Yes, we finally made it to Phu Quoc.  It is a beautiful Vietnamese Island found off the coast of Cambodia!  Last year, we booked our tickets to visit the Island at the end of July 2020.  It wasn’t meant to be! The 2nd Covid 19 outbreak hit Danang and stopped us in our tracks.  It happened the weekend before our flight, and as we watched numbers rapidly increase, we were concerned about possible flight cancellations and the probability of being stuck on the Island.  Not the worst place to be trapped, but with pets at home and hubby’s work, we eventually decided it wasn’t worth the risk.

We took forever umming and ahing wondering when it would be safe to rebook our flight and eventually agreed TET holiday would be perfect for another family getaway.  Of course, as fate has it, ten days before our flight, the 3rd Covid 19 outbreak occurred. No refund or flight vouchers an option. We were faced with losing another flight for our 2nd Phu Quoc trip. We decided to wait till the day before the flight to make the final decision.  We watched the Covid updates and numbers and eventually agreed if we don’t go now, we won’t try going again.  The numbers seem to be under control, and we decided to risk it.  Bags packed, we were ready for some much needed “Vitamin Sea”.

We had an early start! 4 am wake up was not fun, but worth it in the end.  Masks on and bottles of hand sanitiser we were ready.

Arriving at Noi Bai airport, to our surprise, it was ghostly quiet. With no queues, Bamboo airline staff ushered us to the check-in counter.  Thankfully I was prepared with our online health declaration forms completed, which meant we had a fast check-in.  The passport control and security counters were also desolate, and we breezed through.  The Rascals were super surprised as they remembered the long lines they had to endure last year TET when we headed off to Singapore.  We boarded the aeroplane and headed to our seats allocated behind everyone, with an entire row in front of us free and ten rows behind us empty, making social distancing possible for our entire journey.  The flight arrived in Phu Quoc 30 minutes early, and as we arrived at the baggage turnstiles, our luggage was ready waiting. The flight was by far the smoothest flight we have ever experienced from departure to landing, what a pleasure!

Hopping into a taxi, our driver spoke decent English, and as he drove us to the Radisson Blu Hotel, situated on the Northern part of the island, he pointed out all the places we should stop and visit over the next few days.  It was a wonderful surprise to have a taxi driver proud to show off the best parts of his home town.

On arrival at the Radisson Blu Hotel, we found the staff welcoming, kind and helpful.  The check-in was speedy and efficient whilst we quenched our thirst with a complimentary refreshing Ice Tea. The staff quickly arranged our key cards for early check-in.  A Guest relations staff member accompanied us straight to our connecting rooms. She was an absolute gem. She showed us around, making sure we had everything we needed.  I can confirm the hotel has everything any family could desire, from excellent food, accommodating staff, kids centre, pool, dining, clean beach and immaculate gardens and surrounds. The hotel offers complimentary bicycle and kayak hire to keep their guests entertained during their stay.

The rascals woke up early, eager to start the day with a mighty buffet breakfast.  The Radisson Blu Phu Quoc did not disappoint. They laid out a fantastic spread.  They had a fresh fruit juice bar,  honey counter, pate and continental selection including delightful baked treats, and chef on hand to prepare your freshly made eggs to perfection, catering to any taste bud, including my fussy little eater.

Everyone’s tummies full! We were ready to put in our steps and explore the Safari Park.  Vinpearl Safari was by far the best Zoo I have seen, and all the animal enclosures were clean, large and had significant enrichment to keep the animals content.  The Rascals loved feeding the giraffe and Asian elephants. It was their highlight of the day. They also loved watching the Gibbons swinging between branches and trees, but most of all, listening to their calls.  All in all, a perfect outing for the whole family.

We ended the day with a swim, cocktails and early dinner at the pool bar before heading onto the beach for a sundowner to take in the beautiful sunset.

The following morning, after another hearty breakfast, Viet Jeep was waiting at reception to whisk us away in an authentic 1969 American Jeep.  The jeeps were used in the Vietnam war and left behind after the war ended in 1975. Our driver and guide Nguyen Phi Dung, had arranged to take us around the northern part of the island.

1st stop was the bee farm, but unfortunately, they were closed due to the Lunar New Year holiday.  We continued to the next stop, the Pepper Farm, where they farm black, white and red peppercorns. I had never really thought about where pepper comes from and found the tour interesting.  The trees produce pepper all year round, and once the fruit is ready to harvest, it is picked and left to sun dry for three days. You can see in the picture below a fruit bunch with mostly green fruit and the odd red fruit.  The green fruit, once dried, turns black into black pepper and the red fruit changes to a darker red, making it the spiciest peppercorn. Did you know that white pepper is actually a black peppercorn without the outer skin, and it is the mildest pepper flavour of all three?  Once the peppers have dried, the farmers will separate and package them ready to sell.  The Island produces about 1100 tones of organically farmed pepper annually. I suggest making a pepper farm tour a must-do on anyone’s visit to the Island.

Our tastebuds warmed, we were eager to cool off.  The Rascals were ecstatic to find out our guide was taking them to Rach Vem Bai or  StarFish Beach as it’s commonly known.  The beach is on the northeastern side of the island.  It is popular with the tourist as it has an abundance of red starfish.  We had to walk quite far out into the Gulf to find starfish. I was not expecting to wade far from the beach, thankfully; the water was warm around 30°C, the ideal temperature for me to get my clothes wet.  The water was clear, and we saw schools of small fish, several hermit crabs, and loads of live sand dollars everywhere we looked.  Starfish beach should be on your bucket list if you love marine life.

It would be rude of me not making sure we explore a small section of the Phu Quoc National Park which makes up 50% of the island, comprising of tropical rain forests, waterfalls, coral reefs, wetlands and other parts of the surrounding natural landscape.  My motto is, if there is a forest, we must explore and look for interesting trees, bugs, spiders and fungus. Thankfully for Cailyn, There were no bugs or spiders on the trail, and she did not need to do her unique ‘bug dance’, which she performs every time a bug flies or crawls past. We did enjoy listening to the sound of monkeys and birds in the distance and finding some unique looking trees, and taking in the fresh air.

Nguyen Phi Dung ended our tour taking us to Mui Ganh Dau Beach, the closest point to Cambodia.  You just need a big hop, skip and a jump, and you may find yourself on the Asian continent.  It was just a lookout spot for us as the tiny beach covered by litter was not inviting —interesting fact: Phu Quoc belonged to Cambodia and was taken over by Vietnam about 100 years ago.

The following morning, Viet Jeep collected us from the hotel. We had planned to spend the morning fishing with some locals. The Rascals were happy to be cruising on the Jeep again but mostly looking forward to a fun day on the beach and fishing in the shallows. They loved helping the local fishermen set out a small net for them to catch some fish and also cast their rods from the shoreline.   Hubby was happy to be out on the rocks casting his line out deeper, hoping to catch the ‘BIG ONE’. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. He had a few bites but only managed to land a dinky toy’😉. The rascals were ecstatic with their haul, even if it was only four small fish, but they were beautiful. All the fish were released to enjoy freedom again and grow to maturity.

On arriving back at the hotel, we were treated to a traditional Lion Dance performance to celebrate TET Vietnamese Lunar New Year Eve. The lion dance symbolises the removal of negative energies, because the lion is a creature believed to bring good luck, health, and prosperity. It was so loud you can feel the drum vibrations running through the ground and up through your body.  It’s always wonderful for the Rascals to witness the local cultures and traditions, and it’s a good world schooling opportunity.  Happy Lunar New Year or  Chúc Mừng Năm Mới 2021  in Vietnamese

Sadly, our final day on Phu Quoc Island and our travel plans had been disrupted with an eight-hour flight delay.  The rascals were a bit upset as they missed their pets and were looking forward to returning after lunch to collect their beloved #furbabies. Still, it was a small blessing and gave us some extra time for a final swim in the pool and play on the beach, making funny sand art before checking out and exploring the Southern part of the Island.

We booked a private car through Viet Jeep to take us around the Island and drop us off at the airport.  1st stop Dinh Cau Rock or Cau fishing pagoda and lighthouse, where the fishermen believe Thien Hau (the goddess of the sea) will protect them while fishing in the open ocean. Dinh Cau Rock is close to the Duong Dong Fishing Harbour, where we saw many fishing and tour boats. This will the best place to hop onto a tour boat if you want to go Island hopping, snorkelling, fishing or scuba diving.

Our driver headed over to the Pearl Farm, unfortunately, the tour was closed being a public holiday, but the shop was open to glimpse some stunning pearls.  Pearls are graded according to surface quality, luster, and perfection of shape, roundness and symmetry.  We saw some dazzling pearls and products.  Hubby treated me to a beautiful pair of pearl earings, and we bought our daughter her first pearl bracelet.

At our next stop, the driver gave us a tour of Coconut Prison. He was an excellent guide and explained that the prison was the largest in South Vietnam. He explained what the prisoners had to endure during their imprisonment at the facility. Coconut prison, as you see it today, is a museum and memorial, built with fake prison quarters and mannequins detailing their story. This was not a fun visit but historically an essential stop for us. The Rascals said it was creepy, but it was good for them to see and understand how brutal the wars were. The Americans soldiers were in charge of this this prison, and they had some brutal methods of torture. Of course, we all know the brutality happened in all prisoners of war, no matter which country was in charge.

The surrounding perimeter fence was made up of at least ten layers of barb wire, making it impossible to escape. The prisoners, however, did not give up and dug tunnels under the prison with metal spoons. The tunnels were tiny and only men weighing less than 40kg could move through. They say only 21 men escaped. Most escapees were recaptured and tortured again and again.

Our final stop before heading to the airport was Sao Beach the “crown jewels of Phu Quoc. I believe it could be, but as it seems with most public beaches in Phu Quoc, they are filthy and unloved, piles of litter everywhere. A pitty as the sand was snow-white and the water was emerald blue with some cute Instagramable frames and swings submerged during high tide which looked fun. We sat at the beach bar to take in the last view and wasting time before our flight.

We had another memorable family vacation, finding something fun for each of us to enjoy. Phu Quoc will be remembered as we made lifetime memories for our Rascals to look back on when they are older. If you are thinking about visiting the Island, I believe you will have an enjoyable stay. There is enough to do for a few days to enjoy the sights, beaches and food, and plenty of time for much-needed R&R