Phu Quy Island is located in Binh Thuan province, about 120 km from the mainland. This beautiful island used to have an area of about 21 km2; with about 33,000 people living but now due to erosion only about 16 km remain2.
The island has three communes: Tam Thanh, Ngu Phung, and Long Hai. Tam Thanh is the commune with the passenger port, the most developed economic center of the island district. Ngu Phung is the administrative area in the middle of the island, Long Hai is at the back of the island, quite far from the center. Tourists visiting the island will often stay in the Tam Thanh area.
The island is small but very clean, the roads are clear and most of them are reinforced with concrete, there are still some gravel and red dirt roads under construction.
Phu Quy Island is suitable for short-term tourists, those who come to the island for the first time, want to visit the gentle tourist attractions and take virtual photos. However, the island still has many interesting activities if you want to stay for a few days such as: Go squid fishing at night, go crab catching with the islanders, go fishing on a fishing boat to see dolphins. Come to the island on the full moon or the first day of the lunar month to see the coral reefs when the tide is low...
You should visit the island in the first half of the year because the weather is the best. From July onwards is the rainy season, not only is it difficult to get to the island but it is also quite dangerous.
It is better to visit the island on weekdays instead of weekends. Because the island is a famous tourist destination, there will be hundreds of thousands of visitors to the island on weekends. Avoid having to stand in line to take pictures or jostle for places to eat. During the week, the streets are clean, with only a few locals walking around.
How to get to Phu Quy Island
Phu Quy Island can only be reached by boat. From Saigon, take a bus to the port and then take a boat to Phan Thiet port. From Hanoi, fly to Phan Thiet and then take a taxi to the port. Note that there are two ports in this area, so remember to ask which port is where the boat to Phu Quy docks.
Phu Quy Island is about 120 km from the mainland, taking about 2.5 - 3.5 hours by boat. There are currently three tourist boats to the island: Superdong, Phu Quy Express, and Hung Phat.
One more thing to note, tickets to the island are very scarce, especially on weekends and during the tourist season, so you usually have to book a few days in advance. Not only departure tickets but also return tickets are very limited, so book in advance to avoid having to stay on the island because there is no return boat.
Tourist attractions on Phu Quy Island
The island has about 20 places to visit, scattered around the island like a treasure map. If you are worried about how to arrange your schedule, rest assured because the enthusiastic homestay owners will guide you in the smartest, most logical way possible.
The tourist attractions include two clusters. The first cluster includes: Thay's tomb, fish pond, Phu Quy wind power plant, Linh Son pagoda, Cao Cat mountain. The second cluster includes: Trieu Duong bay, Doc Phuot, Phu Quy flagpole, Bai Nho, Ganh Hang, Vo Cuc lake.
Besides sightseeing, don’t forget to swim in the sea, the water on the island is very clean and clear. In addition, the island also has a very interesting coral diving service.
The coral diving tour in Phu Quy Island is quite cheap, only about 250,000 VND/person. You register directly with the homestay/hotel where you stay, they will help you contact the canoe to join the group or rent a canoe and take you to the anchorage at the port.
There are two fixed time slots for tours on the island, morning or afternoon, you can choose any time but you should inform the agent early so that they can arrange and match people. Services included in the tour: fishing, swimming at Hon Tranh beach, diving to see corals in Vung Phat, Bai Nho, guests will be equipped with diving goggles (no snorkel included), life jackets, and a tour guide.
One thing that is a bit sad is that the coral reefs near the shore are pretty much dead. There are reefs further out but they are a bit dangerous, you will need to talk to the boat owner to see if it is possible to go further.
Cuisine on Phu Quy Island
Breakfast on Phu Quy Island can start with the familiar beefsteak. If you wake up early, visit Tam Thanh market. There are many local dishes that are both delicious and cheap. For the “snack addicts”, you can find sweet soup shops, fruit smoothies and grilled rice paper.
Seafood is definitely a must-try when visiting Phu Quy Island. Islanders claim that the seafood here is farmed very cleanly and of guaranteed quality. You can eat some types such as: red crab, stone crab, moon crab, jumping snail, hand snail, squid, grouper, cobia, lobster.
For those who want to save money, you can buy seafood yourself and cook it yourself. You can ask the host to cook for you, they will cook a meal with the seafood dishes you want, delicious and without having to go far. If you want to choose delicious seafood yourself, you can wake up at 5am and go to the fishing port to buy it, then bring it back to freeze, and take it out at noon to cook.
