Traveling to Phu Quy Island during the calm sea season.

Leaving Phan Thiet port on a sunny morning, many tourists don't stay comfortably in their air-conditioned cabins, but instead go up to the deck to observe Phan Thiet city from the sea. Currently, the Phan Thiet-Phu Quy passenger ferry route has 5 trips, all operating at full capacity, departing in the morning and returning in the afternoon and vice versa, but during this season, it's not always easy to buy tickets.

Phu Quy has become a tourist island.

On the ferry to the island, over 80% of the passengers were tourists. Minh Thu and her husband, from Cau Giay District ( Hanoi ), left their seats in the air-conditioned cabin and went up to the deck to enjoy the sea breeze. Minh Thu is a small businesswoman who works year-round, so she rarely has time to visit new places like Phu Quy Island. "My husband and I have acquaintances in Binh Thuan who have been urging us to come, and now this trip to the island has finally become a reality. We have to go at least once to satisfy our craving," Minh Thu shared.

Freshwater reservoir on Phu Quy Island

It wasn't just Thu and her husband; dozens of families were on the Chấn Kha boat that day, traveling to the island for tourism. Ha Tuan and his wife, from Thu Duc City (Ho Chi Minh City), although both are from Xuan Loc ( Dong Nai ), very close to Binh Thuan, had never been to Phu Quy Island before. But this time, their trip had become a reality. "We heard the sea is very beautiful this season, despite the heat. My husband and I arranged for this trip," said Tuan's wife.

Tourists come to experience Hon Tranh, Phu Quy island district, Binh Thuan province.

After 2 hours and 10 minutes, sitting on the deck of the boat, Phu Quy Island clearly appeared, a beautiful Thu Island (another name for Phu Quy Island) nestled in the middle of the sea. Right at the entrance to Phu Quy port, transportation services from hotels and people waiting to greet acquaintances were already waiting (mostly on motorbikes) to take guests back.

Although it doesn't have large hotels like on the mainland, the hotel system on Phu Quy Island is much more professional compared to three years ago. The island also attracts young people with many check-in spots and captivating locations such as Phuot Slope, Hang Cliff, Bai Lang Embankment, the Lonely Tree, the Sovereignty Flagpole, Wind Power Slope, Linh Son Pagoda, and Hon Tranh, a small island only about 15 minutes by speedboat from the main island.

In particular, the cuisine on Phu Quy Island is extremely diverse. Besides delicious dishes rarely found on the mainland such as king crab, moon crab, barramundi, mackerel, lobster, red grouper, and snapper, there is also grilled beef. According to tourists, the beef on the island is tender and fragrant, with a flavor far more appealing than beef on the mainland.

Tourists explore Hang Cliff, Long Hai commune, Phu Quy island district.

On July 3, 2020, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Binh Thuan province announced the provincial decision recognizing Phu Quy Island as a "provincial-level tourist destination". Mr. Le Hong Loi, Deputy Secretary of the island district and Chairman of the District People's Council, reported that since the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of visitors to the island has increased sharply and continuously, with some days seeing thousands of visitors. In 2022 alone, the island welcomed over 95,000 visitors. According to the approved plan, by 2025, the island is expected to welcome approximately 250,000 tourists. "Now, tourism is a very strong economic sector on the island. Along with the traditional fishing industry, tourism plays a crucial role in boosting the economy of our island," Mr. Loi explained.

The Teacher's Tomb area is located in Long Hai commune, in the north of Phu Quy island.

Going to the island means worrying about... water shortage.

However, Phu Quy Island also faces many problems, among which fresh water is a matter of "survival". According to Le Hong Loi, Deputy Secretary of the island district, in the trend of investing in transportation infrastructure throughout the island, most of the roads in the villages have been concreted or asphalted.

The flagpole symbolizing sovereignty on Phu Quy Island, built by the Central Committee of the Youth Union and the Vietnam Student Association, has become a popular check-in spot attracting many visitors.

But for the island, "you gain one thing but lose another." The groundwater system is becoming scarce and depleted due to the inability of rainwater to infiltrate. If more groundwater wells are drilled, one day the groundwater system will become saline, which is extremely dangerous on the island.

"Therefore, we must limit well drilling. Instead, we are building three freshwater reservoirs to collect rainwater for the island's water treatment plant. The island's population is now nearly 28,000 people, and if we don't strategically invest in freshwater, there's a risk of water shortages. Just imagine how difficult it would be if the island lacked freshwater one day and had to transport it from the mainland," Mr. Loi lamented.

Hon Den is located offshore, right next to Long Hai commune, Phu Quy island district.

Regarding electricity, Mr. Le Hong Loi expressed his relief, saying, "There's no shortage like with fresh water." According to Mr. Loi, since 2014, residents on the island have had access to electricity 24/7, eliminating the previous situation where the power would cut off at 11 PM during a sweltering heat, forcing them to wait until the next morning for it to be restored. The Binh Thuan Power Company stated that while the entire island only used 3 MW of electricity in 2017, this figure is projected to exceed 5.3 MW in 2023.

One of the three wind turbines currently generating electricity on Phu Quy Island.

Between 2017 and 2019 alone, the electricity sector invested nearly 270 billion VND in the island's power system, not including the cost of diesel fuel for generators. To ensure a 24/7 power supply for the island, the sector upgraded transmission lines, implemented DCS processors integrating off-grid sources, and integrated three wind turbines into the system. However, Binh Thuan Power Company shared that in 2022, the electricity sector incurred losses due to the need to use diesel generators, yet still charged the same electricity prices as on the mainland. According to Nguyen Thanh Ngon, Director of Binh Thuan Power Company, the electricity sector recognizes that providing electricity and ensuring energy security for Phu Quy Island is not just a business matter. Providing electricity and ensuring energy security for the island is also a crucial political task, contributing to the island's strong economic development and robust national defense and security.

During the five-day holiday period of April 30th and May 1st, Phu Quy Island welcomed over 10,000 tourists from the mainland. The majority of visitors were young people or families from Ho Chi Minh City, the eastern provinces, and also included tourists from Hanoi and the northern provinces.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/du-lich-dao-phu-quy-giua-mua-bien-lang-185230514150417789.htm