”The Forest Under the Sea”
Binh Thuan is considered one of the most famous beach tourist destinations in Vietnam. With its geographical location and mild weather all year round, every year, this place welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists to explore. Besides famous places such as Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, Mui Ke,… Binh Thuan also has an extremely beautiful district. That is Phu Quy island.
Phu Quy Island (also known as Thu Islet, Khoai Xu Islet) is a small island located about 120km southeast of Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan. The island’s scale also includes Hon Da Cao, Hon Do, Hon Tranh and Hon Hai surrounding it. Although the area of this island district is less than 20km2, it possesses abundant resources and many beautiful landscapes. Phu Quy Island was also voted by CNN as one of the 5 most beautiful beaches in the East Sea.
In recent years, Phu Quy Island has caught the attention of travel enthusiasts. In addition to the clear blue beaches, the experience of watching corals on Phu Quy Island is attracting the attention of domestic and foreign tourists. This form of tourism not only stimulates the curiosity of tourists, but also attracts tourists by its uniqueness and difference. To describe the beauty of the coral reefs on this island district, many locals and tourists often compare it to a ”forest under the sea”.
Under the cool blue water, Phu Quy Island “treats” tourists to a “paradise” of colorful corals. The coral reefs are interwoven with many diverse shapes. They are usually located 2 – 5m below the water surface. Therefore, visitors can completely admire the corals right when standing on the shore.
Because tourism has not been exploited much, the ecosystem on Phu Quy Island still retains its pristine, wild features, extremely suitable for those who love adventure and discovery.
When coming to see the corals on Phu Quy Island, visitors can choose scuba diving or SUP services. Of which, scuba diving services are newly developed here. Visitors will be provided with snorkels and fins to facilitate the observation of the underwater “wonders”. The cost for a scuba diving session on Phu Quy Island is about 300,000 – 500,000 VND/person.
If you choose to paddle SUP or kayak, you can rent a boat near the beaches on Phu Quy Island. The price for one paddle is around 250,000 – 500,000 VND/person (depending on the service). To be able to admire the entire ecosystem of this island district, visitors can also see corals at Hon Tranh, Hon Trung, Hon Den…
In addition to coral viewing and swimming, Phu Quy Island also has many attractive tourist destinations such as Ganh Hang, Bai Nho, Phu Quy Lighthouse, Linh Son Pagoda… Each location has its own beauty, promising to bring visitors unforgettable experiences.
What is the best season to go to Phu Quy?
Binh Thuan province is located in the tropical monsoon region near the equator, with lots of sunshine and wind. This land always has a fresh and cool climate all year round. Therefore, the most suitable time to explore Phu Quy island as well as other tourist destinations in Binh Thuan is from December to June of the following year. Tourists should consider visiting the islands from September to November, because this is the rainy and stormy season with rough seas.
Phu Quy is the farthest island district of Binh Thuan province. The distance from the mainland to the island is about 110km, from 2 to 4 hours by boat. The ticket price for one way is 350,000 VND/person.
When arriving at the island, visitors can choose taxis, motorbike taxis or rent motorbikes on the island to move around the island. The roads on Phu Quoc Island are relatively spacious and flat, very convenient for traveling between tourist attractions.
Source: Vietnam Insider