Hanoi (VNA) – Luxury resorts, beaches with turquoise waters, and new iconic landmarks are transforming Phu Quoc - ranked as the world's second most beautiful island by readers of US magazine Travel+Leisure - into a must-visit destination for Indian travelers this year-end travel season.
According to data from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Vietnam welcomed over 392,000 Indian visitors in 2023, marking a 231% increase compared to 2019. However, in just the first six months of 2024, this group already reached 231,000, up 164% year-on-year.
According to the Times of India, Indian tourists are increasingly fond of travelling to Vietnam, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc. So, what makes Phu Quoc so attractive to travelers from around the world, particularly Indian visitors?
Tropical Paradise
One of the key factors making Phu Quoc a favourite among the travelers is its priceless natural conditions. The island boasts a temperate climate, warm sunshine year-round, rolling hills, and beautiful beaches. Phu Quoc is also home to the Phu Quoc National Park and the Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area, which together cover more than two-thirds of the island's natural area and are the core of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Kien Giang. Thanks to these features, the air quality index in Phu Quoc consistently remains below 30 AQI, providing a refreshing experience for all visitors.
Phu Quoc’s allure extends to its beaches, often described as tropical paradise. Notable examples include Kem and Sao beaches in the southern part of the island, renowned for their white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters year-round. Kem beach, in particular, is home to luxurious and high-end resorts with interesting concepts that look like they’ve stepped out of a movie scene.
Resorts along Kem beach each offer unique design themes and features, encouraging visitors to return to Phu Quoc multiple times to fully explore them. A standout is JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort, which features a fictitious 20th-century French university theme. Each building is painted in different pastel colours and represents a different academic department, such as Zoology, Botany, and Anthropology. This resort is renowned for its stunning design and often praised by international media as a real-life fairy tale.
For those interested in exploring the Vietnamese culture and seeking a family-friendly option, New World Phu Quoc is an excellent choice. Recently named among the top 100 resorts in the world by Travel+Leisure, it features a design inspired by traditional Vietnamese coastal fishing villages with three-room houses, and every room offering views of a private swimming pool.
Meanwhile, Premier Residences Phu Quoc Emerald Bay boasts a massive pool extending right up to the beach, with vibrant and colourful buildings. For a quieter retreat, visitors might opt for Premier Village Phu Quoc, located at Ong Doi cape. This resort offers a rare and unique feature - a view of both the sunrise and sunset, which is uncommon among resorts worldwide.
A destination for romance
The dreamlike tropical resorts at Kem beach have positioned Phu Quoc as a prime destination for weddings, attracting couples from around the world, particularly India. According to the South China Morning Post, reasonable costs, English-speaking staff, and the feeling like living in a "home away from home" make Phu Quoc appealing for Indian couples looking to tie the knot. Additionally, the spacious outdoor settings of the resorts in southern Phu Quoc provide an ideal backdrop for traditional Indian wedding ceremonies.
The JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort has hosted the wedding of billionaire Rushang Shah and bride Kaabia Grewal - one of the nine most anticipated weddings in India in 2019. The couple, their families, and guests were profoundly impressed by their stay in Phu Quoc, which transformed their perceptions of Vietnam and its people. They were pleasantly surprised by the stunning scenery, the friendly locals, and the professional service.
Another reason why the resorts in southern Phu Quoc are highly favoured by Indian couples is their luxurious dining options and experienced chefs. These resorts offer a global culinary experience with a particular expertise in Indian cuisine, including vegetarian and halal options.
A new hotspot for MICE tourism
Phu Quoc is not only a popular wedding destination but also a favoured place for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism among Indian travelers. The island boasts rich natural resources and high-quality infrastructure. Additionally, service costs are competitive, being 10-15% lower than in neighbouring countries. According to Thailand's Nation Story, the cost of services in Phu Quoc is impressively half that of Thailand, and the publication suggests that visitors need at least five days to fully enjoy what Phu Quoc is offering.
Indian travelers, who enjoy dining, attending parties, and engaging in group activities, find spacious and beautifully designed halls essential. In Phu Quoc, resorts along Kem beach all own large conference rooms and event spaces with unique and colourful designs tailored to Indian tastes. Notably, Sun Tropical Village’s ballroom, operated by New World, is set to debut soon with a capacity of 600 to 1,000 guests and a vibrant tropical design.
Located right in the heart of Sunset Town, in front of La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton is Sun Signature Gallery - a conference hall designed by renowned architect Bill Bensley. With its appearance, reminiscent of the "most beautiful castle in Switzerland" over-700-year-old Château de Chillon, this convention centre boasts a ballroom with luxurious features like those seen in The Great Gatsby, covering over 1,000 square metres.
Beyond its expansive beaches with wide and smooth sand, Phu Quoc is also a paradise for golf enthusiasts. The island offers picturesque golf courses with challenging layouts that attract those eager to test their skills.
A destination for new experiences
Sun Paradise Land entertainment complex in southern Phu Quoc offers a unique experience that is hard to find elsewhere in the world. Visitors can explore the Kiss Bridge, enjoy the multimedia show Kiss of the Sea, and nightly fireworks displays, visit the coastal “Vui Phet” night market to savour delicious local cuisine and watch attractive street performances. These attractions in Sunset Town are particularly popular among the Indian tourists for their vibrant colours and novel experiences. Many appreciate the Amalfi Coast-like ambiance without needing to travel to Italy, while still deeply experiencing Vietnamese culture.
One unmissable experience is riding the world's longest three-rope cable car to Thom island. From this cable car, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Phu Quoc’s skies and seas, with colourful fishing boats appearing to float in the crystal-clear water. This experience has been described as the "most worthwhile" by the world-renowned travel guide, The Lonely Planet.
In the year-end travel season, Phu Quoc promises to continue to entertain visitors with many new experiences. This new destination of the world will continue to be new, so that visitors will never get bored when returning. Thom island will become an entertainment centre, a new Tomorrowland of the world with EDM shows and pool parties, and vibrant Jetski & Flyboards shows. In Sunset town, there are shows imbued with Vietnamese culture that are about to debut, especially the combination of jetski & flyboards extreme sports performances combined with Vietnamese elements such as drums, dragon kites, lion dances and brilliant fireworks, or puppetry shows at A Oi theater. In addition, for tourists who are passionate about exploring cuisine, waiting for them at the end of this year is the launch of a brewery, along with the Ca Trich (mackerel) Bazaar market, where honours the mackerel salad - the pride of Phu Quoc cuisine.
However, there are currently no direct flights from India to Phu Quoc, tourists can choose to transit in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to combine exploring other cities in Vietnam, or transit in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur to be exempted from visas. Phu Quoc is also the only destination in Vietnam that exempts visas for Indian visitors. Those to Phu Quoc are exempted from visas for 30 days./.
