A woman on a boat on Phu Quoc Island. Photo by VnExpress/Phan Phuong
Canadian travel magazine The Travel listed Phu Quoc Island in the south and northern Cat Ba Island among the most stunning islands in Southeast Asia.
The magazine said Thailand is known in the region for beautiful islands, but there are other idyllic islands in other parts of Southeast Asia that are even more affordable.
It came up with a list of the top 10 islands in Southeast Asia that aren’t in Thailand, which includes Phu Quoc and Cat Ba.
“Cat Ba Island offers diverse wildlife, scenic hiking trails, and relaxing beaches. It has a budding tourism infrastructure with some hostels and hotels available to book on the island,” the magazine wrote.
Cat Ba Archipelago in the northern city of Hai Phong, adjacent to world heritage site Ha Long Bay, has 367 islands, of which Cat Ba is the largest.
The island is surrounded by limestone karst mountains rising from turquoise waters that make it an ideal destination for cruise tours.
The Travel also urged tourists to explore Phu Quoc Island off Vietnam’s southern coast, calling it “the perfect way to end a trip to Vietnam,” providing travelers a totally different perspective on Vietnam’s landscapes.
It’s possible to fly to Phu Quoc from Ho Chi Minh City or take a ferry from Ha Tien beach town.
“While Phu Quoc is the most convenient island to visit in the south, travelers visiting Hanoi in the north of the country will find Cat Ba more accessible,” the magazine noted.
Phu Quoc, dubbed “pearl island”, has become a global destination after getting an international airport in 2012 and allowing 30-day visa-free entry for foreigners in 2014.
The Travel‘s list also includes Koh Rong in Cambodia, Perhentian Islands in Malaysia, Lombok in Indonesia and Siargao in the Philippines.
