Hanoi (VNA) – On Vietnam Culture Day (November 24), visitors to Phu Quoc can discover Vietnamese culture through poetry by the sea, dishes reflecting the country’s three regions, and the sounds of kite flutes and familiar lullabies amid dazzling fireworks.
The Vietnam Culture Day holiday coincides with Phu Quoc’s most beautiful season, when the seas are calm and the skies are clear. Visitors arriving at this time can enjoy the Pearl Island’s natural beauty while exploring destinations rich in Vietnamese cultural identity.
The journey might begin with a visit to Ho Quoc Pagoda, a place of prayer for national peace and prosperity overlooking Vietnam’s southwestern waters, or the shrine dedicated to Emperor Gia Long, associated with the historic Gieng Ngu, or Royal Well, at Ong Doi Cape.
Phu Quoc’s cultural and historical heritage is also preserved at the Coi Nguon Museum, with more than 3,300 artifacts; traditional fish sauce houses, where anchovies ferment in large wooden vats; and lush pepper gardens that have sustained generations of islanders.
From these historical roots, Vietnamese culture finds further expression at destinations across the island’s south. Here, visitors encounter poetry on Kiss Bridge, the imperial elegance of Hue at Nam Phuong Tower, familiar flavours of home, and Vietnamese melodies woven into world-class seaside performances.
Cultural stories told through iconic architecture
In Sunset Town, culture reveals itself in the thoughtful details of Kiss Bridge. Beyond its celebrated design by architect Marco Casamonti, with two arms extending toward one another over the sea, the bridge surprises visitors with nearly 400 literary passages, proverbs, and lines of love poetry inscribed along its walkways in 22 languages.
Leaving Sunset Town, the world’s longest three-rope cable car carries visitors across the sea to Hon Thom, where another landmark rooted in cultural and historical inspiration is taking shape. Rising prominently above the island, the 79-metre Nam Phuong Tower at Rixos Phu Quoc Vietnam takes the form of an enormous khan vanh day, the traditional headdress associated with Empress Nam Phuong’s attire.
Inspired by the elegance of Hue’s imperial dress, the headdress is reinterpreted through architecture against the southern sea and sky. The detail introduces a distinctive Vietnamese reference within a contemporary resort setting.
Flavours of home where East meets West
After enjoying the attractions at Sun World Hon Thom, visitors can stop at Taste of Vietnam to explore the flavours of the country’s three regions. From Phu Quoc’s signature bun quay noodles to golden banh xeo pancakes and crisp, savory banh khot mini pancakes, each dish offers an introduction to a different aspect of Vietnamese culinary culture. For international guests, these approachable flavors provide a direct connection to local identity.
Back in Sunset Town in the late afternoon, Sun Bavaria GastroPub continues the cultural exchange in an inviting way. Amid its extensive buffet of nearly 100 Asian and European dishes, the Madam Viet Nam station offers familiar Vietnamese favourites: fish noodle soup with mustard greens, golden fried spring rolls, and banh mi filled with crispy roast pork.
International diners can begin their exploration of Vietnamese cuisine with these dishes, while domestic travellers find familiar flavours in a restaurant with a distinctly European character. Sometimes, a delicious dish needs little introduction to become a bridge between cultures.
Vietnamese lullabies across a 56,000-square-metre ocean stage
While architecture tells stories through form and cuisine connects through flavour, the nighttime performances of southern Phu Quoc bring Vietnamese culture to audiences through music and movement.
Directly in front of Sun Bavaria GastroPub, the world’s largest seaside restaurant, 56,000 square metres of open water become the stage for Symphony of the Sea’s third season. Amid high-speed jet ski and flyboard performances, laser lighting, and brilliant fireworks, familiar sounds of Vietnamese culture emerge.
The melody of “Me Yeu Con” (A Mother’s Love for Her Child) and the sound of kite flutes evoke the skies above rural Vietnam, accompanying graceful flyboard performances over the water. Bringing familiar sounds together with contemporary performance technology creates moments that feel both intimate and new.
Vietnamese culture also finds expression through contemporary artistry in Kiss of the Sea. Behind its spectacular multimedia stage is a storyline inspired by the philosophy of the Five elements – metal, wood, water, fire, and earth – with Earth representing Phu Quoc, the Pearl Island.
Elements of traditional shadow puppetry are woven into the character designs and performance style. Distinctive local figures also become part of the story, from Mok, a young islander, and Khee, a loyal Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog, to the rare dugong.
Through these touches of architecture, cuisine, and performance, a journey through southern Phu Quoc this season offers another lasting impression: Vietnamese stories told with quiet charm between the sea and sky./.
