Can you really make the most of Phu Quoc in just three days? We think so, although you might have to drag yourself away from the beach occasionally!
The truth is, Phu Quoc has so much more to offer! From fantastic snorkeling to a quiet, lush northern area and the eclectic Sunset Town, there’s a lot to explore. And we couldn’t possibly put together an itinerary without finding some great places to eat along the way. Priorities, right?
With that in mind, we’ve put together this three-day Phu Quoc itinerary to help you hit the highlights without missing out on some laid-back beach time. Let’s get into it!
Don’t miss out!
Our Top Choice
The tour we loved the most and suggest booking ASAP is this one!
Our FAVORITE thing we did in Phu Quoc was this snorkeling tour! We discovered vibrant, healthy coral reefs that are off the main tourist track and had tons of time to explore this underwater paradise.
Itinerary Overview
Here’s a quick look at how we’d spend three days in Phu Quoc. There’s plenty of adventure, but we’ve made sure to leave some time for the beach, too!
🤿Day 1: Snorkeling, Beach Time & Sunset Town
Go snorkeling around beautiful coral reefs, grab a bánh mì for lunch, and spend the afternoon at Khem Beach or Sao Beach. Then head to Sunset Town for sunset views, dinner, and a bit of exploring.
🐚Day 2: Northern Phu Quoc & Relaxing Evening
Explore northern Phu Quoc on a guided kayaking adventure, then enjoy sunset drinks and a delicious dinner back in town.
🚡Day 3: Cable Car Or Safari, Beach & Street Food Tour
Ride the Hon Thom Cable Car and visit Sun World, or spend the morning at Vinpearl Safari. Relax on the beach in the afternoon before finishing your trip with a local street food tour!
*This itinerary was crafted around staying in the Duong Dong area of Phu Quoc.
Phu Quoc is a fairly large island, and getting around can be time-consuming, so choosing a centrally located hotel is essential. We’ve created this itinerary based on staying in Duong Dong. Bauhinia Resort & Spa Phu Quoc is our favorite hotel in the area because it offers luxury without breaking the bank. Read our blog about Where to Stay in Phu Quoc for more detailed info about hotels and areas.
Day 1
Morning – Snorkel through hidden coral reefs
We’re kicking off day one with an early start, but trust us, it’s worth getting out of bed for! Book the 7:30 am option on this small-group snorkeling tour, and make sure you have breakfast at your hotel or pack some snacks beforehand. Hotel pickup and drop-off are available from selected areas, which makes things nice and easy.
Phu Quoc’s beaches are beautiful, but some of the best scenery is actually underwater! You’ll head out by speedboat to explore two gorgeous coral reefs around the An Thoi archipelago, where you’ll find colorful tropical fish and hopefully a few other interesting marine creatures.
Our favorite thing about this tour is that the guides actively avoid the busiest snorkeling spots. They choose where to go based on the sea conditions and visibility, so you’ve got a better chance of enjoying the underwater scenery without a hundred other snorkelers getting in your way. Let’s face it, nobody wants to spend their holiday getting kicked in the face by someone else’s flippers!
And don’t worry if you’re fairly new to snorkeling. You’ll get to practice in shallow water first, and the guides will join you in the water to point out interesting marine life. They’ll also show you how to snorkel without damaging the coral, which we really appreciate.
You should finish around 12:30-1:30 pm, leaving plenty of time for lunch and an afternoon at the beach! We think that this is the perfect way to spend your first morning in beautiful Phu Quoc, and the hundreds of glowing reviews certainly attest to that!
Lunch – Bánh Mì Hương Sài Gòn
After a busy morning snorkeling, you’ll probably be hungry – we always are after spending time in the water! We stopped at Bánh Mì Hương Sài Gòn in Duong Dong for a quick bánh mì and coffee before heading out on our next adventure.
If you haven’t tried bánh mì yet, you’re in for a treat. It’s a Vietnamese baguette sandwich filled with delicious ingredients like meat, pâté, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs. It’s a cheap and simple meal, but it’s absolutely delicious.
We love this spot because it’s perfect for a quick lunch without spending ages sitting in a restaurant. After all, we’ve got beaches to get to!
Afternoon – Hit the beach!
Now that you’ve explored Phu Quoc’s underwater world, it’s time to enjoy its beaches! We recommend heading south towards An Thoi, where you’ll find two of our favorite beaches on the island.
First up is Khem Beach, which is famous for its soft white sand and beautiful turquoise water. It’s lined with some pretty luxurious resorts, so it feels quite upscale. If that’s the vibe you’re looking for, you can find a sun lounger, grab a cold drink, and spend a few hours just relaxing.
Alternatively, Sao Beach is another gorgeous stretch of white sand that’s particularly popular for swimming. You’ll find beachside restaurants and water sports here, and although it can get a little busy.
Both beaches are beautiful, so you really can’t go wrong. We’d suggest picking whichever takes your fancy and enjoying a lazy afternoon rather than trying to squeeze too much in. There’s no need to rush back to Duong Dong, either, because we’re staying in the south for the evening!
Evening – Explore Sunset Town
After a lovely afternoon at the beach, hop in a Grab and head over to Sunset Town, which is only about 10 minutes away. And prepare to feel like you’ve left Vietnam and arrived in Italy!
Now, we’re not implying that this is a super authentic Italian experience. It’s a bit over-the-top, but it’s such a fun place to explore. It’s a purpose-built Mediterranean-style tourist town, with lots of pastel colored buildings and ocean views. We recommend spending some time wandering around and taking photos before heading towards the waterfront.
One of the main attractions is Kiss Bridge, with two walkways that almost meet in the middle, leaving just enough room for couples to lean across and kiss. It’s cheesy, but also really cute. You’ll also spot the Hon Thom Cable Car station, but don’t worry about riding it today because we’ve got that planned for day three.
The main reason we’d recommend visiting in the evening, though, is the sunset. Find yourself a nice spot overlooking the sea and enjoy the views! Then, if you fancy sticking around after dark, there’s the spectacular Kiss of the Sea show, complete with music, lights, water effects, and fireworks.
Once you’re ready to head back, it’s around a 40-45 minute drive to Duong Dong. You can use Grab to arrange your ride, although allow a little extra time after the evening show as lots of people will be heading back that way then.
Dinner – Mare
Fancy some Italian food to match the Mediterranean surroundings? We think Mare is the perfect place to finish your first day in Phu Quoc!
This stylish Italian restaurant is inside the La Festa Phu Quoc hotel, right in Sunset Town. It serves delicious Italian and Mediterranean dishes, including homemade pasta, and has beautiful views over the water.
It’s more upscale than your average restaurant on the island, but we think it’s the perfect place to round off your first day here. And if you can snag a table with a sea view, even better!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
Day 2
Breakfast – La Place coffee and eatery
We’re kicking off day two with a good breakfast and some coffee, because we’ve got a busy day of exploring ahead! La Place Coffee and Eatery is a lovely little spot in Duong Dong Town, and it opens at 7 am, so you’ve got plenty of time to grab something to eat before your morning tour. With pancake stacks, fresh mango bowls, omelets, and banh mís on offer, you’ll have plenty of delicious options to kick off your day.
The tour offers free pickup in Duong Dong, so you can arrange to be collected from the café if the operator agrees, or head back to your hotel if it’s nearby. Either way, make sure you fuel up, because we’ve got quite the adventure planned for today!
Full-day – Explore Northern Phu Quoc on a kayak and Starfish Beach adventure
Today, we’re heading north! Phu Quoc’s northern coast is a lot less developed than the south, and that’s precisely why it’s so worth exploring. This full-day guided tour takes you to some of the island’s most beautiful natural spots, with a bit of kayaking thrown in for good measure!
One of the highlights is paddling along the Cua Can River, where you’ll be surrounded by lush tropical greenery and mangroves. It’s a wonderfully peaceful setting, and you don’t need to be an experienced kayaker to enjoy it.
You’ll also explore Phu Quoc National Park, where you can walk among towering trees, and visit Ganh Dau Cape for views across the water towards Cambodia. Yep, Cambodia is that close!
But we think the real highlight is Starfish Beach, which is famous for the bright red starfish that sometimes appear in its shallow waters. Just remember not to touch them or lift them out of the water for photos.
You’ll also visit Rach Vem fishing village and may stop at a local bee farm to learn about honey production, which adds a nice bit of local culture to the day. The tour starts around 8:30 am, with hotel pickup available in central Duong Dong, and you should be back by late afternoon. That gives you plenty of time to freshen up before heading out for sunset drinks. You’ve earned them!
Sunset – Sunset Beach Bar & Restaurant
After a busy day exploring northern Phu Quoc, we think you’ve definitely earned a cocktail! Head back to your hotel to freshen up and relax for a bit, then make your way to Sunset Beach Bar & Restaurant for an evening by the water.
This lively beachfront bar is one of the best places in Duong Dong to watch the sunset, and the atmosphere is fantastic! Grab a table overlooking the ocean and order a cocktail (or two!). We also shared some appetizers while we watched the sun go down to tide us over until dinner!
There’s often music and entertainment here, too, so it’s a really fun place to spend an hour or two. And the best part? You won’t have to travel far from your hotel because it’s right on Long Beach.
Dinner – Saigonese Eatery
Once you’ve had your fill of sunset cocktails, we suggest heading over to Saigonese Eatery for dinner. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Phu Quoc, and it’s just a short drive from the beach bar, so it just makes sense!
This spot serves Vietnamese-Western fusion, and it’s so delicious. We absolutely loved the hot chicken wings with pickles, and the caramelized shrimp clay pot was so good. And we were also happy to learn that the restaurant serves craft beer from the Pasteur Street brewery in Ho Chi Minh City, which is always a treat.
It’s a little more sophisticated than your average local restaurant, but it’s relaxed and not super fancy. Today’s tour stops for lunch at a small spot in a fishing village, so it’s nice to change it up a bit. All in all, we think that this is the perfect place to finish off day two of this itinerary.
Related Read: If you’re looking for more things to add to this itinerary, check out our blog on the best things to do in Phu Quoc!
Day 3
Breakfast – AM PM
We’ve got another fun day ahead, but first, coffee! We recommend stopping at AM PM, a lovely little coffee shop that also serves breakfast. It’s also a wine bar in the evenings, but let’s just focus on caffeine and a bite to eat this morning.
AM PM opens at 7 am, so you’ll definitely have time to enjoy their delicious coffee before you head off on your next adventure. They have really yummy avocado and coffee smoothies if that’s your thing, and we loved the smoked salmon and poached eggs.
After breakfast, we’ve got two options for today, and both are around a 45-minute drive from here. Enjoy your food, and then it’s time to hit the road!
Morning – Cable car & amusement parks or safari park
For your final morning in Phu Quoc, we’ve got two very different options! You can head south to ride the famous Hon Thom Cable Car and explore Sun World, or venture north to visit Vinpearl Safari. Both are fantastic choices, so it comes down to what you fancy.
Option 1: Hon Thom Cable Car and Sun World
Remember that incredible cable car we mentioned yesterday? Well, today’s your chance to ride it!
Head to Anh Duong Station in Sunset Town, where you’ll board the Hon Thom Cable Car. The journey takes around 15 minutes, carrying you high above the ocean and little tropical islands below. It’s such a stunning journey.
Once you reach Hon Thom Island, you’ve got two choices. If you’re short on time, you can simply enjoy the cable car ride, have a wander around the island, and head back. That’s a pretty fantastic morning in itself if you ask us!
However, if you’re up for a full day of fun, there’s also Sun World Hon Thom, which includes Aquatopia Water Park and Exotica Village. We’re talking water slides and a roller coaster, as well as plenty of other attractions. You could easily spend hours here!
One important thing to know is that the cable car generally runs from 9:30 am, with a break between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm, so plan your return journey accordingly. We recommend getting there early and picking a few favorite attractions so you’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your day. After all, we’ve got some delicious street food lined up for this evening!
Option 2: Check out the Vinpearl Safari Phú Quốc
If you’re not feeling the cable car, how about going on safari instead? It might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of a Vietnamese island, but Vinpearl Safari Phú Quốc is actually one of the island’s biggest attractions!
Located in northern Phu Quoc, this huge wildlife park is home to thousands of animals, including giraffes, zebras, rhinos, lions, tigers, and all sorts of colorful birds. It’s a particularly fun option if you’re traveling with kids, although we think adults will enjoy it just as much.
The main attraction is the safari experience, where you’ll board a bus that takes you through large, open habitats. So instead of walking past animal enclosures, you’re the one sitting inside the vehicle! Pretty cool, right?
There’s also a walk-through zoo where you can see monkeys, reptiles, and plenty of other animals. You can even visit the giraffe feeding area, which sounds like a pretty memorable experience!
The park opens at 9 am, and we’d recommend arriving early to beat (some of) the heat. Most visitors spend around 3-4 hours here, so you’ll have time to explore before heading off for lunch and a relaxing afternoon at the beach. You can check ticket prices and book through the official website here!
Afternoon – Relax at the beach
After all that excitement, you’ve earned some time to relax! Grab some lunch near your morning activity, then head to the beach for a few hours of sunshine. Or, if you’re feeling tired, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with heading back to your hotel for a nap. You’re on vacation, after all!
If you visited Vinpearl Safari this morning, Ong Lang Beach is a lovely place to stop on your way back to Duong Dong. It’s a quieter stretch of coastline with beautiful sand and plenty of places to relax, although when we were there some locals pulled up with a karaoke machine, which was definitely entertaining!
Alternatively, Bãi Trường, also known as Long Beach, is a more convenient option if you’ve been exploring Sun World. It’s close to Duong Dong, so you won’t have to venture far from your hotel.
Just make sure you leave yourself enough time to freshen up before this evening’s food tour. Trust us, you’re going to want to arrive hungry.
Evening – Try local street food
Is there any better way to finish three days in Phu Quoc than by eating your way around town? We don’t think so! And since Vietnam is famous for its street food, we couldn’t possibly leave without trying some of the local specialties.
We recommend this guided evening food tour, which takes you around Duong Dong with a local guide, visiting everything from markets to family-run eateries. It’s a fantastic way to discover places you might otherwise miss and make sure you get the good stuff!
Along the way, you’ll try dishes like nem nướng (grilled pork), bò cuốn lá lốt (beef wrapped in betel leaves), and bánh xèo, a delicious crispy Vietnamese pancake. There’s also fresh seafood and phở on the menu, so make sure you arrive hungry!
And in addition to eating a lot, you’ll visit Dinh Cau Temple and stop by the beach to enjoy the sunset with a Vietnamese coffee or local beer. How perfect does that sound? Then, you’ll finish the evening exploring Phu Quoc Night Market, which is always a fun place to wander around.
The tour starts at 4:30 pm and wraps up around 7:30–8 pm. Hotel pickup is available, or you can meet your guide in Duong Dong. We think it’s a brilliant way to end your trip, with fantastic food, local hotspots, and one final Phu Quoc sunset – they’re pretty spectacular on this island.
Where to Stay in Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Now that we’ve covered the best way to spend your time in Phu Quoc, let’s talk about the best places to stay! We recommend basing yourself in or around Duong Dong Town because it’s one of the most convenient bases for exploring the island. Plenty of bars and restaurants are nearby, and staying here gives you easy access to Long Beach.
Duong Dong Town also has gorgeous resorts, even if you’re not working with a luxury budget! We’ve picked three great options below.
Luxury – $$$
If you’re looking for somewhere special, La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc – MGallery is a beautiful choice! This five-star beachfront resort is designed to look like a French colonial mansion from the 1920s. It really encapsulates old-world glamour, and we’re here for it!
The resort sits right on Long Beach, so you can spend your days relaxing on the sand or swimming in the gorgeous saltwater pool. There’s also a fantastic spa offering massages and wellness treatments, which sounds like a pretty good way to spend an afternoon. Rooms start around $350 USD per night. Book your stay here on Booking.com!
Mid-range – $$
We love Bauhinia Resort & Spa Phu Quoc because you get that lovely tropical resort atmosphere without having to pay five-star prices. It’s a charming property, tucked away on a quieter street in Duong Dong, so you can enjoy a peaceful stay without being miles away from everything.
We absolutely love the outdoor pool, which is very inviting and surrounded by lush tropical greenery. There’s also an on-site restaurant serving breakfast and a spa where you can treat yourself to a massage. Prices range from $200 to $300 USD per night and can be booked in advance here.
Budget – $
One of the best things about Phu Quoc is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to stay right on the beach. Phu Quoc Kim – Bungalow On The Beach is a fantastic little option if you’re looking to save some money without sacrificing a great location.
This laid-back property has a collection of simple, cozy bungalows nestled among tropical gardens, just a few steps from Long Beach. In fact, you can walk straight from your bungalow to the beach! Not bad for a budget-friendly stay, right? Rooms average around $100 USD per night and can be reserved on Booking.com.
Related Read: Need help deciding on a hotel? See our Where to Stay in Phu Quoc blog for a complete breakdown of the best areas to stay in and top hotels!
Book your Airport Taxi in advance
Start your trip stress-free by booking your airport taxi before you arrive. You’ll skip the long lines, avoid overpriced fares and scams, and won’t have to worry about explaining your hotel address to a driver. Simply prebook your airport pickup online here, and your driver will be ready to take you directly to your hotel!
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Thanks for reading!
We were surprised to find such a vast array of activities in Phu Quoc! Between the stunning outdoors of Northern Phu Quoc, the cheeky tourist city in the south, and everything in between, this was a great little getaway.
Before you go, check out the rest of our Vietnam blogs! Whether you’re traveling around the country, or further afield in Southeast Asia, we have lots of resources to help you plan. Here are a few related destinations and guides that you might be interested in – cheers!
Where to Stay on Koh Rong, Cambodia: 3 Best Areas & Hotels
How to Spend THREE Days in Dalat, Vietnam: 3-Day Itinerary
Where to Stay in Pai, Thailand: 3 Best Areas & Hotels
The Services We Recommend
From hotels to guided tours, we only recommend services we know and trust. Here are our recommended partners so you can explore with confidence.
