Phu Quoc is an island in Kien Giang province, Southern Vietnam. Phu Quoc is located in the Gulf of Thailand, so it has a cool climate with an annual average temperature of 28 degrees C. With white sandy beaches, natural scenery, the island is exactly a paradise for all visitors. On October 27, 2006, Phu Quoc was recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
History of Phu Quoc
The discovery of numerous artifacts showed the appearance of human, characterized by ”Oc Eo Culture” from the 5th century BC. Around 1680, Mac Cuu, a Chinese merchant and explorer, settled and developed a large swath of unproductive coast, a project that resulted in Mac Cuu’s establishing Ha Tien and six other villages as trading centers newly populated by fellow Chinese immigrants, including one village on Phu Quoc. With Vietnam and Cambodia besieged by Thai invaders in a struggle for regional dominance, by 1714 Mac Cuu had recognized the authority of the Vietnamese sovereign and Mac Cuu’s family gained the right to oversee his lands as a fiefdom, paying tribute to the Nguyen Lords. Since then, Phu Quoc has been recognized as an inseparable part of Vietnam. Nowadays, Phu Quoc becomes a famous tourist destination not only in Vietnam and the whole region.
“Phú Quốc”
Phu Quoc which is the largest island in Vietnam, located about 45 km from the mainland. With a total area of 575km2 (nearly the size of Singapore) the island is housing of oround 120,000 people. Phu Quoc means “the rich land” in Vietnamese but it widely names “the Pearl Island” in Vietnam.
Coming to Phu Quoc, all your expectations of a tropical island will be satisfied in the best way. There are many small islands in the south of the main island where visitors enjoy scuba diving, fishing, swimming and other outdoor activities. Moreover, visiting the pearl farms, fish sauce factories and the No.1 pepper gardens in Vietnam are specific activities of Phu Quoc. In addition, there is a typical breed of dog which also called “Phu Quoc”. They are very intelligent and widely recognized internationally. If you are a dog lover, don’t miss this special opportunity to get know about them.
The weather in Phu Quoc is quite cool. However, the island’s tropical monsoon climate is characterized by distinct rainy (from May to October, the humidity is high from 85% to 90%) and dry seasons (from November to April the average temperature is about 27 degrees).
What to do?
The famous sightseeings:
- Suoi Tranh Waterfall
- Starfish Beach
- Thom Islands
- Mong Tay Island
- May Rut Island
- Vinpearl Safari & Vinwonder
- Cultured Pearl Farms
- Fish Sauce Factories
- No.1 Pepper Gardens in Vietnam
The famous dishes:
- Herring Salad
- Crab Bread Noodles
- Ham Ninh Crab
- Vermicelli Rice Noodles
- Mackerel Bread Noodles
If you have any questions about Phu Quoc, let us know in the comment section below. We are happy to answer all your questions.
(Justin Ngoc Pham)
