What to do in Phu Quoc - a Vietnamese Island you can visit without a visa

Kem Beach - the most beautiful beach of Phu Quoc Island with creamy sand and emerald colour seawater. (Photo: Sun Group)

Hanoi - Exploring Southeast Asia has never been easier: Phu Quoc Island is an ideal choice for travel and long-term relaxation, with a complete visa exemption policy for international visitors, a temporary stay of up to 30 days, a populous and rich nature, and impressive architecture.

Superior visa policy

Phu Quoc is currently the only destination in Vietnam with a unique visa policy.

According to current legal regulations, from July 1, 2020, foreigners and Vietnamese holding foreign passports entering, exiting, and residing in Phu Quoc Island are exempt from visas with a temporary stay period of no more than 30 days.

Foreigners can enter an international border gate of Vietnam (including air and sea), stay in the transit area at that border gate, and then transfer to Phu Quoc Island to be exempt from visas following this regulation.

Phu Quoc Island is increasingly attractive in the eyes of international tourists (Photo: Sun Group)

Phu Quoc has its visa policy because it is the only island that meets four conditions of visa exemption for foreigners under Vietnamese law. It has an international airport, is a separate space, has definite geographical boundaries, is separate from the mainland and is consistent with the socio-economic development policy that does not jeopardise Vietnam’s national defense, security, social order, and safety.

As an isolated island located in the Gulf of Thailand, located at southwest of Vietnam, the means of transportation to Phu Quoc are very convenient with air, sea, and land routes. Tourists visiting this island can enter and exit through three international border gates including Phu Quoc International Airport Border Gate, Ha Tien International Border Gate, and Duong Dong Port International Border Gate, Phu Quoc Island.

Currently, many international routes with multiple daily flights operate in Phu Quoc, including Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. Many other countries continue to research and open direct flight routes to Phu Quoc.

A destination with untouched natural beauty

Recently, Phu Quoc Island was unexpectedly honoured by Travel Leisure to be place second in the top 25 best islands in the world in 2024, surpassing popular tourist destinations like Bali, Indonesia and Phuket, Thailand, just behind the Maldives.

As Travel Leisure and the other international media introduced Phu Quoc, this island is known as the "precious gem" of Vietnam, with a stunning natural beauty that is unparalleled. Being the largest island, Phu Quoc has 22 different islands with a total area of 573 km2. Phu Quoc possesses pristine white sandy beaches, surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters. When it comes to famous beaches here, Kem Beach, Sao Beach, Truong Beach, and Ong Lang Beach could not be ignored. All of them exude a sense of untouched beauty, tranquillity, and serenity. Phu Quoc also boasts National Park and Phu Quoc Marine Reserve, covering over two-thirds of the island’s natural area and are the core zone of the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve.

Hon Thom Cable Car - a must-visit attraction in Phu Quoc Island for its breathtaking views (Photo: Sun Group)

The most enticing attraction for tourists in the southern part of the island is the cluster of 12 different islands in An Thoi archipelago. Unlike most beaches in Phu Quoc, the southern beaches are exceptionally pristine, with smooth and white sandy shores resembling cream.

This area is also known as its abundant marine resources, with colourful and diverse coral reefs scattered across the islands. Alongside various species of fish and seaweed, it is an ideal destination for those who enjoy diving and admiring the beauty of the ocean.

It explains why Phu Quoc always makes many other destinations "envious" as the island consistently ranks among the top and most popular natural destinations.

A destination for new experiences

Five-star resorts have transformed Southern Phu Quoc into an island paradise. (Credit: JW Marriott Phu Quoc Resort)

Being interviewed when the airline plans to increase flights to Phu Quoc in the second half of the year, Mr. Kim Kye Yong, the Executive Director of Korean Air in Vietnam, explains the allure of the island: "Beyond its pristine nature, Phu Quoc becomes attractive with its several luxury hotels, the world’s longest sea-crossing three-wire cable car, captivating theme parks, and stunning architectural structures in European style. Korean tourists are keen on taking photos to share on social media, and that's why they adore this place that much. In other words, Phu Quoc is a destination where you can both relax and enjoy different experiences at the same time”.

In recent years, Phu Quoc has gradually become a truly "resort paradise" with the influx of numerous world-renowned luxury resort brands such as Accor, Rosewood Hotels, and Hilton to launch their "superb" resorts in Kem Beach, Ong Doi Cape, and Sunset Town: JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay; New World Phu Quoc; La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton; Premier Residences Phu Quoc Emerald Bay; Premier Village Phu Quoc.

Being oriented to become the "new destination of the world", Phu Quoc is invested with a series of "superb" experiences to become more and more attractive and diverse through the eyes of tourists.

New World Phu Quoc Resort (Photo: Sun Group)

Phu Quoc is a new “rising star” golfing paradise with stunning and challenging courses that tempt even the most seasoned players. It can be said that Eschuri Vung Bau Golf in Phu Quoc is one of the golf courses with the most prime location in Vietnam, taking visitors on a journey "up the forest and down to the sea" through 18 golf holes stretching from the "primitive forests" to the coastline.

Eschuri Vung Bau Golf is a "beautiful, unique, challenging" golf course that everyone wants to experience in Phu Quoc Island (Photo: Sun Group)

Golf holes #1 to #9 are designed according to the pristine beauty of Phu Quoc's primeval forest, with all the ancient trees around the golf holes kept intact. The journey from golf holes #10 to #18 takes visitors to the white sand and beautiful waves of the Pearl Island. In particular, golf hole #14 has a view straight out to the sea, making players feel like they are hitting the ball towards the horizon.

The Sun Paradise Land entertainment complex in southern Phu Quoc offers a unique experience, where visitors can visit Kiss Bridge, watch the multimedia Kiss of the Sea show and nightly fireworks, and enjoy the vibrant VUI-Fest bazaar.

(Photo: Sun Group)

One experience that no tourist wants to miss is taking the world's longest non-stop three-rope cable car to Hon Thom Island. Here, you can enjoy panoramic views of Phu Quoc's seascape, with colourful fishing boats and crystal-clear waters.

During the year-end travel season, Hon Thom promises to become a new entertainment hub with vibrant pool party and EDM shows. In Sun Paradise Land, upcoming shows rich in Vietnamese cultural elements will debut on Kiss Bridge beach, including the fusion of extreme sports Jetski and Flyboard performances with Vietnamese elements like festival drums, dragon kites and lion dances. For food lovers, a new brewery is set to open alongside the Ca Trich Bazaar, a market dedicated to celebrating Phu Quoc herring salad./.