Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam

The next morning we flew to Phu Quoc Island, which is south of Vietnam and Cambodia.  As planned we met up with Filipa and Mariana at the Mai Phuong Resort.  We’d recommend this secluded resort for honeymooners or people who enjoy peace and quiet.  But if you’re looking for nightlife or other hotels or restaurants within walking distance, you should stay on a more populated (southern) area of the island.  To reach Mai Phuong Resort it was a 1 hour taxi ride (north) from the airport, on a beautiful red dirt road.

Road to Mai Phuong Resort, Phu Qhoc Island
Road to Mai Phuong Resort, Phu Qhoc Island

The resort had a beach along it, but it was so dirty it wasn’t a good place to go in the water.  The hammocks in the trees along the beach were a great place to relax, though.  There was a cleaner small beach 5 minutes walking down the road and a cleaner long stretch of beach 15 minutes walking down the road.  Both are nice if you like to be away from the crowds.  The seafood at the resort was excellent!  The banana or pineapple pancakes for breakfast were also good.  Which is great, since you don’t have any other options of places to eat ;).  Also, it was great spending the evenings dining with Mariana and Filipa!  Plenty of great food and conversations until late into the night where we would occasionally lose electricity, but then be able to see zillions of stars in the night sky.  We hope to meet up with our friends Mariana and Filipa again during our travels..

The bungalows run from $20-$30 per night depending upon the size and location.  (If you stay here, make sure you’ve agreed to the price and whether breakfast is included beforehand. Also, even if you’ve arranged airport pick up, they might not show up at the airport.)  Other than that, the staff was friendly, and eager to have guests participate in their evening volley ball match and karaoke.

Heidi in one of the cacoon swings at Mai Phuong Resort
Heidi in one of the cocoon swings at Mai Phuong Resort
Heidi at the beach near Mai Phuong Resort
Heidi at the beach near Mai Phuong Resort

The beaches are mostly deserted.  Especially on the northern end of the island where these photos were taken.

Heidi on Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
Heidi on Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
George on Phu Qhoc Island, Vietnam
George on Phu Qhoc Island, Vietnam

Needless to say, we had fun taking tons of jumping photos at the beach :).

He runs
He runs
He jumps
He jumps
He lands in the ocean
He lands in the ocean

Well, maybe that wasn’t really the sequence of events, but it makes for a good story.

Cows grazing on the small beach near Mai Phuong Resort
Cows grazing on the small beach near Mai Phuong Resort
Heidi dancing on the beach, Phu Qhoc Island
Heidi dancing on the beach, Phu Qhoc Island