Phú Quốc

In the far north-west, Vietnam's largest open-range zoo is run by the Vingroup resort company on a "humans in, animals out" model: a safari bus carries visitors through enclosures where giraffes, rhinos, zebras and antelope roam in large semi-wild areas, followed by a walking section with primates, big cats and birds. Breeding and conservation programmes are part of the pitch, and families in particular rate it highly.

TipThe park opens from 9am to 4pm daily. Go when it opens, before the midday heat sends the animals into the shade. Tickets are cheaper online, and many packages combine it with VinWonders next door.

More than half the island is protected as a national park, covering the low mountains of the north with lowland evergreen forest, streams and a fringe of mangroves and sea grass along the coast. It shelters macaques, hornbills and many species found only in this corner of the Gulf. Most visitors see it from the roads that cut through it, but local guides lead forest walks and climbs to viewpoints, and the north coast beyond the park has some of the island's emptiest sand.

TipHire a guide through your hotel rather than heading off alone; trails are poorly marked, and leeches appear after rain.

Phú Quốc pepper has been prized since the 19th century, and small family farms across the north of the island grow it on rows of tall wooden posts wrapped in green vines. Several open their gardens to visitors for free, explaining how the berries are picked and dried, and sell black, red and white pepper, sometimes alongside honey or rice wine. The harvest runs roughly from February to April, when you may see the red berries being spread out to dry in the sun.

On the north coast, the shallow, sandy bay at Rạch Vẹm became famous for the red starfish that lie in the warm water near the shore, alongside a fishing hamlet and a cluster of floating seafood restaurants on stilts. It is a lovely, low-key place for a long lunch.

TipLook, but never lift starfish out of the water: they die quickly in air, and handling by visitors has thinned their numbers sharply. Guides and local authorities now ask visitors not to touch them.

On a black rock at the mouth of the Dương Đông river, this small temple and lighthouse is the island's spiritual landmark. Built in the 1930s and dedicated to the guardian spirit of the sea, it is where fishermen come to pray for safe voyages and good catches before setting out. Climb the steps for the view along the coast and over the colourful fishing boats moored in the river.

TipCome in the late afternoon, then watch the sun drop into the sea from the rocks before walking to the night market a few minutes away.

The original night market sits on Võ Thị Sáu and Bạch Đằng streets in the heart of Dương Đông, a lively strip of stalls where tanks of crab, squid, lobster and sea urchin are grilled to order. In between come sugar-cane juice, rolled ice cream, pearls of doubtful origin and souvenirs. It is touristy but fun, and the best place to try the island's seafood in one place.

TipPrices for seafood are by weight. Agree on the weight and price before it goes on the grill, and check the scales.

Phú Quốc fish sauce has protected designation of origin status in the European Union, and its makers still use the slow method: fresh anchovies are layered with salt in huge wooden vats made from local timber, bound with rattan, and left to ferment for a year or more. Several family-run barrel houses around Dương Đông, including the long-established Khải Hoàn, welcome visitors to see the vats and taste the different grades.

TipVietnamese airlines restrict carrying fish sauce because of the smell and the risk of leaks. If you want to take some home, buy sealed, airline-approved packs at the factory and check your airline's rules first.

South of Dương Đông, this sweep of sand runs for around 20 kilometres down the west coast, backed by hotels, beach bars and stretches of casuarina trees. The water is calmer here than on many Vietnamese beaches, and the west-facing shore makes it the island's classic place to watch the sun sink into the Gulf. The northern end near town is busiest; walk south for quieter sections.

TipBars along the beach put out beanbags and cushions around sunset. The sea is at its calmest from November to April.

On the east coast, Hàm Ninh is one of the oldest settlements on the island, with houses on stilts above mudflats and a long pier running out into the shallow sea. Fishermen bring in crabs, and at low tide villagers wade out to collect shellfish, while restaurants at the end of the pier serve steamed crab and sea snails. The view across to the Cambodian coast is a reminder of how close the mainland is.

The Trúc Lâm Hộ Quốc Zen monastery, opened in 2012, climbs a forested hillside above the south-east coast. Its tiled roofs, bell tower and statues of Quan Âm, the goddess of mercy, look out over the sea, and the setting makes it one of the island's most photogenic places. It is an active Buddhist monastery, so visit quietly.

TipShoulders and knees must be covered. Morning visits are cooler and calmer.

On the south-east coast, Sao Beach is the postcard image of Phú Quốc: a crescent of fine, almost white sand, shallow turquoise water and coconut palms leaning over the shore. A few relaxed restaurants and beach clubs hire out loungers and jet skis. It is a perfect place for a swim and a long seafood lunch.

TipArrive early on a weekday; by late morning tour groups fill the beach. Bring cash, as some loungers and restaurants do not take cards.

Known as the Coconut Tree Prison, this camp was built by the French and expanded by the South Vietnamese government and its American allies during the Vietnam War, when it held tens of thousands of communist prisoners. The site today is a national historic relic, with barbed-wire enclosures, tiger cages and life-size figures showing torture methods used on inmates. The displays are graphic and tell one side of the story, but they are a sobering counterweight to the island's resort image.

TipDress modestly, keep your voice down, and think twice before bringing young children. Entry is free or nominal.

Near An Thới, Sun Group built a whole Mediterranean-style resort town painted in pastel colours, complete with a clock tower, cafés and cobbled lanes. Its two landmarks are the Kiss Bridge, a broken-arch footbridge whose two halves almost touch above the sea, and the evening light-and-water shows on the waterfront, including the long-running Kiss of the Sea. It is unashamedly artificial, but popular for sunset photos.

TipShow times and tickets change by season; check the Sun World Hon Thom site or ask at your hotel. The Kiss Bridge is busiest in the hour before sunset.

From a station next to Sunset Town, the Hon Thom cable car glides nearly 8 kilometres across the sea to Hòn Thơm island, passing above fishing boats and the scattered islets of the An Thới group. When it opened in 2018 it was recognised as the world's longest non-stop three-rope cable car. On Hòn Thơm, the Sun World park has the Aquatopia water park, a beach and the Exotica village, all included in the ticket.

TipSun World states opening hours of about 9:30am to 5pm, but times vary seasonally and the line can close in strong winds. Ride across in the morning and back mid-afternoon for the best light.

Off the southern tip of Phú Quốc, the An Thới archipelago is a scatter of around fifteen small islands with coral reefs, clear water and sandy coves. Boat trips from An Thới harbour typically visit Hòn Móng Tay, Hòn Gầm Ghì and Hòn Mây Rút for snorkelling and swimming, with a seafood lunch on board. The coral is not as rich as in Indonesia or the Philippines, and some reefs have suffered from bleaching, but the reef fish, parrotfish and giant clams make for a good day out.

TipChoose small boats that visit fewer islands and keep groups small. The sea is calmest between November and April; tours run less often or are cancelled in the wet season.