Phu Quoc with children
An island where the big attractions are close together and the sea is warm all year. What works with children, and what to plan around.
Cable car cabins crossing turquoise water above fishing boats, Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc is Vietnam's largest island, off the south-west coast in the Gulf of Thailand, closer to Cambodia than to Ho Chi Minh City. For families it has an unusual advantage: the attractions that children actually want are clustered at the north and south ends, half an hour or so apart, so you are not spending the holiday in a car.
The four things worth building a trip around
- VinWonders — a large theme park with over a hundred rides indoors and out, plus a water park. The indoor sections matter more than you think in the middle of a hot afternoon.
- Vinpearl Safari — an open zoo where part of the visit is by bus through the enclosures. Go in the morning; the animals are more active and so is everyone else.
- Grand World — a shopping and entertainment complex built around a canal, with a Teddy Bear museum and evening performances. It comes alive after dark, which makes it the right thing to do on a day you have spent in the sun.
- The Hon Thom cable car — the longest over-sea cable car anywhere, crossing to an island in the south over water, fishing boats and smaller islands. The ride is the attraction.
Add an evening at the Kiss Bridge for sunset and you have four full days without repeating yourself.
Practical things that make a difference
- Plan around the middle of the day. It is hot, and the sun is close to overhead. Parks in the morning, pool or shade from noon, something in the evening.
- Water sports at the beach are paid separately, on the spot, by whoever wants to do them. No tour includes them and the prices are set by the operators on the sand.
- The wet season runs roughly May to October, and usually means a heavy hour in the afternoon rather than a lost day. The dry season, November to April, is the easiest time to bring small children.
- Phu Quoc has long had its own entry exemption for visitors flying in directly, separate from the mainland rules. It is exactly the sort of policy that changes, so check the current position before you book — and tell us your nationalities and we will check with you.
Ages
The island suits roughly four and up best, because the theme parks need a certain height and a certain stamina. Below that it is still a lovely beach holiday with a cable car and a zoo in it, but you will use the parks less than you expect and the pool more.
Our island itinerary
Four nights in one hotel, entrance tickets to all of the above, a private car with a guide, and nothing to organise once you land.
