Phu Quoc is an Island off the Southwest coast of Vietnam. It is actually closer to Cambodia than Vietnam and was unknown to us until we spotted it on a map. In true explorer fashion we decided that we needed to investigate and so it became part of our itinerary.
Apparently some people must have known about this Island because upon trying to book flights we found out that all flights were fully booked several weeks in advance and we almost gave up on the idea. That is until a travel agent suggested we take a speed boat, which is what we decided to do.
Good decision? No, great decision. Phu Quoc is a tropical island still in need of much development, there are no major cities, no big shopping centers, not much of anything for tourists to do apart from play around in the ocean or sunbath on the beaches.
It is a place to just 'get away' and relax. There are a variety of resorts and resturants which for the most part are open to everyone. Buy a drink or a meal and have use of the pool and as we found be provided with a beach towel. Quite laid back and very friendly.
But there are signs that Phu Quoc is in the development stages and so this idealic hidden away will, within a few short years change forever and become more like Phuket.
Shortly after our arrival we switched resorts and took up residence in a bungalow right on the beach, I kid you not, the ocean lay less than fourty feet from our front porch. The sound of the ocean waves gave a peaceful feeling of serinity both day and night. Step off the porch into the the sand, the type of things dreams are made of.
Also facing due West we had front row seats every evening for the sunset, inspired as we watched the sunlight glisten across the water. Lost in space, time didn't mean very much as our thought's just lazily drifted along. Rising in the morning, time to eat. After sunset, time to eat and maybe somewhere in between, time to eat.
The warmth of the sun and the refreshing feeling of the ocean were all that one needed to contemplate. A place where you didn't want to be found, to be lost forever although selffish had a wonderful feel about it.
We did find the time to engage ourselves in several snorking and scuba diving trips to the islands in the north and to the south of Phu Quoc. Did a bit of fishing, Rita even went squid fishing one night which she enjoyed, and ate some squid porridge which she assured me was delicious!
For fourteen nights this was our paradise, our desert island in the sun, our time to enjoy simplicity. We also enjoyed conversations with people from many backgrounds and from many nations, all of whom felt they too had found a very special place. Many memories have been forged here, but as it always does time moves us along and the next stop is Saigon or as it is now known Ho Chi Minh City.
