Vietnam | Phu Quoc 2025
Intro |
After our amazing first holiday to Thailand last year (unfortunately I started this blog after the holiday so there’s no entry for it), it was time to start planning our next holiday. We wanted to utilise the most of the Easter public holidays. As for the destination, we had a few in mind. Kelly mentioned Phu Quoc and I hadn’t heard of it before. When she mentioned it, I started doing my research and looked quite nice. One of the big things for me was all the reviews, the few that were around, were saying that it was very quiet, almost like a ghost town. So we started our planning. We didn’t find many cheap flights there and ended up booking with Vietnam Airlines. As for accommodation, almost every place was on sale! We were thinking because we were going in April it was the shoulder season, the end of the dry season and start of the rainy season so they were trying to get more people to come at that time. We booked our accommodation and from the pictures and reviews it definitely sounded like great value.
Flight | Sydney > Ho Chi Minh > Phu Quoc
We booked our flights months well in advance. The itinerary was a flight from Sydney > Ho Chi Minh > Phu Quoc. A month or two prior to our flight I received an email from Vietnam Airlines saying that the flight from Ho Chi Minh to Phu Quoc would be later than the original time. It was a little annoying as that would mean arriving in Phu Quoc around 2100. The accommodation we booked for the first few days were about 30mins north of the airport and pending baggage claim and customs that would mean arriving to our accommodation around 2200. Not ideal. But at least we were given notice in advance.
It was the day of our flight out. Our Flight was scheduled for 1030. We woke up at 0530. I woke up to an email from Vietnam Airlines saying that the flight from Ho Chi Minh to Phu Quoc would be departing even later than the rescheduled time meaning we’d be most likely be arriving at our accommodation around 2300. Reading that first thing already made me annoyed, but there’s nothing you can do. We got our uber to the airport. We were leaving on Good Friday and figured that most people would’ve left on the Thursday or earlier. We were wrong. The traffic into the airport was busy. We finally got dropped off and went to the check in gate. The line didn’t seem too long, but there was one guy who was checking in so many boxes. He had boxes of trolleys towards the entrance and they’d weigh the boxes and then bring in the next trolley full of boxes to weigh. Yeah he’s probably paying heaps for all the weight, but surely there’s a limit to how much one person can bring on board. It seemed so dodgy but nothing came of it. Once he finally finished, the line started moving a lot quicker. When it was our turn to check in the lady at the counter said that we would not be sitting together, the aisle would be between us and would be up at the front row. When we bought tickets we chose the seats and I chose a window and middle seat. I asked her why as we had chosen our seats on booking. She didn’t give a reason and just kept saying I have placed you here but you can ask to swap with other passengers so that we could sit next to each other. There was no point arguing. I was already annoyed at the delayed flight to come and now we weren’t getting the seats we initially booked and didn’t get an explanation as to why. After check in was finished we headed to the customs/security section. The line was insane. They had set up lanes so that it would zig zag but we joined the end of the line towards the end of the food court! I had never seen the line that long before and I have been to the airport so many times before. We weren’t in a hurry though and had plenty of time. When we got through security, we found our gate and found some seats. I went and got some food as well.
Then it was our time to board the plane. We found our seats. It was at the front of the section (economy). I was on the aisle seat next to a British couple and Kelly was next to what was likely 2 friends also on the aisle seat. I just kept thinking about the lady at the counter telling me to just ask a passenger to switch seats so we could sit together. Yeah I’m really going to ask a couple to separate or friends to separate so we can sit together and inconvenience them. If you’ve never sat in the front row before, watching the screen, even getting it out from where it lives on the side of the seat was a mission. I would be watching something, then a flight attendant would walk past and bump into and I would have to readjust it so that it was back to the normal viewing view. This wasn’t a one time thing, it was constant. It happened when they were just walking past and also when they would bring the food and drinks cart through. It was just a terrible experience considering we didn’t book those seats we were just made to sit there through no fault of our own.
Anyways, we landed at Ho Chi Minh. There were Vietnam Airline staff members there with signs saying Transfer. We went up to them and showed them our boarding pass to Phu Quoc. They asked for our Visa’s but we didn’t require them since we’re only going to Phu Quoc. They didn’t fully understand and took us to a counter. We showed them our boarding pass and our passports. Did some things on their computers then took us to another counter. They took our passports, took photocopies then filled out paper work. It seemed like Vietnam Airlines staff didn’t even know the procedure and the fact that if we’re only visiting Phu Quoc you don’t require a Visa. After all that, all we got was, ‘go to line’ which was the immigration line. We waited in that line for 90mins. Standing waiting in line for 90mins after an 8 hour flight and waking up at 0530 is definitely the last thing anyone would want to do. Because of this I was already not liking Vietnam. At least in Sydney there were a lot of staff members to keep the chaos controlled. Here there were no staff members. A few people were cutting in lines, but of course, god forbid you confront them and make a scene then you’re going to be there even longer.
Once we finally passed through Immigration, our only way through was downstairs to baggage collection. We knew we had to collect our baggage but we were confused on where to go next. There’s no clear instructions or directions anywhere on the Internet about going to Phu Quoc. When we read that we don’t require a Visa because we’re not visiting anywhere else other than Phu Quoc, we were under the impression that we weren’t allowed to leave the Airport and there would be a place to walk to transit through to Domestic transfers. We were looking for our luggage and Kelly asked a staff member and showed her boarding pass. He knew straight away and pointed to both of our luggage on a trolley and told us to exit the terminal, turn right and walk to the domestic terminal. He was the most helpful person out of the whole Vietnam Airlines crew and he was only an airport worker. Once we realised where to go, we found the domestic airport and checked in to our flight to Phu Quoc.
After checking in, we looked around for some food to eat. It already seemed difficult with not really knowing the food there and Kelly looking for a vegetarian meal. We did find something to eat and the side soup they gave me was actually almost better than the main meal. After food, we sat at the gate. It might’ve been the already poor experience I had endured through the day, but the people there were just annoying. People taking up 2 or more seats to lie down with their shoes off. People walking into my by backpack despite it being up against the chair. People walking so slow but you can’t go around because it’s so busy. Of course, Vietnam Airlines had to throw one last curve ball and made us change gates. I should be thankful that it wasn’t delayed but at that point, I was just too tired to care.
The only good thing about this flight was that it was pretty empty and very quick. Actually only took about 45mins or so. But there was an annoying kid behind Kelly who kept kicking her seat. Her parents didn’t try controlling her, they were just on their phones. Kelly did say something to the mum and the kid stopped briefly. However during take off and while the seatbelt sign was on, she wasn’t wearing her seatbelt and was climbing on top of Kelly’s seat. I was hoping we’d hit turbulence and she’d fall. May sound harsh but the parents didn’t seem to care so why should I. When we landed it was easy to get our luggage. I had organised an airport transfer through the accommodation we were staying at so when we exited the airport they were there waiting for us. It did feel like a bit of a drive to the accommodation but I knew it would be anyway. We did drive through the main part of town and even though it was almost 2300 there were still quite a few people eating on the footpaths, not the pubs and restaurants though, they all seemed dead. We finally got to our accommodation.
The Golden Topaz |
When we arrived, we paid the driver and checked in. The receptionist gave us instructions and he was very good. The instructions were clear and covered everything we needed to know. He took us to our room which was upstairs. It was pretty much stand alone as the stairs up and down were between us and the next room and we were on the end of the building. The room was nice and spacious. We quickly took a shower and went to bed.
Day 1 | Rest Day
Of course with our planning and knowing we were getting in late, we didn’t plan anything big for today. I did have something planned for lunch and the afternoon though. When we woke up, we realised just how big the bed was, it was huge, so much space! Kelly wasn’t too happy though as she felt that I was too far away from her. We had a good sleep. We were both exhausted from the day of travelling and the resort was so quiet and peaceful. After taking our time to get changed, we headed down stairs to the breakfast area. The selection was good, they had a variety of food from Asian to European. They also had an egg bar which I love. I got an omelet, pancake and some rice. They had juices and fruit of course too. Kelly was enjoying the Vietnamese coffee and always had a second plate for fruit. There were a few others there, some families, another couple. But even with the families and the kids around, it was still so quiet.
Where the resort is, it’s down a quiet road, we weren’t too far from the main road on one side. And there was a beach at the end of the road on the other side. We decided to walk towards the beach to pass a bit of time before lunch. As soon as we walked outside the resort onto the road, we could already see a few restaurants which was good. When I initially researched the place, it didn’t show any food places around it, so we were prepared to get Grabs to get to food places. As we walked along the road, we saw some more restaurants and other resorts. We got to the water and there was a bit of rubbish on the sand. Although we were at the ‘beach’ it wasn’t a swimming spot. We kept walking and we were at the back of another resort. It’s ok, public are allowed to go there and access the proper beach. There was a boardwalk with tables and chairs, so I’m guessing you can have lunch and dinner there right on the water. We didn’t go right to the beach, we just hung around the boardwalk. There was a swing and a cute seat hanging from the tree. A bit hard to explain, but the picture is there. We did see a few people in the water at the beach, it was more like a bay of course. No waves at all and it was very shallow. After a few photos we headed back to our resort.
Day 1 | Movenpick (Aura Beach Club)
When researching things to do around the area, this came up. I actually didn’t know it was Movenpick resort. I just saw Aura Beach Club on Google. I saw the photos and it looked nice, it was a huge resort pool with a beach as well. We caught a Grab there. It was only a 10min drive. But when we turned down the street it was on, it was a bit of a drive to get to the pool area. We did go past the accommodation blocks though. But we we turned off the main street we did see people who looked like they just arrived because they had their rolling suitcases with them and walking towards the resort so it would’ve been a long walk for them especially in that heat.
We walked into the restaurant. I had booked a table just in case. But it was pretty quiet. We looked at the menu and it was pretty pricey, resort prices. The food was ok, I’m pretty sure I had a burger and it was nothing special. The waiter was very nice though, when we asked to pay for the bill he asked what room we were in and we said we weren’t staying here. We paid the bill but were still finishing off our drinks. The waiter then came by again and asked if we wanted a towel card so we could swim in the pool. Of course we said yes and he came back with towel cards for us. We did bring our own towels but it was nice to just use theirs and not have to bring a wet towel back with us.
We walked around the pool to grab our towels. We looked around and there were no spare seats/lounge beds. So we ended up going to the beach instead as there were heaps of seats there. The water was ok, it was warm and we’re used to the cold water at the Sydney beaches. It was calm as well, no waves. We then went into the pool for a swim. It was a huge pool which was good so it could accommodate for all the guests. It wasn’t very deep though. There was a section where they had bubbles going so we sat there for a bit. We moved back to the main part of the pool and then a DJ started playing music. People started getting into the pool and heading towards the DJ. Someone dressed in a green dinosaur suit showed up and was dancing. They even had soap machine going from time to time too. It was fun to watch. After watching a bit we decided to head back to our resort. After grabbing our stuff from the beach, we did take a few photos on the way out. We saw another swing there which we would later realise was that it’s a reoccurring theme, there’s swings everywhere on the island.
Day 1 | Dinner
For dinner, Kelly found a place nearby. It was less than a 10min drive. It was called Mai Jo. It had good reviews. We got there and it was a bit quiet. I decided to try a seafood pho. It was nice. But I think I do prefer my fried rice. Soups are nice but more so during Winter and in colder weather. Having soup in a tropical climate just isn’t the same. I definitely enjoyed the cheap beer though.
Day 2 | North Island Tour | Cua Can River
Today was our first tour of our trip. As you can see from the title, this tour explores sites around the north island. We were the last ones to be picked up for the tour, which was good in a way as we didn’t have to get up too early or be in the van for too long. But it also meant that Kelly and I didn’t sit together in the van. Our tour guide was Vic. Our first stop was the Cua Can river for kayaking. We got there and Vic had said that for those who didn’t want to kayak, you can just get on a boat and go for a cruise down the river. We were surprised, pretty much everyone chose that instead of kayaking. It was only Kelly and I and a mother a daughter that went kayaking. Vic explained where to go and that we had 2 hours to kayak. He stressed the 2 hour part because on another tour he guided, there was a Russian couple that went kayaking and misunderstood him, they took 4 hours kayaking. They thought it was 2 hours one way then 2 hours back. When they got back the rest of the group were very unhappy because they waited so long for them to get back and the rest of the day was pushed back because of it.
We left our bags in the van and went down to the water. We put on our life jackets, got in and headed off. The kayak was a simple kayak. No steering pedals like back at the spit. So we had to work together to keep the kayak straight. We weren’t doing a very good job. When it did seem like we were doing well and going straight, we would end up turning one way too much, then over correcting, then re-correcting. Within 5 minutes we were both just drenched in sweat. There wasn’t a breeze so it was just hot. We didn’t go too far up the river. It was very quiet though. We were the only ones there. We came to a sort of fork in the river, we turned into it because it would meet back up with the main part so we could head back. We did end up getting back to the dock a bit earlier than everyone else. It was good though, we needed to cool down and get some water.
Day 2 | North Island Tour | Bee Farm
Once everyone was back, we all jumped back in the van and headed to our next stop, the Bee Farm. We walked into the farm under an archway with a sign, it was quite nice. There was a younger guy who gave us a spill about worker bees. He then showed the worker bees and Kelly held the platform, I’m not sure what it’s called. There were a bunch of mints they were growing there as well with signs with very cute puns. We then went into the building and tasted several types of honey. I do remember tasting one that they said is good on bbq chicken and when I tasted it, I could tell that it would be good. It was very interesting the different types of honey they had. We were looking at the drinks to buy but we didn’t have our wallets with us, we left it in the van. Kelly and I snuck out to get a few photos while the others enjoyed some drinks.
Day 2 | North Island Tour | Forest Walk
We then went for a drive to the forest. On the way we passed some Military buildings. When we got to the forest, Vic said that the forest is mostly closed off to everyone now as the Military were embedded in there. We did see a huge 100 year old tree. That was close to the road which was good. We kept walking though, I’m not too sure what the end goal was because it started raining and Vic quickly hurried us back to the van. He said that if it rains while you’re in the forest, the mosquitoes and bugs that come out are huge, so he was just looking out for us.
Day 2 | North Island Tour | Starfish Beach/Lunch & Cambodia Lookout
We then drove through some pretty rough dirt roads. It was slow going and so bumpy. I have to give credit to the scooter riders for not falling. It was pretty much a 4wd track. We finally go to the beach. It wasn’t actually too spectacular. We walked along a wooden jetty to the floating restaurants. On the walk we could see several starfish in the water. The water was very clear. Along the walk they had nets with different types of fish in them which they’ve caught. There was a kitchen where they would cook the food, then several under cover areas so that different groups could sit and have lunch. We ordered food. Kelly ordered passion fruit juice, twice and never got it. They then tried charging us for it but Kelly said she never got it and they took it off the bill. It was pretty disappointing as it was just a juice and they forgot or just didn’t make it. I don’t really know what happened there. After we ate, we walked up further where there were some photo back drops. From there you could see land a few km’s away. That’s Cambodia.
Day 2 | North Island Tour | Starfish Beach 2
I’m not sure of the actual name of the beach we headed to. But after lunch we boarded a boat and went for a 10min ride. We stopped at a beach. There were chairs there but you had to pay 100k for two chairs. We did as we thought we’d sit on them for a bit because we had a bit of time as this was the last stop for the tour. But the seats weren’t very comfortable and there wasn’t much shade either. Of course we went into the water. We didn’t bring snorkelling gear but because the water was clear we could see the starfishes all around us. It was pretty cool. We both accidentally stepped on some and it hurts! They’ve got spikes and so we had to be very careful after that. The water was warm, wasn’t refreshing, no waves either. There were a few swings and other features that made for some good photos. So I asked Vic to take some of us and he kindly did. We then headed back to the boat, then from there went back in the van and we were the first ones dropped off at our hotel. Since it was still a little early, when we got dropped off, we went for a swim in the resort pool. It was nice and quiet. The only downside was that there’s no bar and in the later afternoon there’s no shade so it’s pretty hot in the pool. But the lounge chairs did have shade provided by trees and umbrellas. For dinner we went for a walk just outside the resort. Then after dinner on the way back to our room, I stopped by reception as they have a fridge with drinks. I get some beers to bring back to the room. The beers were so cheap 20k! Where 15k is 1AUD$.
Day 3 | Vinwonders
When researching what to do in Phu Quoc, Vinwonders would always come up. But the explanation of what it is seemed a bit confusing. Now that we’ve been there it’s still a little hard to explain but hopefully after I recall our experience, it might paint a better picture. Upon looking up Vinwonders, people did say it was better to buy tickets online as you can go straight to the entry instead of lining up at the ticket office. So we bought tickets online from their official website.
The opening times said open at 0900. So we decided to get there just a bit after 0900 hoping it would be a bit quieter when we go on the rides. The first obstacle was getting in. We went through a bag search then went to the entry gate. They scanned the QR code I had on my phone from the email I received from when bought the tickets online, from their website. It was coming up with a red X. There was a bit of a language barrier but they told us to go the ticket office. So we went there. Showed them the QR code. Then they gave us physical paper tickets. Went back through bag check, went up to the entry point again. Once again it was coming up with a red X and it wasn’t letting us in. At this point I was already getting annoyed. I bought the tickets from their website yet it wasn’t working. For a theme park of this caliber and running into this issue was disappointing to say the least. However one of the staff members asked us to wait and he took our paper vouches and went to the ticket office. He came back and we were allowed in.
Once you walk in you’re in an undercover area surrounded by shops and restaurants on both sides. Up in the distance you could see a castle and a water setting. As we walked up to the end of the shops and restaurants, we found a map. We took a photo of the map just in case. We studied the map and found that, really it’s several theme parks in one big one. There was an Adventure theme park where it was mainly adult rides, you would have to be above a certain height. There was a children’s theme park. Another children’s/teenagers theme park, a waterpark and an aquarium. It was a lot in one place. We headed to the waterpark first as they had lockers. When we got there it was closed and not opening till 1000. We decided to walk around to familarise ourselves with layout. We found the Adventure theme park but the rides weren’t operating until 1000. So that’s where we realised that, yes even though it says opening time is 0900, nothing actually starts until 1000. Some of the shops and restaurants were opened at the time, not all, but that was it.
You could say that the drama getting in might have been a blessing in disguise as we only had to wait about 10-15mins before 1000. Whereas if we got in straight away we’d probably be waiting up to 30min before we could really do anything. We did take a few photos though. At the time it was pretty quiet too so it wasn’t too hard to get photos without anyone in the background. It finally hit 1000 so we went to the lockers at the waterpark. We were hoping to just get a key for the locker so we can come and grab what we need when we need it. But it wasn’t the system there. We gave our backpacks to the staff member who would put in the locker for us. We were given a piece of paper with our name and locker number and a waterproof tube to put it in. But we would have to go back to the counter to get our bags, get stuff out or put stuff back in as required. It wasn’t ideal but that’s the way it was.
Once our bags were dropped off, Kelly headed straight to the Adventure park to ride the main roller coaster. We got there and we were the first ones there. So we rode up the very front. I don’t mind roller coasters, but I do admit, the huge drops do get my heart racing. The speed and all the topsy turvy stuff is ok though. Once we were in, it slowly started and we crawled away from the entrance. Then it slowed right down almost coming to a complete stop. From past experiences with roller coasters, I knew what was going to happen. And sure enough all of a sudden, we just flung forward with this insane acceleration. There was only really one massive drop towards the start. The rest of the ride was fast and all over the place. I was a little glad when it was over though. Kelly was having a ball the entire time.
We walked around and found another ride where you sit in a sort of makeshift plane. Kelly and I sat next to each other. Since I was wearing thongs, I was told to take my thongs off and just leave them on the ground. The ride started, were lifted up a bit and then it just rotated to the right. It leaned a little as well, but it was very tame compared to the roller coaster. We were pretty sure that most rides would likely be more tame compared to the roller coaster. When the ride finished, it dropped down and finished exactly where my thongs were left.
The next ride had a bit of an Ancient Egypt theme to it. We went inside a brick building and were undercover from then on. We walked quite a bit through some features and finally ended up at the ride. It was another roller coaster but this time, the rollers were on top instead of on the bottom as the first ride. We sat in the seats and got strapped in. It was hard to tell what we were in for as it was all dark. The ride went up and down, but it was all indoors which was interesting. They did have lights which kind of reminded me of Vivid. It was cool and different, but once again wasn’t as thrilling as the first roller coaster.
Next we headed to the Ferris Wheel. When we got there, there are the barricades, for when there is a huge line of people waiting. However this ride, along with the other rides, both ones that we have done and one’s that we’d do, there were never really any lines. There may be 3 to 5 people in front of us if that, but considering it was a theme park, I wouldn’t really call that a line at all. It is a little annoying have to walk up and down in the same zig zag motion just to get to the actual top, but considering there isn’t a line, I can’t complain too much. Reaching the top, we jumped in on a cart and made our way up the Ferris Wheel. It was pretty slow though but the views were spectacular. We could see the fancy ocean front hotels in the distance and of course the ocean itself. We could see the entire theme park and had a great vantage point of the giant turtle - the aquarium which I will get to later. But yes, it did feel a little slow and we were eager to do more once we got off the ride.
Next up was the rapids ride. We were wondering if we should do it while we were properly clothed. We didn’t mind getting wet, but would prefer to get wet while wearing our swimmers. We took the chance anyway. We did see quite a few others putting on poncho’s to keep themselves and their bags dry. We didn’t bother and just went on it. It did feel a little tame and we didn’t get wet, only at the very last part where water was sprayed at all of us directly just so we got wet. It seemed unnecessary though.
Then it was lunch time. Our ticket entry also gave us a voucher for food. It was good value. In the end, I didn’t pay much at all really for lunch for both of us. Kelly chose the place and when we went in, we were the only ones in there. We ordered our food and drink. Soon enough, some others came in as well. It was decent food, I had the fried rice with crab meat, a common dish I had this whole trip. Kelly had the stir fry noodles and vegetables and liked it too.
After lunch, we headed to the water park to grab our bags from the lockers. Kelly got changed, I was already wearing my boardies, we put on our sunscreen, handed back our bags and started doing the rides in the waterpark. We did an easy slide first. It was on a double donut but Kelly ended up going backwards the entire time. I wanted to do a big slide and we hiked up some stairs. Kelly was a bit hesitant about doing the top one, so I suggested doing the one which was halfway up the top. However when we got there, we didn’t have mats, so they guy said we had to go to the top. So we ended up going to the very top slide. Kelly went first. She was nervous because they instructor was telling her what to do and she was afraid she wasn’t going to remember any of it. She did fine though. Then it was my turn. It was a pretty steep drop but fun at the same time. Kelly said she prefers roller coasters though. We grabbed mats then headed back up again to the slide we originally wanted to do. It was meant to be a race. I won anyway.
We did some more slides, but the ones that required the grabbing the double donut. Then we headed into the wave pool but it was a little tame. I get it’s meant for kids but still. Then we grabbed another double donut again and entered a slow whirl pool that went around the whole water park. It was just bit too slow for our liking but it was relaxing. We then ventured into the kids pool, where the bucket would fill up with water then tip over and spill. Their pools seem like more fun. We walked around a bit trying to dry off a little. We watched some tourists try the body surfing ride which looked interesting. We then grabbed our bags from the locker room and walked towards the big turtle to get a picture with it. Finally headed back to the resort for some much needed rest. There was a lot of walking, plus the adrenaline and general activities, it was quite a big day.
After resting for a little bit, we headed across the road, from the resort. To a place called the Wood House for dinner.
Day 4 | Grand World
Today we were planning to head to Grand World. There wasn’t too much on the internet about this when I was researching. A big tip from the majority though was to come late afternoon. In the morning and middle of the day they said it was very quiet. But in the late afternoon and night is when it comes alive because of the lights and the shows. So after breakfast we swam in the pool for a bit. We ventured down the road a little bit for lunch. Before leaving for Grand World, we had ice coffees at a restaurant across the road from the resort. Even though we only had coffees, they still brough out watermelon. I knew it wouldn’t taste too well after the coffee but Kelly did finish it.
We got a grab to Grand World. The first feature was the Bamboo legend. A pretty big structure made entirely of bamboo. We then walked through the park next to it. The park had quite a few different sculptures scattered around which were all unique. Then we headed into the main part where the canal was. As soon as we went in, there was a long line for the gondola ride. We walked along the canal for a bit. It was like a mix of Venice and Amsterdam. The canal of course was like Venice with their gonadola boats. While the buildings looked just like the colourful buildings of Amsterdam. There were a few bridges along the canal connecting both sides which made for some good photos.
We got towards the end of the canal and found another place to catch the gondola which was a lot quieter than the other line at the entrance. We asked about prices and it was all confusing, the language barrier meant he couldn’t really explain things in a way we could understand. There were people waiting behind us so we didn’t want to take too long trying to figure out what he was saying. From what we understood, he was saying that we had to get some sort of package/bundle where we could ride the gondola, see a show and get entry to the Teddy Bear Museum. However we didn’t want any of that and just wanted the gondola ride. He did say a price but of course it was pricey for what it was. We hung around though debating on whether or not we really wanted to do this and if it was worth it. In the end we said we could look around then revisit it later.
A random cart driver came up and asked us if we wanted a ride on the cart and have a tour of Grand World. I asked how much and he was said 400k. I said thanks, but not at the moment. We headed back to the entrance of Grand World as Kelly wanted to check out the timings for the shows. The main light show wasn’t on until 2130 which is pretty late. There were a few free small shows from time to time. There was one starting in about 20mins. Since we had time, we headed back to the park to walk around and take a few more pictures of the sculptures.
We then walked back to the entrance of Grand World to see a mini show. There were jugglers who would do a dance and also had some people on stilts. It was short and sweet. We then decided to do a tour of the place via the cart. We found a driver and I asked if we could do a tour for both of us for 200k. He said yes. So we managed to halve the price from the original driver. We got in and he started driving. We got a bit worried though because he was leaving Grand World and was heading to the hotels and Casino. I stopped him but he assured us saying he was just taking around the whole place. So we kept going. We did go back to Grand World and it was huge. It just kept going. The canal is only the start really. The roads and shops go on for ages. The busy part of course is where the canal is. We drove to the beach just in time for sunset and managed to get a good photo.
We jumped back on the cart and kept going with the tour. By this time it was dark and the lights had lit up the entire place including the canal. It made for a very nice setting. It was almost a cross between Vivid and Europe. The driver was also kind enough to stop at particular places to get some photos of us.
After the tour we decided to have some food. We walked along the canal looking for something. One thing to keep in mind is there are a lot of workers there trying to get your business so they will come up to you asking if you want a massage and saying their special prices. There are also waiters and waitresses trying to get you to eat at their restaurants too showing their menus. This actually worked on me because a waitress said they have all this food, I asked if they had pizza and she said yes in delight and was showing me the menu. Of course it was up to Kelly if she could find something she liked on the menu. She did, so we sat beside the water. The pizza was ok. Definitely not up to Italian quality by any means but at least it wasn’t bad. The owner said hello as well and even took some photos for us! After dinner I still wanted my rolled ice cream. It was something I had discovered in Thailand and pretty much became obsessed with it. Definitely something to lookup and of course try if you ever see it.
Day 5 | Golden Topaz > SOL By Melia
Today we were checking out of our current resort and checking in to our new resort. We were currently in the North of the Island and we were heading South to see and do tours on the south side. We thought this would be a good idea so we can try a different hotel plus we won’t be sitting in a van for so long when doing south island tours. We didn’t do much at all in the morning, just slowly packed our bags up. We checked out but left our luggage at reception. We walked down the road to have lunch. We still had a bit of time so we walked to the beach for once last time. We got back to the resort and Kelly wanted to do a foot massage. So we did a 60min one. It wasn’t just the foot but they also did the legs as well. It was good. A little painful because my legs are really tight and they were definitely working those parts. After the massage we got a grab and to our new resort.
The grab drivers are mostly friendly. This one in particular kept calling me ‘Mr Neal’. He was asking what life was like in Australia because he wanted his daughter to go over there. He was asking about what jobs she could do and what she should study as she was still young. We asked about her English skills and he said she was very good, she learn’t from Tv.
We arrived at the hotel and there was a guard who opened Kelly’s door. Then a concierge came out and grabbed our bags. I am not used to this sort of luxury service. We walked into reception and it was nice, spacious with big glass windows. We went up to the counter to check in. At that time it was just after 1500 and there was a saxophone player playing music as part of their afternoon tea. It was actually a bit annoying as it was loud and there was a bit of a language barrier so myself and the receptionist were almost politely yelling at each other to finalise check in. They provided some information, but it just felt like it wasn’t as informative as the previous resort.
We headed up to our room. We were on the top floor. The front door looked a bit old, but once we went in, it was very nice. Although part of the bathroom was see through glass with only a bit of frosting in the middle to not be able to see the other person have a shower. We had a balcony that had ocean views. We started unpacking, but of course Kelly was thinking about dinner already. We were trying to connect to the WiFi to look at what was around us. However it was like the signal wasn’t strong at all where we were. We could connect but when we tried to do anything internet wise, nothing would happen. I went down to reception and asked them, they put me on the ‘VIP’ WiFi. I connected and it was working. They said if I have issues to call reception. I went back up to the room. It was still the same thing. I was connected but not enough signal to actually do anything. I rang reception twice and no answer both times. I went back downstairs again and they were contacting their IT team and said they will restart the WiFi and that it could take around 20mins.
I went back up stairs and we decided to check out the pool and go for a swim. We didn’t know where to get towels from and I didn’t want to deal with reception again, so Kelly went and asked. But again, this could’ve been said during the check in. We walked through some gardens to get to the pool. There’s a bar at the pool as well. We grabbed towels and found empty lounge chairs but they were towards the kids shallow pool area. There was no one there though which was nice. We went into the pool and it was a bit shallow. It was one depth the entire pool. Considering we’re not the tallest people and I was finding it shallow, means that it was shallow. We headed to the end of the pool. From there, you could see a road and then there was beach with lounge chairs. We were only in the pool for 5mins when the saxophone player started playing at the pool area. We were both a little annoyed as we just wanted some peace and quiet and the music was a bit loud. Nothing against the saxophone player, he was very talented but just not what we wanted.
We grabbed our towels and headed to the beach to escape it. The beach was pretty much empty. Most people were in the pool. The beach wasn’t the clearest though and it was very shallow. The only people in the water were just people taking selfies. We did stay a bit for the start of sunset. We then headed back to the room to shower and decide on dinner. The WiFi was working but wasn’t very good at all. The resort had restaurants, we knew that it would be a bit pricey but we decided to try it just this one time. It was something like 2 kitchens in one place. So you can choose from a Mexican or Spanish kitchen. We had chips and guacamole for entree. I had a chicken taco and then we shared a vegetarian paella so we got food from both kitchens. I had some beers which cost 85k. Comparing this to the price of beers at the previous resort which was 20k.
Day 6 | 3 Islands Snorkelling Tour (John’s Tours)
This morning was our first breakfast at the resort. We headed downstairs and it was huge. They had everything from Indian, Western and Asian plus even soup. There was an egg bar as well so went straight there. An omlette and garlic fried rice became my usual. I did have pancakes and waffles too. Kelly would always try a few different things but always had a second plate of fruit. After breakfast we grabbed our snorkels then headed downstairs where we got picked up. We then drove to Sunset town. We drove around for a bit, the driver was making phone calls. It became apparent that he was lost. I thought he was lost getting to the boat but we ended up picking up some more passengers and he wasn’t sure where the hotels were. Once they were picked up we headed to the pier. It felt a little chaotic. There were cars, people, buses. It was pretty busy with a lot going on. The tour guide was getting us to follow him but as we headed towards the boat, there were people selling things and some of the other tourists were interested and wanting to buy, but the tour guide was hurrying us up. We realised because the driver was lost, we were the last ones the boat was waiting for.
We got on the boat at the bottom deck and there were tables and chairs but none were empty. We headed upstairs to the second deck and managed to find a spare seat. The boat took off and we headed for the first island. Along the way we could see the cable car that was on our itinerary. We put sunscreen on and ended up chatting to some others that were sharing the table. They were from Amsterdam. It took a while to get to the first island. They had blown up an inflatable slide from the top deck that landed in the water. I went in the water the normal way, but Kelly went on the slide. She was wearing her snorkel at the time so it looked pretty funny watching her slide down with the snorkel on. The water was nice and clear. it was deep but not too deep. There were a lot of little fish around.
We then heard the whistle to get back onto the boat. Then headed for the second island. This one was shallow with a fair bit of coral. They told us at the start to not stand or touch the coral. But of course we saw people standing on them. Because there was a lot of coral making the water shallow, it was a little hard trying to avoid touching it. Plus there’s no where to stand except on the coral if you’re fatigued. A lot of people wore life vests though so they could’ve easily floated. People started getting back on the boat early and we were one of the last ones in the water. We got back on the boat and people were handing back their rented snorkels. We realised that that was it for snorkelling. When we got back to our stuff on the top deck, others had take our seats. We found out that there wasn’t really enough tables or chairs for everyone for lunch. Kelly had put down vegetarian and there was a vegetarian table downstairs so we headed down. I didn’t mind eating the vegetarian food but was annoyed that people had taken our seats. We stayed at the table as we headed to the third island.
The third island was a little built up. It was just a beach with a small section to swim in. It was mainly for doing activities like jet skiing and parasailing. You even had to pay to use the lounge chairs. Kelly and I walked up the beach and found a nice shaded spot on the sand to put our towels down and lied there. We watched the people doing the activities and there was a unique one, where you lie on a paddleboard and a drone takes photos of you from above. All that just for some photos. Others were doing it though. We went in for a bit of a swim but there were a few rocks around and the water wasn’t that calm. There were jet skis constantly going by as well but the swimming section was separated for safety. While we were in the water, we saw the group of people who had taken our seats at lunch time walking up the beach. I knew that they’d set up near us and of course they did. They set up in front of us. Wasn’t bad enough they took our seats but also had to setup near us as well. We were told the time to be back on the boat otherwise you’d be left behind on the island. So when the time came we headed back to the boat. We must have been the last tourists on the island because once we started leaving the island, it was empty.
We got our original seats back as the group had gone back to the front of the boat on the deck chairs. I was hoping they all got sunburnt. It took about an hour to get back to the pier. Once we did get back, the boat was trying to squeeze in between two boats to dock. The tyres were rubbing on both sides. It took a while to squeeze in but finally did. We jumped on a bus and headed back to our resort. We wanted to do laundry and we asked reception about this. They said there was a piece of paper in our room which had prices. When we went into our room and looked at the prices. It was insane. It was 40k for each pair of underwear. Just for underwear! We had shorts, shirts plus we wanted to wash our plane clothes which were pants as well. We roughly calculated it and it would be almost 1Mil for doing laundry. Luckily the WiFi was working at this point and I managed to find a laundry place nearby. They had a Whatsapp number so I messaged them asking for their price. They said 40k per kilo. Then they asked if they could come and meet in the lobby to pick it up in 10min. I said yes so we quickly put everything we wanted washed in a bag and met the guy downstairs. He said it would be ready the next morning.
At the same time, Kelly found a place to have dinner. It was called the Iris cafe. I had fried rice with crab, yet again, while Kelly had tofu lemongrass. We both thought the meals were very good. We went for a short walk up the main road and found a place called ‘Premium Gelato. I had tiramisu and Kelly had Vietnamese coffee and both were good too.
Day 7 | Sunworld (Cable Car)
During breakfast, the laundry place messaged saying that our laundry was ready to be dropped off to us. They said it was 150k, and we washed everything we used. So much more cheaper than paying probably 4 times that much through the resort. They were at the lobby within 10mins. So simple, so cheap. So highly recommend finding another local laundry service instead of going through the resort.
We ordered a grab and we were headed to sunset town. Before we got there, the driver asked if we had tickets yet. We said we didn’t have tickets yet, so he stopped the car along the road and there was, what looked like a third party ticket seller. They wanted cash and we were a bit unhappy about that because the tickets were a bit pricey and and didn’t want to use the cash we had. But in the end we did. We were wondering if we got ripped off doing it that way, but when we got to the actual cable car entrance, it was the same price. But we would’ve been able to pay by card if we went to the actual ticket gate. There wasn’t even a line to buy tickets. We went through a small security check then lined up. Had our photo taken in case we wanted to buy it. Even though there was a line, it wasn’t very big and we didn’t wait too long.
Soon enough it was our turn to jump onto the moving cable car. It was pretty big. Fits about 30 people. There’s seats all around and in the middle too. It wasn’t cramped either. The ride was pretty cool. You ride over the ocean and over some small islands. It was almost like being in a drone and looking directly down. It was pretty high up but not scary in the slightest bit. It does take a bit of time to get to the end though, maybe 15-20mins.
Sunworld has a few rides and a waterpark itself. Of course, first thing we did when we got there was to find the roller coaster and ride it. We had our backpacks with us. When we got to the entrance of the rollercoaster they showed us lockers to put our backpacks in. They were face recognition. It was pretty cool. Just as we were about to go in, there was a family with 2 kids who were going in, but the son was too short so wasn’t able to go on. We went in and climbed on. It was all very wooden like, different to the one at Vinwonders. It wasn’t as steep or as fast, but still a bit of fun. I did notice a camera so I smiled while going past it. After the ride we went back to the entrance and we looked at the photo. Kelly didn’t know about the photo and she looked like she was scared. It was adorable and funny with me just smiling and having a good time. Kelly didn’t like the photo though.
The next ride was called ‘Eagle' Eye’. It was like a tall tower that goes up and spins, at a slow pace. It’s not really a ride, just something to provide a view of the entire island. From up there we saw the hotels and resorts being built. There’s a lot of construction going on and they’re all right in front of the nice part of the beach of course. After that, we headed to the waterpark. The locker system was better. They gave me a wrist band which you swipe against the lock of the locker that unlocks it. So we didn’t have to keep asking someone to get our backpacks for us. We did some slides with the double donuts. Then we joined a couple because we needed 4 for a quad donut ride. Then we went into the wave pool and we were swimming towards the front but the lifeguards started blowing their whistle as we had crossed some line, which was hard to see underwater. I did manage to catch some waves, although I didn’t really get far. We found some lounge chairs to lie on and dry off for a bit. Once we were dry we grabbed our backpacks and headed out of the theme park but to the park area to find some lunch.
There weren’t much choices around. We were looking at the menu of one place but they said, only the items with a tick next to them were available. And that didn’t leave much choice. There was no pizza. Kelly asked about getting a drink and they said, she’d have to order that drink next door. It didn’t make any sense. In the end I got chicken skewers and a pepsi while Kelly just had a sugar cane juice and ate some snacks she brought. We saw a small dancing show as we were leaving.
The cable car back was quiet. If we waited we could have even had one to ourselves. We got back to the resort and went down to the pool. It was busy and there were a group of Aussies there being loud and obnoxious. They were playing ball games taking up the entire pool. Kelly and I went into the pool and were at the back of it. Another couple came in and were close to us and we heard them complaining about the Aussies being loud. We wanted to get a drink but the pool bar was busy with the Aussies so we went to the bar in the lobby and got cocktails in take away cups. Went back to the pool and drank them there. The saxophone player started playing again so we went to the beach again. After a bit of swimming we had a shower then got ready for dinner.
For dinner we headed to the night markets. It was busy, lots of people as you can imagine. It didn’t feel as big as the ones in Thailand though. There was a guy trying to get people to eat at his new restaurant. We looked at the menu. He was nice and spoke very good English, but wasn’t pushy. We wanted to check out some other things first so we said we’d be back. Went walked a bit more but didn’t find much. So we went back and when he saw us again he was so happy and led us in to sit us down at a table. We both had fried rice, mine with crab and Kelly’s with vegetables. She said that was one of the best meals she had in Vietnam. Mine was good too, but you can’t go too wrong with fried rice and crab. It was cheap too and the beers were once again 20k. So good. After dinner, of course I had to find rolled ice cream which wasn’t hard at all. We then went for short walk. There was water and boats so we walked along the water and found a some nice lighting features around. Just a shame the kids were in the photo.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Pearl Farm
After breakfast, we were picked up by a private car. There wasn’t a bus. We got dropped off at the pearl farm and met the rest of the group there. It was a bit weird but ok. There was a worker there telling us the history of pearls and boats that pearl farmers used. They even had a replica sized boat in the middle of the room. The worker had a microphone but even with that on, the amount of people and talking going on, we still missed some things that she had said.
We then moved on to another room where she opened up oysters and got the pearls from them. She told us some facts about how long it takes for different sized pearls to grow. At the end she asked a question and said who ever answers it gets a prize. I answered it right and got a free pearl bracelet. That it was it for the talk, we walked around the factory/farm. There were fossils there, coral and shells which looked cool and dates back thousands for years. Then of course we ended up at the gift shop. There were heaps of jewelry there, of course most were pearls. I’m not really a pearl fan though and neither is Kelly. At the exit, we ended up sitting down and waiting until it was time to get in the van.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Sim Wine Factory
Kelly and I were in the back seat of the van and the aircon vent was broken so we weren’t getting any aircon really. It was hot too. Our next stop was the Sim Wine factory. It wasn’t quite like the wineries back in Australia. It was a small garden with some trees. There was also an amazing house which was the owners house. It looked amazing. We then went into the shop and did some tasting. We had a taste of one with honey which was nice. Then there was a 30% alcohol one which was strong.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Pepper Farm
Next stop was a pepper farm. The pepper trees were lined up just like a winery. A few people tasted the pepper straight from the tree, along with Kelly. They said it was pretty strong. We learn’t about the colours too and which colour represented which state the pepper was currently in. We then went inside the shop to do some more tasting of the different kinds of pepper.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Pagoda Temple
The next stop was at a temple. Females had to wear a skirt to cover their knees, but the shoulders were fine. We made our way to the top. It wasn’t anywhere near as difficult as the Tiger cave temple, but it was still hot. After a few pictures and some exploring we were making our way back through a pathway and Kelly saw a snake. It slithered away quickly though. Walking down the steps back to the entrance, there was a really nice view of the ocean.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Sao Beach - Lunch
Our next stop was for lunch at Sao beach. We had read that this was one of the best beaches on the island. When we got there, we sat down at a table. They brought out lunch. And they kept bringing out food. There were 5 of us at the table and we couldn’t eat all of it, in fact I don’t think we made much of a dent with some dishes. Felt a little bad. But once lunch was finished we were told we could go for a swim or do whatever and they gave us a time to be back in the van. While we were putting sunscreen on, some workers came, saw our food and started eating some things. They would squat behind the tables next to us, I think this was so they wouldn’t get caught eating. But I was more than happy for them to eat whatever they wanted as we were finished.
We walked towards the sand and you could tell straight away why people would say this is one of the best beaches. The sand was very white and smooth, the water was crystal clear. There were lounge chairs where the bars and other restaurants were, but of course you had to pay for them. So we found a nice quiet area on to put our stuff down. We went into the water but once again, the water was warm so it wasn’t quite refreshing. There were always some cold pockets under water so I was always trying to find them. But the water was so clear. Soon enough it was time to dry off and head back to the van.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Fish Sauce Factory
We then arrived at the fish sauce factory. We sat down and they showed a quick documentary. Honestly, I can’t remember much about it. Just that they would cut branches from the forest on the island and use those to seal the barrels. We then taste tested a few of the sauces. It tasted like patis, a fish sauce they we would occasionally have when I was younger. It was a bit salty on its own but it does go well with fish.
We then went next door to where they were making the sauce in the barrels and the smell was pretty overpowering. Kelly and a few others couldn’t stand it. It smelt like the fish markets but about 10x as potent. We didn’t stay too long there.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Coconut Prison
We jumped back into the van and the tour guide was saying that we had a long drive to our next destination. I could tell he was joking though. We ended up crossing the road and we were at the coconut prison. I thought we were just going to explore the prison on our own. But the guide took us for a proper guided tour and told us the history of it and the torture technics that were used. It did sound very intense and a little sad that people were put through all that. He told us the story of how some prisoners escaped by digging a tunnel. We went down some stairs and there was a cut out in the wall which depicted the actual size of the tunnel and how far they had to dig and crawl to escape. In the end he said about 200 escaped alive that was known. There were probably many others that escaped but might have died from lack of food, or water.
Day 8 | South Island Tour | Sunset Town
Our last stop for the tour was Sunset Town. We had been here briefly because this is the place where you catch the cable car from. We walked around a bit. Our tour guide had mentioned that two wealthy Vietnamese went to Europe. They came back and wanted to bring Europe along with them. One created Vinwonders and the theme parks. The other created Sunset town to make it look like Europe. Although it did look like Europe, it did feel a bit artificial. I mean, when you compare it with actual Europe and buildings that are thousands of years old, you can’t help but feel and tell that it seems a bit fake.
However he said because of these attractions, it has turned the island around and is now a destination for tourists. It has brought economy and life to the island. It does look picturesque and makes for great photos.
Day 8 | Dinner
Sunset Town, was the last stop for the tour. We were dropped off at our resort fairly early. There was another couple on the tour that were staying at Movenpick (north side where we went on day 1) and the tour guide said it would probably take an hour or so by the time they get dropped off. So it was definitely good we moved to the south side of the island. Because the food was good at Iris cafe the other night, we went back there again. This time we had pizzas which were ok, but once again not the same as back home. The other night when we first went to Iris, we turned right and walked up the road where we found premium gelato. This time we turned left and went for a short walk. We found a mart and bought drumsticks. We looked for a place to stop and eat it and found a pickleball court and ate while watching some pickleball action.
Day 9 | Snorkelling Tour
This morning after breakfast, we were picked up for another snorkelling tour. We picked one last couple up near sunset town then made our way to the boat. This tour was a small group and it was on a speedboat. It was a lot faster than the big boat we were previously on. This tour was a guided snorkelling tour. There were a few guides with us and they were very informative and also very protective of the ocean environment. We stopped at a shallow bay to familiarise ourselves with the equipment including fins. After everyone was comfortable we headed to the first stop which was coral mountain and coral hill. We split into three groups. Kelly and I were with another couple and followed a guide. There were two friends and another women and they followed another guide. Then there was another couple there who weren’t too comfortable with snorkelling and were wearing life vests. They had their own instructor guiding them and taking them around.
There was a lot of coral around. It was actually the same place as where we stopped on the first snorkelling tour. But we got to explore more since we were swimming all over the area. We were also there early so there wasn’t anyone one around. Once again because the coral was big, the water would be shallow and we would have to make sure we’d be swimming with our bellies down to not touch the coral. It was pretty cool to see. Then we swam to a different area where we saw coral hill. It was this really big coral in the middle of the water. The guide said if you dive down to the surface of it and start waving your hand just above it, it moves with your hand movement. I tried it a few times and couldn’t really see it moving.
We jumped back on the boat and headed to the second stop. At this stop it was next to an island. There were rocks on the left hand side. We followed the rocks and saw a lot more fish at this stop but also still a lot of coral too. It was deeper though and the water was crystal clear. Once we got to the end, we turned around and swam back. When we got to the start, I jumped back on the boat. Kelly and a few others stayed in for a bit longer enjoying the views.
Once everyone was back in, we headed to another island. And it was in fact the same island we were at on the first snorkelling tour as well. When we got off the boat, we were led to some tables where we had iced coffee and mangos. We had a bit of time there but we didn’t go for a swim. Afterwards we got back on the boat and headed back to the wharf. We got dropped off at our hotel and it was lunch time. The tour was only a half day tour. We didn’t really want to go back out again to get lunch so we had lunch at the Shack at the resort. It was mainly burgers there, there was only one vegetarian option on the menu but Kelly didn’t like the sound of it so she ended up just having fries. It’s shame as there’s only one place that’s opened on the resort for lunch and even the other options on there were limited.
Because it was still early afternoon, the pool was pretty quiet. We were able to find lounge chairs next to the pool and under shade. After lunch we got cocktails from the pool bar. I got a long island ice tea while Kelly got a Moscow mule. We finished the drinks in the pool then had a quick swim in the beach before heading back to the room. We got ready for dinner and Kelly found a restaurant called Garden Friendly House & Local Food. The food was nice. The area was big and spacious and was nicely, dimly lit. I had forgotten to take a picture at night time. But here is one from the next day. After dinner we went for a short walk up the road and Kelly found a massage place and suggested to do it the next day.
Day 10 | Free Day
Since today was our last full day, we didn’t have too much planned. But ended up fitting a bit in. After breakfast we caught a grab and was meant to be dropped of at a tshirt shop. However we got dropped off at the wrong place and I didn’t realise until we were already out of the car. We ended up going to Kingkong mart. We saw people everywhere with kingkong plastic bags. It was probably the largest supermarket on the island and I just wanted to see what it was like. We had to put our backpacks in lockers before we went in. We found some cheap things there, clothes especially. We were both looking for sunnies. There weren’t any mens sunnies, even though I asked a worker there. Kelly did end up buying sunnies though.
Afterwards I looked up where the tshirt shop was and it would be about a 20min walk. But no grab would take us because it would only be a 3min drive. So we ended up walking there. It was long and hot. But once we were there, the shop was nice and cool. I did buy two singlets so I was happy. We found one of those carts on the street and caught that to the massage place Kelly had found the night before. We got an aloe vera full body massage. It was nice, different, a little painful at times. We didn’t get massages in Thailand so we made sure to get one here. We did come out feeling relaxed.
For lunch, we just went across the road. Very convenient. We had iced coffees, while I got a chicken burger and Kelly got Bahn mi tofu. After lunch we headed to Khem beach. It was another popular beach. There were a few fancy looking bars/restaurants along the beach. We found a quieter spot away from them. There were lounge chairs there. We put our stuff there but no one came to ask us to pay. The water was just as clear and nice as Sao beach. But once again, the water was warm and not so refreshing. There was a resort nearby and quite a few people were hiring kayaks and paddling around. We then headed back to the resort. For dinner, Kelly found a vegetarian only restaurant so we went there. I had some vegetarian spring rolls while she had some sort of vegetable soup. She said it tasted amazing.
We headed to the night market afterwards. I found a stall and got a chicken skewer. It was the same price for a beer. They heated it up in a pan and added some sauce to it. It was so nice. Then of course for our last night we got rolled ice cream again.
Day 11 | Last Day
After breakfast, Kelly went for a swim and lounged at the pool, enjoying the every last bit of it. I started packing. We checked out of the hotel but left our luggage there. We got a grab and went to have lunch back near the same place as the day before, across the road from the massage place. Kelly was joking that we should get another massage. Maybe she wasn’t actually joking. As we were having lunch, Kelly spotted a picture hanging in the restaurant and it was the Dinh Cau temple. A temple on the water. We looked it up and it looked nice. It was actually about a 5 min drive from where we were. We had time before we had to be at the airport so we caught a grab and set two locations. The temple then the resort. So we got to the temple and walked up. It was very short, we got a few photos before jumping back in the car and heading back.
Once we got back to the resort we grabbed our luggage then ordered another grab. The good thing about this resort, was the airport was only a 10min drive away. We got there and there was already a line. There was only one desk opened so it was taking a while. Finally they opened up a second desk and the line moved quicker. Once we checked in we walked around a bit but being a small airport, there wasn’t too much around. The flight was delayed, again. I wasn’t surprised at this point. We waited maybe an extra 30mins in the end. The flight back to Ho Chi Minh is quick. Maybe only 40mins or so. When we landed, we found a place to have dinner. Then we headed down stairs to the waiting area at our gate.
Our flight was supposed to be taking off at 2050. The time on the board said 2050. We boarded maybe 2120. No announcements no change in timings, no communication. People were standing and lining up before 2050. Once again, I wasn’t surprised, you can’t do much anyway, no point getting angry. But you still can’t help but feel a little annoyed. I don’t think I slept much at all on the flight back. The food was terrible as well. Tasted like plastic. Once we landed it didn’t take too long to go through customs, get our bag and head home. It didn’t feel too cold when we went out side which was good.
Conclusion |
It was of course a fun and enjoyable trip. There were a few negatives but the positives did outweigh them. You never know what you’ll experience when travelling and that’s just half the fun of it. There’s always something to learn as well. There may not be too much we’d do differently. Some things you can’t avoid like poor airlines and airport queues. We did try and research about the island. There wasn’t too much information though so maybe this post will help some others out when looking at visiting there. We did go in the shoulder season, the start of the wet season. It only ever rained at night time and was usually sunny and hot by morning. We also got cheap accommodation because of this. The food and definitely the beer were cheap, but most Asian countries are like that. With all the construction going on, it’s bound to blow up in tourism especially if you can stay at Sunworld. Worth checking out even if it’s just a few days as part of a bigger trip to the mainland.
