Basic HTML Version
A
longside destinations such as
Danang, Mui Ne, Nha Trang
and Vung Tau, Phu Quoc is
one of the key coastal tourism
destinations in Vietnam. What brings
international travellers to Phu Quoc are
its warm, turquoise waters, secluded
sandy beaches, and its lush, mountain-
ous interior, which is protected as a
national park.
With all these advantages, Viet-
nam’s government has an ambition to
turn Phu Quoc from a sleepy backwater
into a favoured beach escape for West-
ern tourists that can compare success-
fully with neighbouring destinations,
such as Phuket or Bali
The scramble to develop Phu
Quoc has begun and large numbers
of high rolling investors want in on
the action. A total of 190 local and
foreign investors have applied to in-
vest on the island. Some 100 projects
have been approved on a total area of
nearly 4,000 ha, including high-end
resort projects on Long Beach, multi-
ple golf courses, kite-flying areas and
even a casino.
However, beyond the chain of
small to medium scale local resorts lin-
ing Long Beach, the island is still largely
undeveloped, and unlike Phuket, which
it aspires to emulate, visitors cannot
find anything to do here after dark.
Only a few major projects have been
constructed recently, while all the oth-
ers, many of which are foreign-invest-
ed, are still on hold.
The new international airport that
was opened in late 2012 is expected to
provide a catalyst for tourism and devel-
opment. If Vietnam’s government has its
way, by 2030 it should be able to serve
7 million passengers per year. If the cur-
rent plans come to fruition, then the Phu
Quoc that those 7 million passengers
visit will be totally different from the
Phu Quoc we know today. But will these
plans actually become a reality?
According to property consulting
company CBRE, the number of domestic
arrivals to Phu Quoc in 2013 was al-
most double that in 2012, thanks to the
opening of the new airport. The number
of international arrivals, however, saw a
slight drop as there is no scheduled in-
ternational flight operating to Phu Quoc.
timeout
24
Phu Quoc
shining
Vinpearl’s latest five-star resort complex will drastically change the landscape
of the stunning island of Phu Quoc, writes
Hanh Son
CLOSE UP