The Pearl Island of Phu Quoc: Nature’s Paradise, Recognized by WTA as the World’s Leading Island Destination for 2024

A Cascade of Awards for Vietnam’s “Pearl Island”

At the 31st annual WTA awards, Pearl Island once again surpassed its competitors to be crowned the World’s Leading Nature Island Destination 2024. This is the third consecutive year that Phu Quoc has been recognized in this category, thanks to its incredibly rich, diverse, and captivating natural resources.

At this year’s WTA awards, Phu Quoc also bagged two other prestigious awards for its world-class tourist attractions. For the first time, the World’s Leading Iconic Tourist Attraction 2024 was awarded to Sunset Town – a massive entertainment complex with investments totaling thousands of billions of dong, and currently the most bustling destination in Phu Quoc.

By day, Sunset Town resembles a gigantic outdoor art museum, with romantic sunset-colored streets designed in a stepped motif that gradually descends towards the sea. It also features vibrant bougainvillea-lined avenues and European-style art installations. Each evening, as the sun goes down, the town comes alive, justifying its name. Every nook and cranny is transformed into a dazzling display of orange and red hues, and an endless world of entertainment unfolds until night.

Visitors will have a packed schedule with Vietnam’s first-ever seaside night market, bustling seaside restaurants, bars, and pubs. The town also treats guests to world-class art shows: ‘Kiss of the Sea’ – a large-scale multimedia performance combined with a 365-day-a-year fireworks display; ‘Symphony of the Sea’ – an artistic sports performance with nightly fireworks… and traditional Vietnamese cultural performances: ‘Beloved Vietnam.’

Sunset Town glows with colorful nightly shows, extending the endless fun day and night.

Also at this awards ceremony, the Kissing Bridge, located in the bay of Sunset Town, Phu Quoc, was recognized as the World’s Leading Iconic Tourist Bridge 2024. Debuting in 2021, the Kissing Bridge is a seaside pedestrian bridge designed by the talented architect Marco Casamonti, founder of Archea Associati and ambassador of Italian Design Day 2020. Considered a symbol of connection, the bridge features a unique design with two branches and two bridgeheads 30 cm apart, a distance just right for a hug, handshake, or kiss, making it an ideal spot for couples to capture happy moments of their love.

The Kissing Bridge – A structure hailed by CNN as the destination for kisses.

Phu Quoc – The World’s New Tourism Paradise

2024 could be dubbed the year of accolades for Phu Quoc, as prior to this, a slew of prestigious international tourism awards had already been bestowed upon Vietnam’s Pearl Island. Notably, it was ranked the ‘Second Most Attractive Island in the World’ by the American magazine, Travel+Leisure. Most recently, on November 25, in the magazine’s list of the top 25 places to visit in 2025, Phu Quoc once again secured a spot.

Not only has Phu Quoc consecutively received international media acclaim and a torrent of awards, but its allure is also evidenced by specific data. According to a report by the Kien Giang Province Tourism Department, Phu Quoc city is expected to welcome up to 5.96 million tourist arrivals in 2024, surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels. Each week, the island welcomes over 150 international flights, including new routes from key markets such as South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and, from December, Singapore.

The show, ‘Symphony of the Sea,’ delivers a performance worthy of international sporting events, with a 20-minute fireworks display each night.

These impressive results showcase the island’s rising status and reputation on the global tourism map. With the support of the government, local authorities, and the strong investment of strategic investors, Phu Quoc boasts privileges that few destinations in Vietnam can match, such as a 30-day visa exemption for international visitors and massive entertainment complexes like Sunset Town – Sunset Town, Grand World… with international-standard festivals and events.

Recently, Sun Group added to its Sun Paradise Land tourism and resort ecosystem the five-star Eschuri Vung Bau Golf course, the high-end Sun Bavaria Bistro beer restaurant on the central beach of Sunset Town, along with the ‘Symphony of the Sea’ show, which features a 20-minute fireworks display each night and an exciting competition involving world champions and runners-up in Jetski and flyboard.

In addition to tourism infrastructure that caters to the increasingly sophisticated demands of domestic and international visitors, Phu Quoc is also focusing on attracting investment in social infrastructure. Most recently, the island city launched two major projects in the south: a public beach in Dat Do, part of the An Thoi International Beach Square project, and the Sun Hospital, providing high-quality healthcare services for all ages, giving visitors peace of mind to vacation, stay long-term, or settle down in the ‘Pearl Island.’

Being consecutively recognized by prestigious international awards promises to elevate Phu Quoc’s status, solidifying its position as a leading tropical paradise in the region and a new Phuket and Maldives on the world stage that no traveler would want to miss.