Life is meant to be a crazy and wilful journey. Follow where your heart leads you to and you will be living a life with no regrets. Heading to Phu Quoc Island in the middle of a hectic semester for a little getaway was one of the best decisions made last year, especially when 2020 has taught us a lesson: travelling is not something we could ever take it for granted. Being in the westmost part of Vietnam, the island is the only city in Vietnam that we as Hongkonger can go freely with no visa required. A random search of the cheapest flight and a 10-minute chat, my all-time travel buddy and I were ready for a quick weekend getaway from all the hustle and bustle without a second thought.
We did not research much about the island as it was not a popular vacation paradise yet for many of us in Hong Kong as their tourism was still in a developing phase at that time. But it, on the other hand, has become our major reason why we enjoyed so much of this trip! To get away from the crowd and just chill in this raw and undiscovered place. With no idea what Phu Quoc Island offers, a simple guide of some must-do and must-go is what you need now! The tropical plan would be waiting for us until everything gets back to its place very soon!
Island Hopping Day Tour
The day tour offered by Klook was definitely a great deal bringing us to Fingernail Island, Dam Ngang Island and May Rut Island one by one with some snorkelling and free time. All simple equipment and life jackets would be provided. So just have your swimsuit ready and slowly dive into the ocean with nemo and his friends. I always think that the world underwater is mysterious and magical where you can totally forget about all the troubles and free your mind. Staying close to the colourful fishies, feeling the rhythm of the ocean and exploring the unknown is an unforgettable experience. But be really careful not to stay too close or step on the corals as you may hurt yourself easily and so do the fragile corals at the same time.
Among the three, May Rut Island is the prettiest with the best view. Swings, hammock, palm trees, waves...my sources of happiness all in one! What’s more can I ask for? On the left side we found a wide macrame hammock on the rock layers near the coast. The shallow water in crystal blue was so clear that I could directly look at the bottom as well as some little marine lives moving around. I would be more than happy to stay on the moving hammock for the whole day in this tropical setting. Before you go get some ‘vitamin sea’, do remember to put extra suncream, or else you would probably get sunburnt like I did. We enjoyed the local seafood cuisine on the boat in between our visit to the islands and you may order some extra fresh sea urchins for your own too!
Sunset Sanato Beach Club
Beach lovers, this beach club is gonna be one of your favorites! It is super instagrammable where you can spend a few hours taking photos and chilling on the beach. The most popular spots are the split-face statue, ‘elephants on the sea’ and stairs that could lead you to heaven! Believe it or not, everything is so lit and cool!
After some snapshots, you may find some seats inside the little tree houses and sit on the swings all around which are hung on the palm trees. Emptying your mind by listening to the soft calm waves would be the best thing to do when you were on vacation like this. Just by paying around 3 USD (70000 VND) for the entrance fee, you can strike your pose along the beach. There are some cafe options to get a drink with your friends or partner as well. As its name suggests, the golden hours at the beach club are mesmerizing. However, it is surely better, without a doubt, to arrive early before sunset to avoid the crowd!
Chill at your Resort
Staying in a nice and comfy environment as a treat to yourself on a holiday is a must. There is a wide variety of resorts and villas on Phu Quoc Island to choose from and we decided to enjoy our stay in Eden Resort with quality facilities and even its own private beach just a few steps away from the pool. Not having a fixed plan of where to go, we simply took our time to soak up the sunshine the whole morning after the breakfast buffet. The food offered was awesome and I highly recommend trying out their freshly served Pho which is my favorite Vietnamese food ever. All spa treatments are absolutely affordable too and we picked the hot stone spa which is the best to beat fatigue. It was so GOOD! Getting a cocktail in the hotel bar after your treatment would be the most perfect way to end your day, isn’t it?
Night Life & Food
If you are looking for some authentic vibes, you must check out the Phu Quoc Night Market! Trust me, just grab whatever looks or smells good and it would never go wrong. Satay skewers, barbecue squid, local snacks and coconut ice-cream, to name but a few. With lots of choices and to share among yourselves, I bet you will have your stomach filled before you finish walking around the whole market. Want to chill a bit more before getting back to your resort? You may go to Skye Bar with funky music and rooftop outdoor seating or any of your nearby picks to get your drinks and get moving along with the music. Say cheers!
Have you ever made a quick decision and felt thankful to yourself for making things happen some days later? Share with me your story!