A viral Reddit post with 1,800+ upvotes is challenging the travel community's reflexive dismissal of so-called "Instagram destinations." The subject: Phu Quoc's hyper-designed Sunset Town, a purpose-built tourist complex in southern Vietnam that travelers have often criticized as "too staged" to be worth visiting.
But according to multiple recent trip reports, that staged quality might be exactly what makes it appealing.
"I thought Sunset Town would be one of those places that only looks good in edited photos, but the streets were actually the part I liked most," wrote the traveler who sparked the discussion. "It's very designed — pastel buildings, arches, staircases, balconies, flowers, decorative paving, all of that. Sometimes it really does feel a bit like a movie set."
The post taps into a broader tension in modern travel: the gap between authenticity and experience. For years, travel influencers have competed to find "undiscovered" destinations, often ruining them in the process. Meanwhile, purpose-built attractions like Sunset Town make no pretense of authenticity — and some travelers are finding that honesty refreshing.
When 'Fake' Becomes a Feature
Located on Phu Quoc Island, Sunset Town is part of a massive development that includes a cable car, evening shows, and Kiss Bridge — a pedestrian bridge held up by giant hands that's become one of Vietnam's most photographed structures.
The design borrows heavily from European and Mediterranean aesthetics, creating what critics call a "Disneyfied" version of travel. But defenders argue that's missing the point.
