, Phu Quoc Island
    • Towards An Thoi town, Phu Quoc Island
    • Towards An Thoi town, Phu Quoc Island
    • Bai Saoi beach - Phu Quoc Island
    • Bai Sao beach, Phu Quoc Island. It's a paradise for now but as with all of the island's most beautiful beaches, grand plans for massive hotels, casinos and golf courses abound. Vietnam's planners like things big. Happily though, there are some great simple boutique accommodations on the island for now.
    • Travellers get in early for a spot on Bai Sao beach
    • Like the infamous Con Dao island, Phu Quoc was used as a prison during the Vietnam War. In recent years the prison has been recreated on the island to commemorate Viet Cong prisoners who suffered there at the hands of the US backed South Vietnamese government.
    • Prison tourism is taking hold throughout Vietnam with these graphic depictions of torture perpretrated against communist fighters on display in former prisons on Con Dao Island, Phu Quoc Island and in Son La and Hanoi in the north.
    • The former prison, largely rebuilt for tourism purposes, on Phu Quoc island.
    • We travelled from Phu Quoc to Rach Gia by boat and then on to Ha Tien by road before travelling on to Cambodia. The boat trip was quick, comfortable and good value for money.
    • Farewelling Phu Quoc from the Savannah boat to Rach Gia.
    Quicklink - Introduction - Phu Quoc Island