Introduction to Phu Quoc Island

The same size as Singapore, the island of Phu Quoc lies off the west coast of Vietnam's Mekong Delta. At times claimed by Cambodia and Thailand, the island is now like an armed fortress of the Vietnamese navy, and 80% of the island is protected as the Phu Quoc National Forest. Exploring the dirt track byways of the forested isle, among picturesque pepper plantations and long stretches of deserted beach, is a hoot. A visit to Phu Quoc is a good, affordable opportunity to relax, spend time on the beach, and snorkel or scuba-dive. Get there soon and someday you'll be able to say, "I went there before it was touristy."
The pepper industry on Phu Quoc has just gotten back up to speed after a long gap since the days when every French table had a shaker of Phu Quoc's finest. Phu Quoc is most famous for production of nuoc mam, the noxious fish sauce that is part of any meal in Vietnam. U.S. pilots flying over the island during the Vietnam War joked that the fumes from nuoc mam factories of Phu Quoc were enough to blow out the torch on a jet engine. Find a guide on the island and you'll be able to get up close and personal with the aromatic production of Vietnam's most versatile condiment.
Phu Quoc was for many years an off-the-map tourist destination, but the developers, led by Saigontourist's large Saigon Phu Quoc Resort, are coming in droves. Still, services remain limited, and dining is more or less only available at small seaside resorts on Long Beach. The quiet, undeveloped quality of this beach escape -- just a short, easy hop from Saigon -- is the real attraction.
At press time there was a freeze on new construction within 600m (1,969 ft.) from the beach, but wide road cuts, particularly near Ong Lang Beach, tell of the large projects to come. Victoria Hotels plans on having a large resort here in the near future, and developers are lined up, wringing their hands and ready to build. Thanks to red tape, this quiet island is still a dirt-track backwater, with bungalows and little in the way of infrastructure. But plans are underway for expanding the airport and including international flights.
Weather on the island, thanks to cool ocean breezes, is always temperate and thus a great escape from sultry Saigon. The coolest time to go to Phu Quoc is from December to February. Note: The island is quite rainy, and exposed to monsoon storms, from May to November.




Where To Stay

Tropicana Resort Phu Quoc :


Location In the center of Long Beach City Phu Quoc Phone 077/847-127
Frommer's Review
One of the earliest resorts on Phu Quoc (even before Saigon Phu Quoc), the Tropicana is still the best. The formula is simple: A beachside location with simple, tidy bungalows set near the beach, around a pool, or in a shaded, grassy courtyard away from the water. The restaurant is worth a visit -- no matter where you stay -- and the hotel service is friendly and efficient. The rooms are small but cozy, with clean white tile and small, simple tile bathrooms. Best are the thatch-shaded terra-cotta tile balconies with cane chairs. The $38 standard rooms are the most economical and the most compact, comfortable, and romantic. Budget rooms in older room blocks are not worth the savings (kind of gritty). I like the rooms that are farther from the beach, which are shaded and very quiet. There's a good "can-do" attitude among staff, and they can arrange any eventuality on the island.






Beach Club


Location On the south end of Long Beach Phone 077/980-998

Frommer's Review
So far the farthest south of the many budget resorts along Long Beach, budget Beach Club is a great choice for a few days of quiet and fun in the sun. British owner Mike and his Vietnamese wife, Thien, are the most gracious and helpful hosts. Accommodations are basic -- large, tidy, fan rooms with mosquito nets in a small block set back from the beach, and a similar standard in free-standing bungalows at beach-side -- but the friendly staff and laid-back feel of this hideaway draws you in. There are hammocks in every spot of shade, and the hotel's dogs, fine specimens of the Phu Quoc Ridgeback are friendly and playful (quite unique in a land where dogs are normally abused or neglected if they aren't eaten). The food here is tops, and this is a good place to meet other travelers. Mike is a wealth of information on the area; he can happily provide maps and arrange any rentals or tours.






Mango Bay Resort :


Frommer's Review
Billed as a "low-density resort" with an eye to the environment and in harmony with the surroundings, Mango Bay is a cool off-the-track collection of cozy bungalows along a picturesque, rocky bay. Sandy paths connect simple, spacious, free-standing units, each separated from the next by a good distance, which affords you privacy. It's boutique rustic, with finely molded colored concrete in pale yellow set against dark wood and high ceilings of thatch. Bathrooms are enormous outdoor areas with floors done in aggregate, just simple fixtures in a partly covered outdoor space with a low bamboo fence for privacy. Room details are stylish, with funky designer lamps, and in wood with tile and concrete inlay on floors in some units. Older rustic wooden units are more atmospheric. All rooms have fans. There are also budget hotel-block rooms. All have big balcony areas.






Saigon Phu Quoc Resort


Address 1 Tran Hung Dao, Long Beach Location Phu Quoc (just a few clicks south of Duong Dong Town) Phone 077/846-999
Frommer's Review
Large and with all the fixin's of a big self-contained beach resort, the tatty edges and indifferent "big government hotel" service of the Saigon Phu Quoc is a real turnoff. That said, this hotel keeps the highest standard on the island (for now). About 7 years old, some units are getting musty and need to be renovated; newer rooms, though in larger multistory blocks, are the better choice. Saigon Phu Quoc is a sprawling campus on a hillside overlooking the sea. Lounging in the hotel's large central pool and bar area or lying under one of their large, beachside thatched awnings are great ways to spend the day. They have extensive services including a spa area, small gym, tennis courts, and a golf driving net and putting green -- though everything is well used and a little rough around the edges. They have a good tour desk, from which you can plan your entire trip as an affordable package through Saigontourist . Rooms aren't anything special -- just large, bland, clean spaces, some with "standing Jacuzzi" power showers in tidy bathrooms, others with small tubs. Freestanding "Star Cruise" bungalows at seaside are worth the upgrade (a negotiable $117), but for my money, nearby budget stops (the others listed here) are comfortable options and you can use Saigon Phu Quoc's services as an outside guest for a small negotiable fee. Note: The rack rates listed here are just guidelines; the hotel offers real discounts, particularly in low season from April to November, and it's not a bad idea to visit the front desk in the afternoon, when they have lots of empty beds, and see what you can finagle.
Facilities: 2 restaurants; 3 bars; large outdoor pool; golf pitching net and putting green; tennis court; health club; Jacuzzi; sauna and steam; watersports rentals (kayaks); bike rentals; children's center and small playground; small game room with slot machines; extensive Saigontourist tour desk services; car-rental desk; business center w/Internet; shopping; salon; 24-hr. room service; massage; babysitting; laundry.



Sao Bien -- Sea Star Resort

Address Ba Keo -- Khu Pho 1 -- Duong Dong Location Phu Quoc (on the southern end of the dusty Long Beach access road) Phone 077/982-161

Frommer's Review
New to the beach, Sea Star is one of those little workhorse resorts that has found its own by not trying to be too much. It's just rooms -- basic, two-unit, freestanding concrete bungalows with tile floors, hard but cozy beds, air-conditioning, TV, and plain bathrooms, all clean, square, and without much style. Who needs style when your room opens right onto the sandy beach? (All of the rooms do.) Large rattan rockers are great for putting your feet up and diving into that novel you've been carrying around.