Astrid Freja

2025-08-23

Having called Vietnam home for eight enriching years, I've gathered countless authentic stories that I'm now eager to share with you. As a VietAdvisor contributor, my passion lies in the freedom of discovery, allowing me to deeply immerse myself in Vietnam's rich, diverse cultures from north to south. Let my experiences help you forge a deeper connection with this extraordinary country.

Look, I’ve been living in Vietnam for almost a decade. I’ve seen what happens to beach towns here. Some stay cool, some get ruined by tourism.

I’m an Sweden woman, and I write for other foreigners who are trying to figure this country out. So I’m not going to give you some flowery nonsense. I’m just going to tell you the truth about Quy Nhon and Phu Quoc.

You’re probably trying to decide where to go. Here’s my quick take if you’re in a hurry.

Thinking of a beach getaway in Vietnam? Let’s talk reality. This expat guide pits the laid-back, authentic Quy Nhon beaches against the vibrant, commercialized Phu Quoc. Learn which destination offers better value, more authentic food, and the kind of travel experience you’re truly looking for.
Vibe & Atmosphere: Quy Nhon offers a quiet, authentic Vietnamese experience, feeling more like a real coastal city where locals live and work, with untouched beaches and minimal tourist crowds. In contrast, Phu Quoc is a bustling, highly-developed tourist island with a resort-centric atmosphere, a wide range of international amenities, and lively crowds, feeling like a ready-made vacation destination.
Beaches & Scenery: The charm of Quy Nhon beaches lies in their rugged, exploratory nature—you’ll find stunning, secluded coves like Ky Co Beach and unique geological formations at Eo Gio that require a bit of effort to reach, but the reward is a sense of discovery and genuine natural beauty. Phu Quoc, on the other hand, is famous for its long, powdery white-sand beaches like Sao Beach and the iconic Long Beach, which are more accessible and polished but also far more commercialized and crowded.
Cost & Practicalities: Quy Nhon is significantly more budget-friendly, with accommodation, food, and activities often costing a fraction of what you’ll pay in Phu Quoc. A simple hotel room in Quy Nhon can be found for around $20/night, while a similar stay in Phu Quoc could easily cost $50 or more. Motorbike rental is a cheap and essential way to get around both locations, but Quy Nhon’s small size and simpler roads make it an easier city to navigate for first-timers.
Food & Drink: Quy Nhon is a paradise for food lovers seeking authentic and cheap local cuisine, especially its fresh, hyper-local seafood and regional specialties like banh hoi chao long and bún chả cá. While Phu Quoc has a much wider variety of dining options, from international restaurants to the famous Dinh Cau Night Market, you’ll be paying higher tourist prices for the convenience and selection.
Activities & Things to Do: Beyond the beach, Quy Nhon offers a focus on quiet, natural and historical sites like the ancient Twin Towers and Ghenh Rang, perfect for gentle exploration. Phu Quoc, in contrast, is an entertainment hub with major tourist attractions like VinWonders theme park, a safari, and the world’s longest cable car, making it ideal for families and travelers seeking a diverse range of planned activities.
My Verdict: As an expat who has seen both sides of Vietnam, I recommend Phu Quoc for first-time visitors who want an easy, comfortable, and action-packed beach vacation. However, for seasoned travelers looking to get off the beaten path and experience a more authentic, low-key, and budget-friendly side of coastal Vietnam, the Quy Nhon beaches and city are an absolute must-visit.

Short Videos

Landing there: What it feels like

The first time I flew into Quy Nhon, I was looking for a break. I live in Hanoi, and sometimes I just need to get out. The airport, Phu Cat Airport (UIH), is small.

You get off the plane and it’s just a couple of gates. The taxi ride into town was about 45 minutes, through some quiet villages and rice fields.

There weren’t any big ads for resorts or anything. It felt like I was going to a real place, not just a tourist trap. The city itself is a long strip with a beach on one side and mountains on the other.

It’s a city where people live and work, not just vacation. The whole place feels kind of low-key, like it’s been there forever and isn’t trying to impress anyone.

The main promenade along the city’s main beach is just for people to walk and exercise. It’s not full of tourist restaurants.

Phu Quoc, man, it’s different. The airport (PQC) is big and new. As soon as you walk out, there are taxi guys everywhere trying to get you. The roads are wide. You drive straight into the main tourist area, Long Beach, and you’re surrounded by hotels, bars, and resorts.

Phu Quoc International Airport Vietadvisor

It’s a vacation island. It feels like you’ve been dropped into a place designed for tourists, and you have. It has that kind of buzz, a lot of people are here for a specific reason: to relax and spend money.

The beaches themselves: Sand and water

This is why you’re reading this, right? The beaches.

Quy Nhon beaches:

The main one, right in the city, is just called Quy Nhon Beach. It’s a nice, long stretch of sand.

You’ll see locals swimming early in the morning and playing sports in the evening. It’s not a stunning beach, but it’s great for a walk. The real gems are outside the city. You need a motorbike to get to them.

I rented a Honda Wave for 150,000 VND for a day (~ $6 USD). I drove north on the coastal road. It’s a really nice drive, past mountains and small fishing boats.

I was heading to Ky Co beach. This place is a bit of a pain to get to. You have to park at Eo Gio, which is this beautiful rocky spot, and then you pay for a boat to take you to the beach.

I think I paid about 200,000 VND for the boat ticket (~ $7.5 USD), which included a look at some of the corals. The water at Ky Co is seriously clear. It’s in a small bay, so it’s very calm. It felt like I was on a small, hidden island.

There were a few other people there, but it wasn’t crowded at all. You can also walk across a shallow bridge that connects a small islet at low tide. It’s a bit of a scramble, but cool.

I also drove south to a tiny fishing village called Bai Xep. It’s just a few shacks, a small beach, and some fishing boats. I sat there for a few hours, had a beer at a little shack, and just watched the sea. It was so peaceful.

To the north of Ky Co, there’s Hon Kho Island, which is famous for its ‘sea path’—a rocky walkway that appears at low tide.

I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a bit of an adventure, and again, you’re mostly surrounded by locals and a few in-the-know backpackers. The Quy Nhon beaches aren’t perfect white sand everywhere.

The sand is a bit more golden and coarse, but the scenery and the lack of crowds more than make up for it. These places feel untouched.

Phu Quoc beaches:

Everyone talks about the beaches here. Long Beach (Bãi Dài) is where most of the hotels are. The sand is soft, and it stretches for miles.

Sunsets are amazing here, and there are a ton of beach bars to sit at. You can get a cocktail at Rory’s Bar or one of the many other spots. But it’s busy. You’ll see a lot of people selling stuff and offering massages.

I went to Sao Beach (Bãi Sao), which is supposed to be the best. The sand is blindingly white, like pure sugar. The water is that perfect light blue color. It’s beautiful, but it’s also a tourist circus.

Busloads of people show up around 10 AM. It gets very loud. There are restaurants and jet skis everywhere. If you go early, like before 9 AM, you can get it to yourself for a bit.

Ong Lang Beach is a good middle ground. It’s quieter than Long Beach but still has some places to eat. The sand isn’t as perfect, but the vibe is way more relaxed.

The beaches in Phu Quoc are generally easier to access and the sand is often better, but they feel like manufactured tourist spots.

For another option, check out Ganh Dau Beach on the northern tip. It’s not amazing for swimming, but you can see Cambodia on a clear day, which is kind of cool.

Food: This is important

This is where Quy Nhon wins, hands down. The food is incredible and cheap. It’s a coastal city, so the seafood is fresh.

I went to a spot near the main beach. It had a tank with all the fish, prawns, and snails. I pointed at what I wanted, and they cooked it. I got a whole grilled fish, some steamed shrimp, and a few beers for about 250,000 VND (~ $9.5 USD).

It was honestly one of the best meals I’ve had in Vietnam. You need to try the local stuff, like bánh hỏi lòng heo (rice vermicelli with pork intestines).

Don’t be weird about it, just try it. It’s so good. I found a stall on a side street selling it for about 30,000 VND a bowl (~ $1.2 USD).

I also loved the bún chả cá (fish cake noodle soup). The broth is light and flavorful, and the fish cakes are so good. Everything feels local and tastes authentic.

Phu Quoc has more options, but it’s tourist food. You can find everything—pizza, burgers, whatever.

The Dinh Cau Night Market is the main place for food. You can get seafood there, but it’s priced for tourists.

A plate of grilled scallops cost me over 100,000 VND (~ $3.5 USD). In Quy Nhon, I could get a whole plate for less than that. The market is loud and crowded, but it’s a good experience.

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You can also find some decent international restaurants, like good Italian or steak. So yeah, you can eat well in Phu Quoc, but you’ll be paying more for it, and it feels less authentic.

What to do besides the beach

What to do in Quy Nhon:

The thing about Quy Nhon is that the activities are simple. I checked out the Twin Towers (Tháp Đôi), which are these ancient Cham towers right in the city. It’s a quick visit, but it’s historically interesting.

I also hiked up to Eo Gio, which is just north of Ky Co beach. The views of the cliffs and the ocean are stunning, especially at sunset. It’s a bit of a tourist spot for Vietnamese people, so expect some crowds but it’s still worth it.

I also went to Ghenh Rang, which has a beautiful view of the coast and the grave of a famous Vietnamese poet, Han Mac Tu. It’s a peaceful spot.

For something different, I drove inland a bit to Thien Hung Pagoda. It’s a huge, beautiful temple complex with some impressive architecture. It was very quiet when I went, and it was a nice break from the coast.

What to do in Phu Quoc:

This place is built for activities. You’ve got VinWonders theme park and the Vinpearl Safari. They are huge.

VinWonders has a ton of rides and a big aquarium, and the Safari has a lot of animals you can see. If you have kids, this is a must-do.

I also took the cable car to Hon Thom Island. The ride is long, about 25 minutes, but the views are amazing. It costs about 600,000 VND for a round-trip ticket (~ $23 USD).

At the other end, there’s a water park. There are also pepper farms, pearl farms, and a fish sauce factory you can visit. I went to one of the pepper farms and bought some pepper.

I also went to the Phu Quoc Prison (Coconut Prison). It’s a grim but important historical site, especially if you want to learn about the Vietnam War. It’s a heavy place but definitely adds to the experience.

Where to stay and what it costs

Quy Nhon:

This is easy. It’s cheap. I stayed at a simple hotel near the main beach for about 500,000 VND a night (~ $19 USD). It was clean, had A/C, and that’s all I needed.

The price of a good hotel is usually around 800,000 to 1,500,000 VND ( ~ $30.5 – $57 USD). There are some nicer resorts like the Avani, but most of the places are smaller hotels and guesthouses. It’s a good place to be if you’re on a budget. I also saw some nice little homestays in Bai Xep village.

Phu Quoc:

This is where you’ll spend most of your money. There are resorts everywhere. I stayed at a mid-range hotel on Long Beach for around 1,500,000 VND a night (~ $57 USD).

You can find cheap hostels for 200,000 VND, but a decent hotel will be at least 1,000,000 VND. If you want to splurge, there are stunning beachfront villas and resorts for 3,000,000 to 6,000,000 VND a night ( ~ $114 – $228 USD).

The price difference between here and Quy Nhon is huge. Long Beach is where all the action is, but if you want something quieter, look for a hotel around Ong Lang Beach.

Getting there and around

Quy Nhon:

You fly into Phu Cat (UIH). It’s about a 1.5-hour flight from Hanoi or Saigon. A taxi to the city from the airport will be about 300,000 VND (~ $11.4 USD).

Once you’re in town, a motorbike is the best way to get around. It’s the only way to really see all the different Quy Nhon beaches and cool spots.

You can rent a decent one for 150,000 VND a day (~ $5.7 USD). Make sure you have your license. Gas is cheap, like 25,000 VND a liter ($1 USD). There are some taxis, but no Grab, so you’ll have to bargain.

Phu Quoc:

You fly into Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC). There are a lot of direct flights from all over, even some international ones. The flight from Hanoi is about 2 hours. Taxis are everywhere, and Grab works really well.

A Grab from the airport to Long Beach is only about 100,000 to 150,000 VND (~ $3.8 – $5.7 USD). But if you want to explore the island, you need a motorbike. The roads are generally in good condition, but traffic can get bad around the main town.

Hey, if you like this kind of thing, I also wrote a post about another place I found, The Secret Beaches of Ly Son Island. It’s a bit of a mission to get to, but it’s totally worth it.

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The final call

I’ve been to both. They are both great, but for different reasons.

If this is your first time in Vietnam, and you want a classic beach vacation with all the comforts and options, go to Phu Quoc. It’s easy, beautiful, and you’ll have a good time.

But if you’ve already seen the main tourist places, and you want to find something that feels more real and less crowded, then you have to go to Quy Nhon.

The Quy Nhon beaches are a little wilder, the food is better, and you’ll feel like you’ve actually traveled somewhere, not just checked into a resort.

So, just ask yourself what you want. A relaxing, easy vacation? Or a bit of an adventure? That’s your answer.

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Landing there: What it feels like