Vietnam's largest island Phu Quoc transforms for APEC 2027

A convention center crowned with rippling waves and an airport terminal drawn from the eagle ray are taking shape in Phu Quoc, where Vietnam has spent a year rebuilding its largest island to host the APEC summit in November 2027. In mid-July 2026, the APEC Convention Center complex, built on reclaimed land at Bai Dat Do in the Phu Quoc Special Zone, completed its steel framework after a year of construction. The 16-hectare complex comprises a convention and exhibition center, a multipurpose theater, and APEC Park. Phu Quoc will host APEC in November 2027, following Da Nang in 2017 and Hanoi in 2006, an event expected to accelerate infrastructure, attract investment, and boost tourism and real estate. About 3,000 workers and engineers are on site around the clock. Once the rippled panels are installed, the roof will leave skylight openings for a more spacious interior; its load-bearing frame is now essentially complete. The project uses more than 12,000 metric tons of steel, roughly the weight of nearly 100 Boeing aircraft. About 3,000 workers and engineers are on site around the clock. Once the rippled panels are installed, the roof will leave skylight openings for a more spacious interior; its load-bearing frame is now essentially complete. The project uses more than 12,000 metric tons of steel, roughly the weight of nearly 100 Boeing aircraft. About 3,000 workers and engineers are on site around the clock. Once the rippled panels are installed, the roof will leave skylight openings for a more spacious interior; its load-bearing frame is now essentially complete. The project uses more than 12,000 metric tons of steel, roughly the weight of nearly 100 Boeing aircraft. Workers labor beneath the convention center's vast interwoven lattice-dome roof. An engineer tightens bolts at a joint connecting eight steel beams more than 20 meters above the ground. This is the site of the 11,000-sq.m column-free conference hall built for international events. After its structure is finished, the theater will be topped with a roof patterned on dragon scales. The roof rests on 50 columns, evoking the 50 children who followed their dragon father Lac Long Quan to the sea in Vietnamese legend, while also recalling the bamboo groves of traditional Vietnamese villages. After its structure is finished, the theater will be topped with a roof patterned on dragon scales. The roof rests on 50 columns, evoking the 50 children who followed their dragon father Lac Long Quan to the sea in Vietnamese legend, while also recalling the bamboo groves of traditional Vietnamese villages. After its structure is finished, the theater will be topped with a roof patterned on dragon scales. The roof rests on 50 columns, evoking the 50 children who followed their dragon father Lac Long Quan to the sea in Vietnamese legend, while also recalling the bamboo groves of traditional Vietnamese villages. Nearby, the T2 terminal has finished about 90% of its rough structure. Aviation equipment is now being installed, with finishing work about 30% complete. The new terminal is designed in the shape of a phoenix. When the expansion is completed in 2027, the enlarged Phu Quoc airport will handle 20 million passengers a year, with the airport site spanning more than 1,050 hectares. Alongside the APEC complex, the 18-km DT.975 provincial road is being widened to connect the APEC 2027 venue with Phu Quoc airport. The 62-meter-wide road will have 10 lanes and a 15-meter central median reserved for light rail (LRT). Several sections are graded and ready for asphalt. The Phu Quoc Special Zone covers more than 570 sq.km and comprises 51 neighborhoods. Under the An Giang provincial People's Committee's master plan, the island, Vietnam's largest, is envisioned as a world-class eco-tourism hub and a venue for events, premium services, and healthcare.