EXPERIENCE
Enjoy a tasty authentic Vietnamese seafood meal with a million dollar view at one Phu Quoc Islands many floating seafood restaurants.
Location: Ganh Dau Commune, Rach Vem Village | Best months: Year round | Recommended Time: 1 – 3 hr
Rach Vem Fishing Village is a small coastal village located 40 km from the main town of Duong Dong that is part of Ganh Dau Commune. It was once strictly a community of fishermen and their families who have mixed Khmer/Vietnamese roots. Today the fishing community still exists but tourism has transformed this village. The main attractions here are the numerous “floating restaurants”, fish farms, and a variety of ecotourism tours all found along the white sands of Rach Vem Beach
Majority of these “floating seafood restaurants” are actually not floating but rather built on top of stilts. Some of these restaurants are connected to Rach Vem Beach via a large wooden bridge while others require you be ferried over via a small boat called “canoes”.
Further out at sea you will find “floating farms”, small huts that raise fish which you can visit:
Most of the floating restaurants serve the same type of food – mainly seafood, either hotpot style, bbq, or braised. Fish, squid, shrimp, shellfish, rice, salt, pepper, fish sauce, chili, and a variety of beers and soft drinks are found on all menus. You can pick which fish you want to eat as most of these restaurants have their own fish farm – the benefits of living close to the sea.
The difference in price all comes down to marketing. Remember that you are not just paying for the food but for the experience. Prices are a bit high (~$20US for grouper) when compared to the rest of Vietnam but dirt cheap compared to places like Phuket or Bali. Some restaurants offer karaoke, which can be fun for some and annoying for others. Our advise – come here during high noon or during the sunset hours.
For an original authentic Vietnamese foodie experience, dine at a place called the “Love Float Farm” (Nhà Bè Tình Yêu) – family friendly and tasty well priced food. You can watch a video about them below:
You can get to the Rach Vem Floating Restaurants by either bicycle, motorbike, car/taxi, or boat from anywhere in Phu Quoc. The road to Rach Vem Village has not been paved yet so it may be challenging to navigate during the rainy season. Costs vary depending on your mode of transport. Organized tours also stop off here.
Location: Ham Ninh Commune, Ham Ninh Fishing Village| Best months: October to June | Recommended Time: 1 hr
Like in Rach Vem, most of these floating seafood restaurants serve the same dishes so pick one with a great view. The more popular restaurants are located at the end of the pier and provide the best views of the sea and the Ham Ninh mountain range.
Crab is the specialty here in Ham Ninh, just make sure that you order live fresh crabs otherwise you risk getting sick.
The floating seafood restaurants in Ham Ninh are are easier to get to as Ham Ninh Commune has well paved roads and it is an area that is sandwiched between ferry ports and an airport.
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