Cable Cars and Fishing Boats

Phu Quoc has become one of Vietnam’s most talked-about destinations, a rapidly evolving island in the Gulf of Thailand.

In recent years, the Vietnamese government has invested heavily in transforming it into a major tourism hub — ambitious resorts, new infrastructure and large-scale developments reshaping parts of the coastline. The comparison to a “local Dubai” is often mentioned, and the transformation is still ongoing.

Yet beyond the cranes and construction sites, another Phu Quoc endures. Fishing villages continue their daily routines along the shore, wooden boats anchored against sunsets that remain largely unchanged. That fragile coexistence between rapid development and traditional livelihoods defines much of the island’s character.

Among the island’s most striking features is the world’s longest over-sea cable car, connecting Phu Quoc to Hon Thom Island. The 15-minute crossing offers sweeping views of the archipelago, revealing both untouched waters and newly emerging resorts from above.

And then there are the beaches — long stretches of sand that, despite everything, still deliver what the tropics promise.