Sunset Town
Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Phu Quoc Prison (Coconut Tree Prison)
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Photo: Mrfly911, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free for all visitors
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Daily 7:30–11:30 and 13:30–17:00, closed at lunchtime
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h
- With kids
- Better without small kids
- Address
- 350 Nguyễn Văn Cừ, An Thoi — on road ĐT46 heading south
- Guide
- Optional, around 100,000–200,000 VND per group; signs at every section
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Parking
- In front of the gate; scooters around 5,000 VND
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Dress
- Modest — this is a memorial site
- Children
- Graphic, lifelike exhibits — not suitable for young children
Key facts
Freeentry for every visitor, no tickets
2 sourcesi
Jungle Boss Tours, MIA.vn and Vietnam Airlines guidesSun Paradise Land2014the site was listed as a special national monument (Decision No. 2408/QĐ-TTg)
2 sourcesi
Tuổi Trẻ — monument profileJungle Boss Tours guide2 sessionsa day: roughly 7:30–11:30 in the morning and 13:30–17:00 in the afternoon
2 sourcesi
Jungle Boss Tours guideVinpearl (MIA.vn says from 8:00)1–1.5 hourscovers the exhibition hall, the barracks area and the memorial
Sourcei
Jungle Boss Tours and MIA.vn guides350Nguyễn Văn Cừ — the street number on road ĐT46 in An Thoi
2 sourcesi
Tuổi TrẻMIA.vn and Vietnam Airlines guides≈ 26 kmby road from Dinh Cau Shrine in Duong Dong
2 sourcesi
OpenStreetMapOSRM route≈ 3.6 kmto Kiss Bridge in Sunset Town — about 10 minutes by car
2 sourcesi
OpenStreetMapOSRM routeSignsexplain every section, so a guide isn't essential
Sourcei
MIA.vn guideOpening hours and entrance fee
Entry is free for everyone — every guide we checked agrees. The museum has no official website, so hours come from travel guides: daily, including weekends and holidays, roughly 7:30–11:30 and 13:30–17:00. Some give an 8:00 start, others 7:30, but all agree it closes over lunch. The site occasionally shuts for maintenance, so if you're making a special trip, check with your hotel.
The only costs are an optional guide (around 100,000–200,000 VND per group, unofficial) and scooter parking at the gate. Bring cash in dong.
What is the Coconut Tree Prison?
The Coconut Tree Prison (Nhà lao Cây Dừa) is the name commonly used for the former Phu Quoc Prison in An Thoi, in the south of the island. Today it's a special national monument — a status granted in 2014 — and an open-air museum. Vietnamese visitors come here as a place of remembrance; for foreign travellers it's a very different side of an island otherwise known for beaches and resorts.
The museum is laid out as a route: an exhibition hall with photographs and documents, then the grounds with barracks behind rows of barbed wire and watchtowers, sections with reconstructions, and finally a memorial. Signs explain each section, and guides are available at the entrance.
What to see
- The exhibition hall by the entrance — photographs, documents and objects; the best place to start.
- The barracks area — numbered corrugated-metal barracks behind rows of barbed wire.
- Watchtowers and fences, kept or rebuilt to the original layout.
- Reconstruction sections with full-size figures — the most difficult part of the visit.
- The memorial, with an altar, a wall of names and an eternal flame — a place for quiet.
How to get to Phu Quoc Prison
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- From Dinh Cau Shrine and the night market in Duong Dong it's about 26 km south by road — 35–40 minutes by Grab or taxi. Search for "Nhà tù Phú Quốc" or "Phu Quoc Prison"; Grab shows the fare upfront.
- From Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC) it's about 20 minutes by taxi (unofficial).
- By scooter, follow road ĐT46 (Nguyễn Văn Cừ street) south towards An Thoi; the entrance is on the road, with parking in front of the gate.
- Start in the exhibition hall, then follow the signs through the grounds to the memorial.
- From here it's 3.6 km to Sunset Town and Kiss Bridge, about 10 minutes by car, or head on to Sao Beach.
How long do you need, and when should you go?
1–1.5 hours is enough; around two with a guide. Go between 8:00 and 9:30 or after 14:00, when it's cooler — the grounds have very little shade. Don't plan to arrive between 11:30 and 13:30, when it's closed for lunch.
In the rainy season, roughly May to October, bring an umbrella, as you walk outdoors between sections. The museum fits neatly into a day in the south — before the Hon Thom cable car in the morning or before sunset at Sunset Town.
Is Phu Quoc Prison worth visiting?
Yes, if you're interested in history and ready for a heavy visit: it's free, on the way to the south of the island, and in an hour you'll see a side of Phu Quoc that the beaches don't show.
The YesGo take: this isn't an attraction or a photo stop. If you're on a family beach holiday with small children, or simply don't want something this sombre on your trip, skipping it is fine. If you go, come in the morning, take your time and consider a guide — without explanations a lot remains unclear.
Before you go: checklist
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You are ready for the visit
Southern Phu Quoc in one day
The Hon Thom cable car in the morning, Phu Quoc Prison on the way, Sao Beach in the afternoon and Sunset Town for the evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.
- Hon Thom Cable Car3 h · 850,000 VND return
- 39 min walk from the previous stopCoconut Tree Prisonyou are here1 h · Free
- 39 min walk from the previous stopSao Beach3 h · Free; sunbeds extra
- 77 min walk from the previous stopSunset Town2 h 30 min · Free entry; bridge and shows paid
4 places · about 12 h 5 min with walks · 155 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
How to do it right
- Start in the exhibition hall — the grounds make more sense afterwards.
- Take a guide at the gate, or at least read the signs at each section.
- Arrive at opening — the grounds get hot by midday, and it closes for lunch at 11:30.
- Keep quiet and skip selfies at the memorial.
- Afterwards, head to Sunset Town, about 10 minutes away by car.
Questions
What are Phu Quoc Prison's opening hours?
Daily, roughly 7:30–11:30 and 13:30–17:00, closed at lunchtime. There's no official website; these hours come from travel guides.
Is there an entrance fee at Phu Quoc Prison?
No, entry is free. You only pay for an optional guide and parking.
Where is the Coconut Tree Prison?
In An Thoi in the south of the island, at 350 Nguyễn Văn Cừ on road ĐT46 — about 26 km from Duong Dong and 3.6 km from Sunset Town.
How do I get to Phu Quoc Prison?
From Duong Dong, 35–40 minutes by Grab or taxi; from the airport about 20 minutes. Search for "Nhà tù Phú Quốc".
How long do you need at Phu Quoc Prison?
1–1.5 hours, or around two with a guide.
Is Phu Quoc Prison suitable for children?
Not for young children: the grounds include lifelike figures and graphic reconstructions. Prepare teenagers beforehand.
Do I need a guide?
It isn't essential — every section has signs. A guide at the gate costs around 100,000–200,000 VND per group (unofficial).
What should I wear?
Modest clothing, as at any memorial. A hat and water help — there's little shade.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Tuổi Trẻ — profile of the special national monument "Trại giam Phú Quốc": status, Decision 2408/QĐ-TTg of 31.12.2014, address
- Jungle Boss Tours guide — entry, hours by session, guides, parking, time needed, best time
- MIA.vn guide — entry, hours, guides, signage, dress, visitor conduct
- Vietnam Airlines travel guide (Vietnamese edition) — entry, visit route, memorial, travel time
- Sun Paradise Land — free entry
- OpenStreetMap — coordinates of the museum, Kiss Bridge and Dinh Cau Shrine; OSRM route — distances and times
- Wikidata Q10800918
- YesGo general facts for Vietnam — cash and Grab
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