On the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, a two-and-a-half hour ferry ride from the mainland, lies an amusement park to rival Disney World: VinWonders and SunGroup.
Since it opened a dozen years ago, investors have poured billions of dollars into the VinWonders amusement park—which boasts one of the tallest Ferris wheels in Asia, a world-class aquarium, an EPCOT-like "Grand World," a safari park, and Vietnam’s largest casino. Vin-Wonders is Disney World with Vietnamese flair, but at a fraction of the cost—and the crowds.
The Vingroup company—one of the largest resort and entertainment development companies in Vietnam—started construction a decade ago, with the goal of transforming the island into a resort magnet. But initial momentum was halted by the COVID pandemic, and the resort has yet to catch on. (We even asked the employees if it ever gets busy. Their answer? "Sometimes during the holidays.")
Most of VinWonder’s attractions are found on the west side of the island.
The Southern side of the island is majorly developed by Sungroup - one of the largest real estate developers in Vietnam. On the southern side lies an entire city, Sunset Town, created to resemble Italy’s Amalfi Coast and Sorrento (and named for its stunning ocean sunsets). To reach the town, you drive along streets that are six lanes wide—with no traffic. Once there, you can wander the Italian-style piazzas, dine at seaside restaurants, and finish off your evening with the nightly "Kiss of the Sea," a holographic water and light show—followed by world-class fireworks. I recommend watching from Kiss Bridge (so called because its two sides don’t meet, but are close enough that two people on either side could kiss).
From Sunset Town—truly the classiest ghost town you could imagine—the world’s longest sky tram takes you eight miles to Sun World, another water and amusement park situated on an even smaller neighboring island, Hon Thom. When we visited in February during the Chinese New Year, hardly anyone was there. Our rooms were shockingly good value to boot; we got an oceanview suite for $10 a night.
My wife and I have been roaming expats for years, and this is the most unique place—and maybe the most affordable—we’ve ever visited.
How to Move Out of the U.S.
How to Move Out of the U.S.
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