Rach Vem is a traditional fishing village on the northern coast of Phu Quoc. Despite being smaller than many of the island’s other villages, this settlement has the added appeal of surrounding mountain vistas and seclusion due to its distance from the island’s city centers. Find a private space on its beach and enjoy an undisturbed day surrounded by stunning coastal views.
The village was founded by Vietnamese fishermen who used this location at the center of Phu Quoc’s northern bay as a safe harbor for their boats. Aside from some technological changes, Rach Vem residents retain a traditional style of living. Notice that they sleep in houses on stilts, rising at dawn to get the day’s first catch and surviving off the bounty of the sea.
Get to Rach Vem by car or motorbike along the paved and unpaved roads of Phu Quoc National Park. This journey travels through some of the island’s liveliest forests and past rugged mountains. Stop often to enjoy stunning views.
Rach Vem’s isolation, 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of the island’s main city of Duong Dong, has advantages and disadvantages. The benefits are that it remains a stunning undeveloped coastline and is rarely crowded. Escape your worries with the peace and quiet on its empty beaches. Walk the golden sand, stretch out and tan or swim in the clean, blue-green waters of the bay.
This lack of development means that restaurants, accommodations and necessities are somewhat limited. Be sure to prepare for this and pack a picnic, sunscreen and bug spray.
After visiting Rach Vem, enjoy other attractions around the northern coast, including walking trails through the national park, views from the nearby village of Ganh Dau and the stunning beachfront of Bai Dai. The round-trip drive to Rach Vem takes about 1 hour from Duong Dong. Rent motorbikes in the city.
