Explore the Amalfi Coast in Vietnam at La Festa Phu Quoc

La Festa Phu Quoc, an independent hotel with a flair for the romantic, joins Hilton Worldwide’s Curio Collection of hotels for the curious traveller. Set in a rapidly-developing Sunset Town, La Festa and its guests have a front-row seat to nightly fireworks, tropical weather all year round, and one of the most ambitious developments in tourism in Southeast Asia right now.

Can't get enough of the beach? The hidden Devasom Khao Lak is just eighty minutes from Phuket.

Phu Quoc Island: A Rising Tourist Destination

One of Vietnam’s largest islands, Phu Quoc sees direct flights from South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand and Singapore, and domestically from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Divided roughly into three sections, Phu Quoc Island consists of the unspoiled beaches in the North, local towns and farms in the center, and the rapidly developing resorts in the South.

Phu Quoc’s pristine coastlines and agricultural sites are its biggest draw, and pepper and pearl farms make lists of the island’s most popular destinations every year. We’re here, though, to bring you to the weird and wonderful Sunset Town for a sight of southern Italy in Vietnam.

Sunset Town: Italian Romance in Vietnam

The view of the Amalfi Coast in Vietnam is always a strange one, and the novelty never disappears. Sunset Town, in the tourist hub of An Thoi, was first developed between 2015 and 2018 by the Sun Group, part of a massive project to turn Phu Quoc Island into the ultimate destination: efforts supported by master Italian designer Marco Casamonti.

As it stands, Sunset Town is a work in progress. Many storefronts are still empty, but there’s always something ready to happen: salons, restaurants, souvenir shops and cafés are up and running, from the local to overtly tourist-focused. Along streets named for Venice and Milan, you’ll find traditional noodle and banh mi shops, pastel-coloured, sun-washed Mediterranean buildings, fountains, and several street food vendors that cascade elegantly towards the coast.

Sunset Town is built for walking and easy to navigate: Phu Quoc Island sits further south than much of mainland Vietnam, and temperatures are always gloriously mild. If you wander, there’s a night market and a massive cable car terminal lookalike of the Colosseum. Every night, two live shows happen on the beach: the Symphony of the Sea show at 7:45pm, and the Kiss of the Sea show at 9pm. The Symphony of the Sea show features laser technology, fireworks, and water athletes: one of the largest-scaled events of its kind. Kiss of the Sea is shown at what is officially the world’s largest permanent water projection theater (certified by the Guinness World Records), and features water projections, lighting, acrobatics and fireworks.

La Festa Phu Quoc: A Multi-Sensory Experience to Remember

The newest addition to Hilton’s Curio Collection of hotels is right here in Sunset Town: La Festa Phu Quoc, located in the heart of the town, is built wonderfully to theme. First opened in 2023, the hotel has recently introduced a second wing.

The first wing, “A Voyage of Adventure”, sits calmly over the Phu Quoc coast. Built to embody breezy Mediterranean design, guest rooms have the arched ceilings and vibrant colours unique to the Amalfi Coast. All over the hotel, these design cues are paired with crafts by Vietnamese artisans, like straw hats, tote bags, ceramics and wall art. La Festa’s pool complex, as well as the Ocean View Suites and Balcone Ocean View Suites, overlook the sea and both the Symphony of the Sea and Kiss of the Sea shows.

The new wing, “A Sunset to Remember”, is themed after an artist’s retreat. Full of music motifs, the lobby and dining areas are decorated in elegant bronze and navy blue. Though this wing is more compact, it has a similarly striking exterior: this one resembles a Renaissance cathedral.

Both Sunset Town and La Festa are incredibly complex projects, and newly appointed General Manager Justin Kim is proud of his approach towards the hotel. His goals for the property include the creation of a healthy tourist ecosystem: La Festa employs largely locals from surrounding regions, trained in conversational English with extensive knowledge of the best sights in Phu Quoc. With a culinary background, Kim brings an appreciation for the finer things in life and his own scone recipe to the kitchens at iL Salone.

Dining at La Festa Phu Quoc, in Sunset Town

In the case that none of the multiple dining options in Sunset Town interest you, La Festa Phu Quoc has its own small fleet of restaurants, cafes, and lounges. There’s a fitting Italian restaurant, but also an all-day buffet restaurant and coffee parlour.

The first wing houses iL Salone, an Italian-style artisanal coffee salon that serves afternoon tea and hosts a coffee-making workshop (where you’ll be able to sample and make the famous Vietnamese layered coffee). Mare, an authentic Italian restaurant with views of the sea and nightly fireworks, is across the street on the first floor. Cielo, a rooftop terrace bar with sweeping views and occasional live music, is on the sixth storey. The hotel’s buffet and breakfast restaurant (with a la carte lunch and dinner), The Merchant, is a short walk away: a walk that will lead you past all the quaint cafes and bakeries on Positano Street.

The new wing has Finca, an all-day restaurant and welcoming lounge, on the first storey; contemporary Cantonese restaurant Seta on the second, and pool bar and sunset deck Francesca on the rooftop. In the basement, an American-Italian style jazz bar, Luna Folk, delights with creative cocktails and live jazz weekends.

^{Pictured: Phu Quoc Bee Farm (on Facebook and Instagram).}

Attractions near La Festa Phu Quoc

You could go sightseeing and shopping all day in Sunset Town (we found local trinkets, including a beautiful mother-of-pearl dish, in a souvenir shop along Venice Street). La Festa itself has an in-house spa, eforea, that provides a seamless, tailored herbal massage experience. The rest of Phu Quoc, however, has so much to offer: pearl farms and markets, street foods, pepper plantations and more. Since most farms are in Northern or central Phu Quoc, away from Sunset Town in the South, car or motorbike rental is recommended.

Phu Quoc Bee Farm. established in 2014, is the island’s first eco-tourism spot: this peaceful garden is ideal for visitors to learn about bees, which live in the open among herbal bushes. The farm also provides raw honey tastings: honey is flavoured with locally grown cinnamon, pepper and spices, and can be purchased on the farm. A terrace dining area serves honey-infused drinks like teas and kombuchas, local snacks, and a bee-shaped honey fritter platter.

A trip to “Pearl Island” needs a trip to a pearl farm: Ngoc Hien Pearl is the biggest and most respected, with both traditional techniques and a commitment to sustainable modern pearl farming. Walk through exhibition halls, learn about the pearl creation process and oyster care, and shop from Ngoc Hien’s own massive jewellery hall. 

In Sunset Town, access to Kiss Bridge (a sprawling oceanfront bridge complex) and the Kiss of the Sea show are managed through a facial recognition system unique to the area’s resorts. Plan your visits well: you’ll only have access to each attraction once during your stay.

La Festa Phu Quoc: The “Pearl Island” Welcomes You

Singapore-based readers will be glad to know that there are direct flights from Singapore to Phu Quoc: La Festa and Sunset Town are reachable from the local airport by car. In preparation for APEC 2027, which will be hosted on the island, Phu Quoc’s airport is currently undergoing extensive upgrades, advised by Singapore’s very own Changi Airport Group. For everyone else, it’s easy travelling to Phu Quoc: all foreign and Vietnamese visitors enjoy 30 days of visa-free direct entry, so you can pop by whenever you feel like it. 

La Festa Phu Quoc is an up-and-coming tourist destination built on a long international history, a love of design, and an appreciation of the joys in life. Before tourists start flooding into “Pearl Island”, stop by just to say you did it first!

Travel Tips:

• You're still in the tropics, so bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent!
• Leave plenty of suitcase space for the island's specialty honeys, and look out for Phu Quoc pepper sauce (tieu ngao dong): it's delicious on salads and raw vegetables.
• Venture out of Sunset Town and try bun quay Phu Quoc, a light local noodle dish.