Last month, I was assigned by my boss to Phu Quoc Island because direct flights from Shanghai have resumed! As one of Asia’s top ten islands, its beaches and seas rival Phuket and Boracay, and it even has the added advantage of being visa-free! The direct flight from Shanghai takes less than five hours, making it incredibly convenient.
Thinking about escaping the cold and damp weather in Hangzhou, I joyfully boarded the inaugural Vietnam Airlines direct flight from Shanghai to Phu Quoc Island on January 19. Although it was a red-eye flight, it was a direct flight after all, so I just had to endure for a bit, and the cabin was fully booked.
The flight offers a meal, which is nice for a midnight snack, and the food isn’t bad. There’s a meal on the return flight as well. While they were distributing meals, I noticed that some Vietnamese flight attendants could speak a little Chinese, so communication was generally not a problem.
Before diving into the main content, let me introduce Phu Quoc Island!
Phu Quoc Island is the largest island in Vietnam, located in the southern region of the country. You might be more familiar with Ho Chi Minh City or Nha Trang, but Phu Quoc also holds a significant status in Vietnam—akin to Sanya in China—it’s undeniably one of Vietnam’s most appealing islands.
Let’s talk about what to do!
Phu Quoc is divided into three main areas: north, south, and central, each offering different activities. The southern part boasts the world’s longest cable car, vibrant electronic music shows reminiscent of cyberpunk, and sunset towns that compare favorably to those in Europe.
The central area is more lively, featuring unique mud baths and the nighttime market in Duong Dong. Moreover, the central area is closer to the airport; thus, it usually serves as the first stop for tourists to get a taste of Phu Quoc.
As for the northern region! This place is exceptionally suitable for traveling with children! It is home to Vinpearl Hotels & Resorts, owned by the Vietnamese giant Vingroup, which serves as a resort and entertainment complex in Phu Quoc. Honestly, this place is incredibly fun—children love it, and adults can also enjoy themselves to the fullest.
Vinpearl Hotels & Resorts include a wildlife park (VinSafari), an amusement park (VinWonders), and Phu Quoc Grand World, which can all be accessed together. I’ll provide more detailed information on these later.
In Phu Quoc, Vinpearl currently operates two resorts—Vinpearl Spa Resort and Vinpearl Discovery. The resorts provide free shuttle buses to various entertainment zones, including the amusement park, wildlife park, and Phu Quoc Grand World.
We stayed the entire time at Vinpearl Spa Resort, and during our stay, we used the shuttle service to visit the amusement park, wildlife park, and Phu Quoc Grand World—extremely convenient and perfect for a family vacation!
Both hotels have their own beaches, and the clear blue sea is absolutely stunning. Staying here means you don’t have to overthink your itinerary; just enjoy a beautiful vacation! Now let’s take a look at my travel report from this trip!
The northern part of Phu Quoc is mainly occupied by the amusement park of Vinpearl Hotels & Resorts. VinWonders is touted as the “Vietnamese version of Disneyland,” but I think it’s even more entertaining! With numerous attractions, beautiful scenery, and expansive areas, the best part is that you hardly have to wait in line! As long as you have some time, you can enjoy multiple rides!
The park is roughly divided into sections: Fairy Tale World, Amazing Viking Tribe, Adventure World, European Street, the Water Park, and the Sea Turtle Aquarium, which also hosts evening light shows.
The “Fairy Tale World” is particularly suitable for young kids. It features lots of fun and childlike attractions like shooting games, a mini-train, and maze adventures.
“Adventure World” caters to the more daring adults! If your courage holds up, you can try the park’s super long roller coaster. I personally couldn’t do it—even though I wanted to, my brain had other ideas…
The “Amazon Volcano” is somewhat similar to the “Log Flume” rides we have in China, and you can choose to wear a raincoat. If you don’t, you’ll dry off after walking around a couple of times outside.
Speaking of thrilling rides, I feel the Sea Turtle Aquarium suits me much better. Inside, there’s a marine tunnel, various sea creatures, and even penguins!
For taking photos, the aquarium is the best place. It’s truly photogenic with fantastic visual effects. There’s also a massive aquarium that periodically hosts mermaid performances and showcases feedings by caregivers.
I’ve always felt that aquariums are places where the heart can find peace. They are perfect for unwinding and daydreaming. The immersive feeling there is truly wonderful!
By the time we exited the aquarium and headed to the water park, it was already around four or five in the afternoon (other attractions close at six), so I really recommend setting aside an entire day for Vinpearl’s amusement park (VinWonders). Otherwise, you won’t have enough time to enjoy everything!
Originally, I thought the park would be less crowded, but once we got there, I realized that everyone was soaking in the water! No wonder, considering the temperature was over thirty degrees, combined with abundant entertainment facilities—sliding down those giant slides was an absolute blast!
Lastly! If you’re not afraid of heights, you must take a ride on the Ferris wheel! It offers a breathtaking view of the entire northern part of Phu Quoc Island! If you can manage to go during sunset, you’ll also see beautiful colors over the sea. The best time to go is around 5:45 PM!
Another must-see is the castle light and water show at 6:30 PM! Aside from the lack of fireworks, it rivals Disneyland—the enormous castle light projections, water jets, and even fire breathing are simply stunning!
Now let’s talk about the wildlife park (VinSafari).
This kind of soul-refreshing place is one I could visit a hundred times! Who wouldn’t love adorable furry animals? The wildlife park is quite close to the amusement park, and if you’re staying at the hotel, the shuttle bus can take you there.
VinSafari has two sections—the first is more like a regular observation zoo, where you can see monkeys, gorillas, black bears, hippopotamuses, and other animals. Notably, the monkeys are essentially free-ranging; you can often spot them sitting in trees.
Additionally, there’s a section for larger animals and birds of prey that requires a vehicle for viewing. You stay inside the vehicle while the animals roam outside, providing a similar but even more entertaining experience compared to similar parks. From the vehicle, you can easily see tigers and African lions lounging by the road.
Following that, you’ll encounter giraffes, zebras, wild bison, and deer, who are all gathered peacefully around feeding stations—so adorable!
At around 2:30 PM, there’s also a bird show at the zoo, which mainly showcases the birds’ habits and appearances rather than forcing them to perform, which is rather nice.
Some say that Phu Quoc Grand World is the “Vietnamese version” of Venice, and I think that’s quite accurate. The architecture here features vibrant colors, and the entire area resembles small European towns, where you can take a boat tour.
Moreover, there are night markets and light shows, with many small shops opening in the evening. So after a full day of enjoying the beach and amusement park, you can come over to relax and enjoy some food or drinks—perfect for unwinding!
In the evening, you can watch performances at the Vietnam Cultural Center, which is located in the outdoor theatre of Phu Quoc Grand World, focusing primarily on Vietnam’s history and culture.
The performance lasts over 40 minutes, featuring over 300 actors and various scene changes. The narrative flow is impressive, with excellent pacing, detailed staging, and astonishing audiovisual coordination.
As for our accommodation experience at Phu Quoc, we stayed at Vinpearl Spa Resort, which is about a 50-minute drive from the airport. The hotel arranged for a transfer service, using a private car with great service. Since we arrived at the hotel at five in the morning (with a one-hour time difference), we caught up on some sleep before truly enjoying what it has to offer! The red and white buildings hide within tropical foliage, radiating abundant natural charm.
The entire hotel includes two main buildings: Coral Tower and Ocean Tower, featuring 671 rooms and villas, 21 private villas, six restaurants and bars, and nine multifunctional halls and conference rooms, aimed at catering to various travel needs.
Additionally, there’s a private beach that stretches 3.5 kilometers, the largest outdoor pool in Phu Quoc, and the only pepper restaurant located on the coast in the north.
The daily routine here basically consists of strolling along the beach and watching the sunset light up the sky~ Writing this, you can probably guess how happy I was while staying here! (*^▽^*)
Now back to the hotel! The architecture of Vinpearl Spa Resort is already quite captivating, and the lobby is quite impressive. Apart from checking in, there’s also an open restaurant, bar, dessert shop, and boutique seamlessly connected to the outdoor pool.
In contrast to Singapore and Hong Kong, where space is at a premium, hotels in Vietnam tend to be larger. For example, the standard room in Vinpearl Spa Resort starts from an area of 46 square meters.
The basic twin room is equipped with two 1.2-meter beds. I specifically asked the staff if the two beds could be combined if needed, and they confirmed that they could also add an extra bed (for an additional fee). I inquired about this because the standard king bed options at Vinpearl Spa Resort are relatively limited, so chances are high that you’ll get assigned to a twin room.
Although it’s labeled as a basic room, it does feature a balcony with a view of the blue sea. The maintenance of facilities within the room is also impressive, showing no signs of wear despite being ten years old.
On the day of check-in, we were welcomed with fruits and a bottle of red wine. I enjoyed the fruits—especially the mango, which was super sweet~
The bathroom features separate areas for the shower, bathtub, and toilet. While the amenities are not luxury brands, they are perfectly usable.
Our stay was in the basic room type, and I found the experience to be quite good overall.
We also had the chance to tour the luxury suites and villas within the hotel. The luxury suite is essentially an upgraded version of the basic room, featuring its own living room and a double bed. It can accommodate a maximum of two adults and one child.
Because it is a suite, the balcony offers an enhanced view. It even has double balconies, providing an unobstructed stunning sea view!
The bathroom has also been upgraded; while the area is larger, the single sink has been changed to a double sink, and the mirrors have also been enlarged. I think this room type is very suitable for families traveling with children.
If you are traveling with the entire family, I highly recommend upgrading to a villa. I can’t imagine how happy I’d be if I had stayed in a villa this time. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the basic room! 🙂
Villas differ from other room types in that they require a separate shuttle bus from the hotel to access them. After checking in at the lobby, there will be dedicated staff to take you there.
The villas at Vinpearl Spa Resort are mostly two-story structures, covering about 360 square meters, with separate kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, private gardens, and swimming pools. The beach is also within walking distance.
The villa we toured had three bedrooms, all with king beds. Each room comes equipped with a private restroom.
Additionally, staying in a villa means you have exclusive access to many areas, ensuring great privacy. Of course, the villa’s swimming pool offers a more private “tropical surprise.” A family vacation would be even more delightful!
Since our room package included three meals, apart from occasionally buying snacks, we mostly dined at the hotel. Each meal filled us up nicely.
