Phu Quoc is in the Gulf of Thailand, about 15 kilometres off the Cambodian coast and 400 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City. It is Vietnamese, it is the country's largest island, and geographically it has almost nothing to do with the rest of the country.
That position matters for one practical reason: the island faces west. The long beaches are on the western side, which means the sunsets go down over the water rather than behind you, and the sea on that coast is calm through the dry season.
Which coast, and when
The west coast, from Duong Dong town south through Long Beach to Khem Beach, has the sand, the sunsets and almost all the resorts.
The south, around An Thoi, has the cable car to Hon Thom — at around eight kilometres it is one of the longest over water anywhere — and the boat departures for the An Thoi archipelago.
The north, around Ganh Dau and Rach Vem, is quieter, with the national park covering more than half the island behind it.
The east coast is largely undeveloped and rougher.
The season is clear: November to April is dry, calm and the reason to come. May to October is the southwest monsoon, with rain, rougher seas on the west coast and much lower rates.
Development on Phu Quoc has been rapid and is ongoing. Some stretches are building sites and others are finished; it is worth checking recent reports for the specific area you are booking rather than relying on older impressions of the island.
The nine below are grouped by coast.
Khem Beach and the south
The southern end, near the cable car.
JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa occupies a stretch of Khem Beach designed by Bill Bensley as a fictional French colonial university, with faculty buildings as room blocks, a chemistry-themed bar and a great deal of invented backstory. It is the most elaborate resort in Vietnam and the beach it sits on is the island's best.
JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa
Khem Beach, south · 5★ · $$$$
A fictional colonial university on the island's best beach
Check availabilityRegent Phu Quoc sits on the same southern coast with all-suite and villa accommodation, several pools and a long private beach.
Regent Phu Quoc
South coast · 5★ · $$$$
All-suite and villa on a long private beach
Check availabilityPremier Village Phu Quoc Resort Managed by Accor occupies a hillside above the southern coast with villas, private pools and views over the archipelago.
Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort Managed by Accor
Southern hillside · 5★ · $$$
Private pool villas above the archipelago
Check availabilityLong Beach and the west
The main strip, with the sunsets.
InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort by IHG occupies a beachfront site on Long Beach with a large pool, several restaurants and full family facilities.
InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort by IHG
Long Beach · 5★ · $$$
Large pool and full family facilities on the main strip
Check availabilityLa Veranda Resort Phu Quoc - MGallery sits on Long Beach in a French colonial-style property with gardens, a pool and a long-established position on the island.
La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc - MGallery
Long Beach · 5★ · $$$
A colonial-style garden property, long established here
Check availabilityFusion Resort Phu Quoc occupies a beachfront position with an all-inclusive spa arrangement where treatments come with the room rather than the bill.
Salinda Resort Phu Quoc Island sits on the western coast with a pool, a spa and contemporary rooms at a mid-range rate.
Salinda Resort Phu Quoc Island
Long Beach · 5★ · $$
Contemporary rooms and a spa at a mid-range rate
Check availabilitySailing Club Signature Resort Phu Quoc occupies a beachfront site with a beach club, several pools and a livelier tone.
Sailing Club Signature Resort Phu Quoc
West coast · 4★ · $$$
A beach club and pools with a livelier tone
Check availabilityThe north
Quieter, with the national park behind.
Nam Nghi Coral Peninsula Phu Quoc occupies a headland on the northwestern coast with villas, a private beach on either side and a coral reef offshore. It is the most secluded resort on the island.
Nam Nghi Coral Peninsula Phu Quoc
Ganh Dau, northwest · 5★ · $$$
A headland with beaches either side and reef offshore
Check availabilityWhat we have left off
The guest houses and small hotels along Long Beach are excluded, and the island has a large supply at low prices. They are guest houses rather than hotels.
What to do
Take the cable car to Hon Thom, which runs about eight kilometres over the water past fishing villages and is worth the trip for the ride rather than the destination.
Boat out to the An Thoi archipelago for snorkelling, which is best from November to April when the water is clear.
Visit a pepper farm and a fish sauce distillery. Phu Quoc pepper and Phu Quoc nuoc mam are both protected designations and the distilleries, full of enormous wooden vats, are more interesting than they sound.
Go into the national park, which covers more than half the island, and to the northern beaches at Rach Vem where the starfish gather in the shallows.
Watch the sunset from the west coast, which is the island's daily event and the reason the resorts are all on that side.
Practical notes
Phu Quoc has an international airport with domestic connections and regional flights. Entry requirements for Vietnam have changed repeatedly, including special arrangements that have applied to this island; check the current rules before booking.
November to April is the dry season and the reason to come. May to October is the monsoon, with rain and rougher water on the west coast, at a fraction of the price.
Jellyfish appear on the west coast in some months; ask locally.
Explore 4 & 5 Star Phu Quoc Hotels
Questions people actually ask
Why are all the resorts on one side?
The island faces west, which puts the sand, the calm water and the sunsets on that coast.
When should you go?
November to April. The southwest monsoon runs May to October.
Is it built up?
Development has been rapid and uneven. Check recent reports for the specific stretch you are booking.
How many nights?
Five. Four on a beach with a day of boats or the cable car.