1. When did the history of Hon Thom island begin?
1.1. Where is Hon Thom island located in the An Thoi archipelago?
Hon Thom Island is the largest island in the An Thoi archipelago. (Source: Collected)
The An Thoi archipelago is located south of Phu Quoc special zone, in An Giang province, and boasts 12 islands of various sizes scattered across the southwestern waters of the homeland. Among these islands, Hon Thom stands out with an area of approximately 5.7 km2, holding significant importance in terms of both geography and biodiversity. The waters surrounding Hon Thom have ideal depths, crystal-clear waters revealing the seabed, and an extremely rich coral reef system. The island's terrain includes low mountain ranges, green tree cover, and smooth sandy beaches winding around its base.
To understand the history of Hon Thom, exploring the origin of the island's name offers many interesting details. According to local fishermen's oral folk tales, the name Hon Thom originates from the alluring fragrance of wild flowers and forest fruits that spread whenever the sea breeze blows. Another hypothesis suggests that the abundant seafood and characteristic seaweed found here, when dried under the warm sun, create a distinct, fragrant, and benign sea flavor. Learning about the history of Hon Thom helps tourists appreciate the precious natural values that this place has preserved through generations.
1.2. History of Hon Thom through development stages
The journey marking the history of Hon Thom has gone through many memorable transformations, closely linked to the life rhythm of Phu Quoc's island dwellers. In its early stages, Hon Thom was primarily a temporary stop for fishing boats seeking shelter from storms. Over time, some fishing families decided to settle by the sea, building simple huts along the beaches and establishing small fishing hamlets. Their lives were tied to the rhythm of the waves, harvesting fish and shrimp, and living self-sufficiently. Silence and wildness enveloped the entire island for many decades.
In the early 21st century, the history of Hon Thom entered a new chapter when An Giang province's orientation for island tourism development began to be strongly implemented. From a small island lacking electricity, clean water, and with isolated transportation, Hon Thom has transformed into a modern tourist center, welcoming hundreds of thousands of domestic and international visitors each year.
The scenery of Hon Thom viewed from above with its lush green sea and island landscape. (Source: Collected)
2. Important Milestones in the Development of Hon Thom
2.1. Hon Thom Before Tourism Development
Before large-scale tourism projects emerged, the history of Hon Thom recorded the extremely simple yet challenging lives of the coastal resident community. Approximately a few hundred households lived primarily in the Bai Nam and Bai Chung areas. The sole livelihoods of the people were near-shore fishing, aquaculture in fish cages, and traditional fish sauce processing. Due to the geographical distance from the larger island of Phu Quoc, residents' travel entirely depended on small motorboats, taking a lot of time and encountering dangers whenever the sea was rough.
The natural ecosystem on Hon Thom during this period remained almost entirely pristine. Primary forests covered most of the island, serving as habitats for many bird and wildlife species. The waters surrounding the island boasted coral reefs spanning hundreds of hectares, serving as home to countless species of fish and rare marine life.
2.2. A Turning Point with the Hon Thom Cable Car System
2018 marked a historic milestone in the entire development process of the island when the Sun World Hon Thom cable car system was officially put into operation. The cable car route connects An Thoi station, crossing Hon Roi and Hon Dua islands, to Hon Thom with a length of 7,899.9 meters. The completion of this sea-crossing cable car not only reduced travel time from the main island to Hon Thom to about 15 minutes but also opened up a panoramic view from above of the emerald An Thoi archipelago. This is considered a significant infrastructural boost, completely transforming the local tourism landscape.
The sea-crossing cable car connecting An Thoi and Hon Thom opens up panoramic ocean views. (Source: Collected)
Notably, the Hon Thom cable car has also been recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest 3-wire cable car in the world, contributing to affirming Phu Quoc's position on the international tourism map. Immediately after the cable car line became operational, a series of supporting facilities and high-class entertainment services began to be built synchronously on the island.
The presence of Sun World Hon Thom along with its diverse service ecosystem has created thousands of stable jobs for local labor, contributing to the economic restructuring from pure fishery to sustainable tourism services. This process demonstrates a harmonious connection between economic development and the preservation of natural beauty, bringing Hon Thom's name to the international tourism map.
3. What is attractive about Hon Thom today?
3.1. Pristine nature and marine ecosystem
Despite undergoing strong modernization, the history of Hon Thom has always been associated with the mission of preserving core natural values. Hon Thom Island boasts beautiful beaches such as Bai Trao and Bai Nam with clear blue waters and fine white sandbanks winding under lush green coconut trees. Bai Trao is favored by many tourists for its spaciousness and gentle waves, making it ideal for swimming and outdoor relaxation activities.
Clear blue sea and fine white sand at Bai Trao on Hon Thom island. (Source: Collected)
Besides the poetic beaches, the island's primeval forest vegetation is still carefully preserved, creating a cool and fresh atmosphere. The An Thoi sea area around Hon Thom is considered one of the areas with rich marine biodiversity in Vietnam.
Hard and soft coral reefs with vibrant colors are home to countless species of anemones, starfish, and schools of fish swimming joyfully. Preserving this ecosystem allows tourists, when learning about the history of Hon Thom, to directly experience and fully appreciate the pristine natural beauty.
3.2. Experiences at Sun World Hon Thom
Upon arriving at Hon Thom today, visitors will discover a top-notch entertainment space at the Sun World Hon Thom complex. The outstanding highlight on the island is Aquatopia Water Park, which features over 20 modern thrilling games designed to international standards. The game areas are divided into various zones suitable for children, families, and adventure-loving youngsters. Visitors can experience exciting spiral water slides or relax on the cool lazy river.
👉 BOOK HON THOM CABLE CAR TICKETS HERE
Aquatopia Water Park at Sun World Hon Thom offers many exciting entertainment games. (Source: Collected)
Besides Aquatopia, the Exotica village area offers many attractive land-based adventure games. Moc Xa Thinh No, a wooden roller coaster game, brings excitement to visitors as they navigate winding turns at high speed. Mat Dai Bang, a 360-degree observation deck, helps visitors admire the panoramic view of Hon Thom from a height of tens of meters. The combination of modern entertainment games and fresh natural scenery creates a special attraction for Sun World Hon Thom.
3.3. Must-not-miss sea activities when visiting Hon Thom
Visitors can relax on sun loungers at Bai Trao. (Source: Collection)
When visiting the historically rich island of Hon Thom, visitors should not miss the experience of diving to see coral reefs. With the support of specialized equipment and professional guides, you can walk on the seabed or scuba dive to admire the colorful coral reefs. Playing SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboarding) or kayaking around Bai Trao are also excellent choices to freely explore the clear blue waters and capture beautiful souvenir photos.
3.4. Santo Beach Club
After exploring the islands, Santo Beach Club is an ideal stop to relax and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere by the sea of Hon Thom. With an open space facing the sea, white sand beach, and clear blue water, this place offers a combination of relaxation, cuisine, and entertainment.
Visitors can enjoy cool drinks and food, immerse themselves in music performances and DJ sets, or simply watch the sunset over the sea in an inspiring atmosphere. With its modern design and many impressive check-in spots, Santo Beach Club is also a destination chosen by many visitors to capture memorable moments in their journey to explore Hon Thom.
Unique architecture of Santo Beach Club. (Source: Collected)
4. Experience exploring Hon Thom after learning about its history
4.1. Ideal time to visit
To ensure a smooth trip exploring Hon Thom, choosing the right travel time plays a crucial role. Phu Quoc's weather is divided into two distinct seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season, lasting from November to April of the following year, is considered the best time to visit Hon Thom. During this period, there is little rain, warm sunshine, calm seas, and clear blue waters, which are very convenient for traveling by cable car as well as participating in water activities.
If you plan to travel during the rainy season from May to October, closely monitor the weather forecast a few days before your trip. Although there may be sudden downpours during the rainy season, the temperature remains quite cool, and the number of tourists is not too crowded, allowing you to experience services more comfortably. Choosing the right time will help you fully enjoy the natural scenery and impressive entertainment space at Hon Thom.
4.2. Notes for a complete trip
For a smooth exploration journey after understanding the history of Hon Thom, visitors should prepare adequate and suitable clothing. Bring swimwear, light clothing, sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses to protect your skin from the sun. Additionally, you should book cable car tickets and Sun World Hon Thom entertainment packages in advance through official channels to save waiting time at the ticket gates.
Another important note is to protect the marine ecosystem. Throughout your visit, while snorkeling or swimming, visitors must absolutely not step on coral reefs, break off coral to take home, or litter indiscriminately into the sea or on the island. Maintaining general cleanliness will contribute to preserving the pristine beauty and valuable natural heritage that the history of Hon Thom has nurtured over hundreds of years.
Kayaking experience is an activity that attracts a large number of tourists at Hon Thom. (Source: Collection)
5. Combine exploring Sunset Town for a more complete Southern Island trip
Sunset Town is a destination imbued with artistic and architectural imprints, gathering many iconic works along with a series of large-scale performances, making Phu Quoc the only island in the world with fireworks displays 365 days a year. This is a space where nature and humans blend, creating a vibrant picture of light, sound, and emotion.
As dusk falls, visitors will witness a mesmerizing visual feast with golden sunlight reflecting on streets in the Mediterranean style. Visitors should not miss the moment to admire the brilliant sunset over the sea from the Kiss Bridge - the iconic bridge of Phu Quoc island.
Brilliant fireworks from the Kiss of the Sea show. (Source: Collected)
In the evening, Hoang Hon Town becomes bustling, brilliant with light by the multimedia art show "Nụ hôn biển cả" - Kiss of the Sea. This international-scale show combines 8 world-leading advanced stage technologies, including laser effects, water projection, lighting, music, fireworks, and live performances by over 60 international artists. The most outstanding highlight is the world's largest sea screen, bringing a grand, vivid, and emotional experience. Besides, visitors cannot miss the "Symphony of the Sea" show.
The history of Hon Thom is a clear testament to the magical transformation journey from a wild, quiet island to a prominent tourist destination in Phu Quoc. The pristine natural values harmoniously combined with modern tourism infrastructure at Sun World Hon Thom have created a strong attraction for this island. If you have the chance to visit Phu Quoc pearl island, take time to come to Hon Thom to directly feel the wonderful intersection of nature, history, and memorable entertainment experiences.
