Hanoi (VNA) - The prestigious Travel + Leisure magazine has unveiled the winners of its Luxury Awards 2026, with Phu Quoc making a remarkable impression by climbing one place from 2025 and surpassing Indonesia's Bali to become the second-best island in Asia-Pacific.
Travel + Leisure is one of the world’s leading travel publications, boasting a global readership of millions of experienced travelers with a strong affinity for luxury travel. The Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific are announced annually to honor outstanding destinations, resorts, and luxury travel experiences across the Asia-Pacific region – one of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets. The judging criteria are considered particularly rigorous, covering service quality, tourism-resort-entertainment ecosystems, brand reputation, and the ability to deliver personalized experiences for travelers.
Phu Quoc, also called Pearl Island, rose to second place on the list of Asia-Pacific’s best islands, moving up one position from 2025 and surpassing many renowned destinations such as Bali (Indonesia), Palawan (the Philippines), Langkawi (Malaysia), and Sumba (Indonesia). Ranked only behind Koh Samui (Thailand), Pearl Island was also the sole representative from Vietnam to appear in this year’s ranking.
The result highlights Phu Quoc’s growing appeal on the international tourism map while reflecting the rapid development of Vietnam’s premier island destination, supported by the momentum of APEC 2027 and increasingly synchronised investments in tourism, hospitality, entertainment, and transportation infrastructure.
The latest achievement also extends an impressive streak of international recognition. In 2025, Phu Quoc was named Asia’s most beautiful island and the world’s third most beautiful island by Condé Nast Traveler, one of the world’s most influential travel publications. Earlier this March, Pearl Island also climbed from fifth place to second place in the category of Asia’s Best Islands 2026 at the Readers’ Choice Awards voted by DestinAsian readers.
The fact that Phu Quoc continues to earn top positions in rankings by leading travel magazines reflects a growing consensus among industry experts and international readers regarding the island’s rising appeal. Notably, a DestinAsian article described Phu Quoc as “the new era of tropical tourism.”
As Vietnam’s largest island, Pearl Island is renowned for beautiful beaches such as Kem Beach and Sao Beach, its pleasant climate, and famous local specialties including pearls, fish sauce, and pepper. Beyond its natural advantages, Phu Quoc has become one of Vietnam’s most attractive destinations thanks to an iconic entertainment ecosystem, multiple Guinness World Records, and a diverse range of accommodations spanning from midscale options to luxury and ultra luxury resorts.
In recent years, Pearl Island has continued to introduce landmark tourism products, including nightly artistic fireworks displays at Sunset Town, the multimedia shows Kiss of the Sea and Symphony of the Sea, the iconic Kiss Bridge, and a series of Guinness World Records such as the world’s longest three-wire cable car to Hon Thom Island, the world’s largest beachfront beer hall – Sun Bavaria GastroPub, and the world’s largest permanent water projection theatre and seating capacity for the Kiss of the Sea show.
In particular, the Hon Thom area continues to be refreshed with new experiences, including Santo Beach Club, a youthful beachfront destination featuring two infinity pools overlooking the spectacular sunsets of South Phu Quoc.
The island is also home to a collection of prestigious internationally branded resorts, including JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, Premier Village Phu Quoc, La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton, and New World Phu Quoc Resort. Notably, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay was also recognized by Travel + Leisure as one of Vietnam’s Best Beach and Island Hotels at the Luxury Awards 2026.
The development of this ecosystem has helped extend visitor stays, increase tourism spending, and enhance the destination’s competitiveness, while attracting a growing number of travelers from the Republic of Korea, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, India, and Southeast Asian markets.
Phu Quoc’s international appeal is clearly reflected in tourism growth figures.
According to the latest statistics from the An Giang Department of Tourism, the province welcomed more than 13.3 million visitors between January and May 2026, up 12.1% year on year. Phu Quoc alone received approximately 4.77 million visitors, an increase of 34.2%, achieving 56.1% of its annual target.
International arrivals to Phu Quoc reached approximately 1.17 million during the same period, up 51% and accounting for the majority of the province’s total international visitors. Tourism revenue on Pearl Island reached 26.961 trillion VND (1.02 billion USD), an increase of 50.4%, representing more than 81% of the province’s total tourism revenue of 33.169 trillion VND. These figures further reinforce Phu Quoc’s role as the key growth engine of the local tourism sector.
According to experts, Phu Quoc’s rise in international rankings stems from a combination of factors, including its 30-day visa exemption policy for international visitors, one of the most open tourism policies in Vietnam, together with an expanding air connectivity network that is steadily positioning the island as an emerging regional gateway.
The launch of Sun PhuQuoc Airways, the airline named after the island, in late 2025 is expected to further strengthen direct links between Pearl Island and international markets, making the destination more accessible and supporting continued growth in international arrivals in the years ahead.
Looking forward, Phu Quoc is widely regarded as having substantial growth potential as it prepares for APEC 2027. A series of strategic projects, including the expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport and the development of the APEC Complex with multiple key components, are being accelerated. Beyond serving one of the region’s most important diplomatic events, these projects will provide a strong foundation for elevating Phu Quoc’s position and advancing its ambition to become one of Asia’s leading centers for tourism, hospitality, and international events./.
