The list, released on Wednesday by TripAdvisor, the world's most popular travel guide and review website, is based on feedback and growing interest from travelers gathered over a 12-month period.

"Soak up the sun and some Vietnamese culture on Phu Quoc Island, where white sands and tropical waters entice beachgoers from all over the globe," TripAdvisor stated.

"Snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing are the most popular water sports here, though jet-skiing, wind sailing and squid fishing are also at your vacationing fingertips," it added.

The U.S. travel site recommended an early-morning-trip to Duong Dong Market, considered the heart of the 'pearl' island.

Hon Thom Islet, a popular tourist attraction of foreign tourists on Phu Quoc Island.
Photo by VnExpress/Minh Nhat.

Set along Tran Phu Street, Duong Dong Market sits close to the port of the eponymous name, where tourists can see throngs of fishing boats drop off freshly-caught eel, squid, mackerel, barracuda, and shellfish, sold in the early morning.

Phu Quoc Island is the only representative breaking into the list, which was topped by Russia’s Kaliningrad, Saranda in Albania and Beirut in Lebanon.

A notorious prison site during the French colonial era, Vietnam's 'pearl' island, has gained worldwide popularity in recent years. It opened an international airport in 2012 and has been implementing a 30-day visa-free policy to foreigners since 2014.

The number of tourists to Phu Quoc has increased substantially over the past few years, with a rapid growth of resorts and tourist services across the island.

Phu Quoc welcomed over five million arrivals last year, up 30 percent from 2018. Of these, 541,600 were foreign.