No need to go to Bali, in Vietnam there are also places to dive and see amazing corals

Among the myriad of beach travel options, Phuong Thao (Hanoi) and her family are "loyal" to Phu Quy Island - one of the rare destinations in Vietnam that made her return 3 times in just 3 years.

Phuong Thao ( Hanoi ) and her family returned to Phu Quy Island, which has become a familiar destination with 3 visits within 3 years (Photo: Character provided).

On a 5-day, 4-night trip in early March, she took her husband and two young children to explore the island known as "paradise in the middle of the ocean", and had a complete, memorable vacation filled with laughter and the children's amazed eyes before the magical nature.

Thao's family started their trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City with a round-trip ticket price of about 4 million VND/adult and 3.7 million VND/child.

From Tan Son Nhat airport, Phuong Thao rented a private car to Phan Thiet (cost nearly 2 million VND), stayed one night to avoid fatigue and prepare for the boat to the island early the next day.

The speedboat departs at 7:30 a.m., taking about 2.5 hours to reach Phu Quy, with a ticket price of VND 370,000/adult and free for children under 7 years old.

After about 2 hours, the sea and sky of Phu Quy appeared before our eyes, clear and blue like a painting.

As soon as we set foot on the island, the family stayed at LaMer homestay, a small wooden house located by the sea, with 4 open sides overlooking the ocean, for about 1.9 million VND/night.

The room is known as having "the most beautiful 4-sided view on the island" (Photo: Character provided).

According to Phuong Thao, to have a perfect vacation on Phu Quy Island, she had to book a room 2 months in advance, even if she went during peak season, she had to "wait" a year in advance to own the hottest room here, Mer06 - which has 4 large glass sides, allowing her to fully enjoy the beautiful sunrise and sunset on the island. This ideal space is also the reason why many tourists are willing to return to Phu Quy many times.

"As soon as I opened the door and entered the room, I had to exclaim "wow" because it was so beautiful. The minimalist, cozy space, perfectly combined with the natural scenery outside, made the whole family fascinated," Thao shared.

In the bathroom, visitors can also enjoy the beauty of the ocean (Photo: Character provided).

Not only does it have beautiful scenery, the homestay also scores points with the friendliness and attentive care of the staff.

"Every morning, coffee is brought out to the porch, and they ask the kids what they like to eat and advise on their schedule. It feels like being at home," she said.

Phuong Thao also said that her two children especially love this homestay.

"The two children are very happy to listen to the waves lull them to sleep every night and watch the ocean as soon as they open their eyes in the morning," Thao said.

On the first day on the island, the whole family explored highlights such as: Lonely Tree, Hometown Cha Cha Cha fishing village, Phuot slope, Ganh Hang, Wheel Lake and the island flagpole.

Phuong Thao chose to rent a motorbike to easily travel between famous places on the island. With a cost of only 100,000-150,000 VND/day, renting a motorbike helps Thao take the initiative in time and explore more beautiful scenery.

Not only does it help with transportation, the motorbike also becomes Thao's "virtual prop" on her journey to explore Phu Quy Island (Photo: Character provided).

The paths along the cliffs, embracing the blue sea, delight both adults and children, constantly stopping to take pictures or simply silently admire nature.

On the second day, Phuong Thao devoted herself to her personal passion - freediving. Although she couldn't swim, she was still able to participate thanks to her coach.

The 2-session experience package costs 1.5 million VND, including underwater photos and videos.

Phuong Thao also gave advice to those who are trying scuba diving for the first time: "For those who are trying scuba diving for the first time, I think the most important thing is to keep a relaxed mind, don't be too scared because there is always a team of professional coaches to support closely. The rest is just to take a deep breath and enjoy the colorful ocean world right before your eyes."

Freediving is one of Phuong Thao's favorite experiences during her journey to explore Phu Quy Island (Photo: Provided by the character).

"The feeling of swimming in clear water, seeing coral and schools of fish swimming around you, no noise, just breathing and the ocean around you is unforgettable," she shared.

Meanwhile, the father of the two children took his children on a tour of Hon Tranh - a beach known as the "Maldives of Vietnam". The whole family watched fish swimming right below their feet, played on white sand and swam in crystal blue water. The tour costs about 250,000-500,000 VND/person depending on the service.

The next day was the most relaxing time. The whole family woke up early to watch the sunrise on Phuot slope, went to the seafood market, and had breakfast by the beach. The children got to see with their own eyes the scene of pulling in the net, grilling squid, and preparing the boats.

"The two children were so fascinated that they kept asking: Mom, can this fish swim? Can the crab bite?", Phuong Thao said.

The next morning, the family boarded the ship back to the mainland, ending a nearly week-long journey in the island paradise. A private car picked up the family from Phan Thiet and took them back to Ho Chi Minh City to fly back to Hanoi in the evening.

Phuong Thao shared: "In Phu Quy, just raise your camera and you will have beautiful photos. Blue sea, clear sky, every corner is sparkling!" (Photo: Provided by the character).

The cost of food on the island is quite reasonable, only about 50,000-100,000 VND/portion, a total of 5 days of food costs about 5 million VND for the whole family.

The total cost of the trip is around 30-32 million VND, including airfare, private car, train ticket, homestay, food, beach tour, diving and some additional services.

For those who don't have much time, Thao suggests a shortened itinerary of 2 days 1 night, which is still enough to feel the beauty of Phu Quy.

On the first day, visitors can take an early boat to the island, explore highlights such as the lonely tree, Phuot slope, Ganh Hang, take a tour of Hon Tranh in the afternoon, and rest at a coastal homestay in the evening.

The next day, visitors can wake up early to catch the sunrise, take photos, have breakfast and return to the mainland by noon boat.

Phuong Thao commented that Phu Quy is a destination with reasonable costs but offers experiences worth every minute amidst wild and peaceful nature (Photo: Character provided).

According to Thao, even if there is not enough time to experience scuba diving or deeply explore local culture, this shortened schedule is still enough to touch the hearts of those who love pristine beauty and peace.

When asked why she returned to Phu Quy many times, Phuong Thao said: "I get to dive in the ocean, my husband enjoys the fresh air, and my children enjoy every pebble and wave. Paradise is real and it is right on Phu Quy Island, Vietnam."

Although many people compare Phu Quy to Vietnam's "miniature Bali", Thao has her own perspective: "I have not been to Bali so I cannot compare. But for a beach lover like me who has returned here for 3 consecutive years, Phu Quy must be very beautiful and special. It is truly beautiful down to every nautical mile."

Phu Quy Island Information

Phu Quy Island is located about 120km from Phan Thiet city, a small island in Binh Thuan province, famous for its wild beauty, clear blue water and friendly people.

Although the area is only over 17km2, Phu Quy owns many attractive destinations such as Linh Son Pagoda, the lighthouse, the sovereignty flagpole or Nho beach - Ganh Hang.

With fresh air, reasonable travel costs and activities such as coral diving, fishing, motorbike tours, etc., Phu Quy Island is increasingly popular with tourists, especially young families and groups of friends who love to explore.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/khong-can-di-bali-o-viet-nam-cung-co-noi-lan-ngam-san-ho-dep-ngo-ngang-20250415120603592.htm