Phu Quoc Ranks Sixth Among Winter-Sun Destinations
A U.K. luxury travel firm's weather-based ranking places Vietnam's largest island ahead of Phuket and Langkawi.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Central America
Bailey Robinson ranked Phu Quoc sixth among 10 winter-sun destinations, scoring places on temperature, sunshine, rainfall and wet days. Banjul, Gambia topped the list, with Costa Rica's Guanacaste and Cambodia's Siem Reap following.
Why it matters
The ranking reflects growing demand for winter travel beyond traditional beach holidays, according to the company. Phu Quoc's tourism growth suggests the island is capturing a larger share of that interest.
Phu Quoc records about 31 degrees Celsius and 7.8 hours of sunshine daily from December to February, with roughly 30 mm of rain across 3.7 wet days per month. The ranking draws on long-term averages rather than short-term forecasts.
The players
Bailey Robinson
A U.K.-based luxury travel company that published the winter-sun ranking.
The details
Bailey Robinson scored each destination on four weighted winter weather factors: daytime temperature, sunshine, rainfall and wet days. The company used World Meteorological Organization climatological standard normals for 1991-2020 to build the list.
Timeline
The ranking evaluates the December through February winter period.
Phu Quoc's peak tourist season runs from November to April.
Phu Quoc recorded 9.24 million tourists in the first 10 months of the year.
Season Trajectory
The ranking applies World Meteorological Organization climate normals for 1991-2020 to rank winter destinations, extending a data-driven approach to leisure planning. It reflects a shift toward winter travel beyond traditional beach holidays, as Phu Quoc's tourism grew 30% in the first 10 months of the year.
Travelers considering a winter trip can use long-term climate averages to compare destinations on sunshine and rainfall. Phu Quoc's December through February conditions offer about 7.8 hours of daily sunshine, though planning should account for the island's peak season from November to April.
The takeaway
Winter sun seekers can prioritize sunshine and dry days when comparing destinations, since climate averages reveal conditions that a single trip might miss. Checking long-term data before booking can help match a destination to the weather you prefer.
Further reading
Explore more on Central America for regional travel context.
Source note: This article includes information reported by VnExpress International – Latest news, business, travel and analysis from Vietnam.
