Phú Quốc is a small Vietnamese island in the Gulf of Thailand with picturesque white sandy beaches, clear azure water, palm trees, and many resorts. It is truly paradise, in every sense of the word. We spent four perfect days in Phú Quốc, living the luxury vacation life. We stayed at Eden Resort, a massive, four-star, beach-front resort hotel that cost less than a Motel 6 in the states. For a few days, we lived a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. This was also unfortunately when I got sick, but I still had a fantastic time. The weather was lovely and sunny, the water was warm, and the drinks were cold. I spent some of the best, most relaxing days of my life on this little gem of an island.
It was dark when we arrived at the small Phú Quốc …show more content…
The contrast inside and outside of the resort was extreme. A big part of the island’s economy is based on foreign tourism, and it's easy to see where the money goes. Most of the resorts are fancy and well-taken care of, and the areas outside of the resorts are lesser-developed and somewhat polluted. One afternoon, on a whim, we rented a motorbike and drove to Duong Dong Town. Renting a bike was incredibly easy - whole procedure took about 3 minutes and cost less than $5.00. Duong Dong town felt more like authentic Vietnam. There was nothing in English and we didn't see any other tourists. We drove through the crowded markets, which was a wild experience. In Vietnam, people treat motorbikes more like an extension of their bodies than a motor vehicle. Bikes and people bumped right into each other, and people made purchaches without getting off their bikes. On the way back, I took a turn driving the bike. It was easier than I thought and super …show more content…
We left from Duong Dong Port bright and early in the morning. All the boats were painted the same bright aquamarine color. We cruised to a small island, dropped anchor, and went fishing. I did quite well - I caught about ten little fish! We snorkeled in the clear blue water and swam to the island. We ate lunch aboard the boat, eating the fish we had just caught with rice and vegetables. It was one of the freshest, most delicious meals I’ve ever had. In the afternoon, we took a bus around the island, stopping to try the local products. We visited a fish sauce factory first. Phú Quốc is famous for having the best fish sauce in the world. It is good, but the smell of the factory was overwhelmingly pungent and disgusting. I don’t know how something that smells so bad can taste so good. Next we visited a pepper farm, where I learned how both pepper and pineapples grow. Our next stop was a bee farm. We donned the silly beekeeper hats, checked out the hives, and ate honey straight from the comb. It was warm, gooey, and so yummy. Our final stop was a sim berry farm. Sim berry is a local fruit, similar to
It was dark when we arrived at the small Phú Quốc …show more content…
The contrast inside and outside of the resort was extreme. A big part of the island’s economy is based on foreign tourism, and it's easy to see where the money goes. Most of the resorts are fancy and well-taken care of, and the areas outside of the resorts are lesser-developed and somewhat polluted. One afternoon, on a whim, we rented a motorbike and drove to Duong Dong Town. Renting a bike was incredibly easy - whole procedure took about 3 minutes and cost less than $5.00. Duong Dong town felt more like authentic Vietnam. There was nothing in English and we didn't see any other tourists. We drove through the crowded markets, which was a wild experience. In Vietnam, people treat motorbikes more like an extension of their bodies than a motor vehicle. Bikes and people bumped right into each other, and people made purchaches without getting off their bikes. On the way back, I took a turn driving the bike. It was easier than I thought and super …show more content…
We left from Duong Dong Port bright and early in the morning. All the boats were painted the same bright aquamarine color. We cruised to a small island, dropped anchor, and went fishing. I did quite well - I caught about ten little fish! We snorkeled in the clear blue water and swam to the island. We ate lunch aboard the boat, eating the fish we had just caught with rice and vegetables. It was one of the freshest, most delicious meals I’ve ever had. In the afternoon, we took a bus around the island, stopping to try the local products. We visited a fish sauce factory first. Phú Quốc is famous for having the best fish sauce in the world. It is good, but the smell of the factory was overwhelmingly pungent and disgusting. I don’t know how something that smells so bad can taste so good. Next we visited a pepper farm, where I learned how both pepper and pineapples grow. Our next stop was a bee farm. We donned the silly beekeeper hats, checked out the hives, and ate honey straight from the comb. It was warm, gooey, and so yummy. Our final stop was a sim berry farm. Sim berry is a local fruit, similar to