Air Astana will operate the new route from October 28, 2024, departing from Almaty (Kazakhstan) to Phu Quoc (Vietnam), with a frequency of twice per week, then increasing to four times per week from December, according to Astana TV.
Flights will depart from Almaty at 22:45 (local time) and arrive in Phu Quoc at 08:15 (local time), with return flights on Tuesday and Thursday departing Phu Quoc at 09:45 and arriving in Almaty at 15:50.
This is a positive signal for Phu Quoc, showing the island’s increased attraction, which has just been internationally recognised as the second-best island in the world by the World Travel Awards.
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Foreign tourists enjoy the warm sunshine in Phu Quoc. |
On the other hand, Vietnamese tourists also benefit from this direct flight, as Kazakhstan has exempted visas for Vietnamese citizens since June 13, 2023. Tourists from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City can travel to Phu Quoc, and then depart to Almaty. The expected ticket price announced by Air Astana is 18 million VND for a round-trip ticket.
This is not the first time a Central Asian country has opened a direct flight to Phu Quoc. Previously, the Pearl Island received a large number of Uzbek and Mongolian tourists in late 2023 and early 2024, showing the attractiveness of this destination to tourists from cold countries. Phu Quoc is also the only place in Vietnam that offers visa exemption for up to 30 days for all international visitors.
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Phu Quoc is one of the unique places in the world where fireworks are set off every night. |
“Visa exemption for Kazakhstani visitors to Vietnam and visa exemption for all international visitors to Phu Quoc is like a ticket to paradise. I love Phu Quoc because of its friendly people, delicious food, and especially heavenly seascape,” said Tatyana, a Kazakhstani tourist.
According to Kazakh newspapers, Phu Quoc is a picturesque island. Astana TV commented that Phu Quoc is becoming famous with tourists thanks to its white sand beaches and clear water. According to experts, October-November is the right time to open a new flight route to Phu Quoc, as the island enters its most beautiful season of the year. The booking platform also ranked Phu Quoc Island in the top 5 “most romantic” autumn destinations in Vietnam, at the end of 2023, thanks to its ideal mild weather in autumn and winter.
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Tourists swimming in the sea overlooking the Cau Hon (Kissing Bridge) at Hoang Hon Town |
These days, Phu Quoc has almost no rain, with beautiful sunshine while the sea is calm and the weather is cool, so it is suitable for tourists from Central Asian countries to escape the cold in their countries, to find the warm sunshine on the Pearl Island.
Moreover, the year’s end is also the time when Phu Quoc will launch a series of new tourism products, such as pool party shows and EDM performances in Hon Thom Island; a show combining jet ski & fly boards with drum performances, lion dances and giant kites in Cau Hon; a puppet show at the A Oi theatre; the opening of a brewery in the Sun Paradise Land complex, and others. These activities will make the average length of a tourist's stay in Phu Quoc longer.
Therefore, many tourists from Russia and European countries choose to stay in Phu Quoc for a long time, up to more than one month. They work remotely to enjoy the warm sunshine of Phu Quoc every day. In addition, the cost in Phu Quoc is also considered reasonable for a long stay by tourists from these countries.
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The world's longest non-stop three-rope cable car to Hon Thom |
The Canadian travel news site - The Travel - also ranked Phu Quoc in the top 17 islands with the best travel costs at the end of September 2023. According to The Travel, although the accommodation price in Phu Quoc may be slightly higher than in mainland destinations, it is still much more reasonable than other famous islands. The Nation Story newspaper of a country famous for its cheap travel costs like Thailand is also impressed that Phu Quoc has service prices half as cheap as Thailand.
Many travel experts say Phu Quoc tourism is bustling again, welcoming many international flights. This year, international visitors to Phu Quoc are forecast to double compared to last year, with visitors coming from the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Russia, and Central Asian countries. In the first eight months of this year, Kien Giang Province is estimated to welcome more than 7.6 million visitors (83.3% of the yearly plan), including over 665,000 international visitors (nearly 98% of the annual plan) with a total revenue of about 18 trillion VND (over 90% of the yearly plan).
