Coming to Phu Quoc just for the beaches would be a shame. The island has its own “menu”: ultra-fresh seafood, dishes you will only find here and plenty of specialties to take home.
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Phu Quoc specialties are all about the sea: fish, crab, sea urchin and squid caught around the island every day. Here are 15 things to eat and buy, in three groups, plus a few tips on where to eat well at fair prices.
Fresh seafood you must try
- Grilled sea urchin with scallion oil: rich golden roe, grilled or eaten raw with wasabi; best in the dry season.
- Ham Ninh crab: small but meaty and sweet; boiled or steamed and dipped in salt, pepper and lime right in Ham Ninh fishing village.
- Herring salad (goi ca trich): the island’s signature – fresh herring mixed with grated coconut, onion and wild herbs, rolled in rice paper with peanut fish-sauce dip.
- Sun-dried or fresh squid: night-caught squid, dried for just one sunny day, then grilled. For squid straight from the sea, join the night squid fishing tour – your catch is cooked on board.
- Grilled cobia and grouper: firm, rich fish, often cooked at floating raft houses. Keen anglers can reel one in on the big-game fishing tour.
- Grilled oysters, snails and scallops: at every night market, at friendly prices.
Local dishes with island flavour
- Bun quay: fish and shrimp paste dropped fresh into the pot; you “stir” (quay) your own dipping sauce to taste. Several well-known spots are in central Duong Dong, such as Bun Quay Kien Xay.
- Bun ken: noodles in a fish and coconut-milk broth with fresh herbs – a humble breakfast locals love.
- Crab or fish-cake noodle soup (banh canh): a naturally sweet seafood broth.
- Fish hotpot and seafood porridge: great for groups or rainy days.
Finding good, fairly priced food: eat seafood at the Duong Dong night market or in Ham Ninh fishing village; pick places full of locals with clear price lists; for seafood sold by weight, ask the price and watch it being weighed.
Specialties to take home
- Phu Quoc fish sauce: anchovies fermented in wooden barrels; buy from a reputable fish-sauce house. Airlines often restrict fish sauce – ask for special packaging or ship it home.
- Phu Quoc pepper: black and red peppercorns, firm and aromatic; light and long-lasting.
- Pearls: buy from shops that provide a certificate, not from street sellers.
- Rose-myrtle wine and berries (sim): the sweet-tart taste of berries growing on Phu Quoc’s hills.
- Dried fish and squid: light and easy to pack.
Want to sightsee and shop in the right places? The South Island heritage and culture tour visits a pearl farm and a long-established fish-sauce house where you can taste before you buy.
Where to eat by area
- Duong Dong (centre): the night market, bun quay and herring salad spots – lots of choice at all prices. See our Phu Quoc Night Market guide.
- Ham Ninh (east coast): fishing village, boiled crab and fresh seafood with sea views.
- South Island – An Thoi: seafood restaurants near the port; fresh catch at An Thoi market in the early morning.
- North Island: restaurants in Grand World and seaside eateries around Ganh Dau.
Frequently asked questions
What souvenirs should I buy in Phu Quoc?
Pepper, fish sauce (packed according to airline rules), rose-myrtle wine, dried fish and squid, and certified pearls are the most popular.
Where can I eat cheap seafood in Phu Quoc?
The Duong Dong night market, Ham Ninh fishing village and eateries around An Thoi market are usually cheaper than resort restaurants. Ask the price and check the weight before cooking.
How do you eat Phu Quoc herring salad?
Roll the herring mixed with coconut, onion and wild herbs in rice paper with some vermicelli, then dip in fish sauce with peanuts.
Can I take Phu Quoc fish sauce on a plane?
Airlines usually restrict it. Check with your airline, buy specially packed bottles from a reputable producer or ship it home.
