Phu Quoc Island

We are in our second full day on Phu Quoc Island in the Gulf of Thailand.  It is paradise.  It has been described as Phuket pre-development.  An international airport is underway, and Phu Quoc is poised for development.  This New York Times article inspired our visit.

We are staying at the Mango Bay resort.  It is perfect.  We have a private bungalow.  The bathroom is out back – shower, toilet and sink.  It is private and reminds me of the childhood joy of coming up from the beach and showering in the outdoor shower before dinner.  It is an “eco-friendly” resort and they pull down the mosquito net and set up the fans for you at night.  It is actually quite comfortable.  No TV, but we did watch Good Morning Vietnam on the iPad – neither of us had seen it.  (I’ve been trying to download the most recent Mad Men episode but the connection is way too slow – I’ve read all the summaries about how Peggy quit and I am dying to see it).

On our way to dinner on the first night here, I opened the bungalow door and heard a rustle in the dark bushes.  All I saw were the hind quarters of a beast and I ran into the bungalow and closed all the shutters and locked us in, imagining the scene with Jack Candy and the bear in the Great Outdoors.  Kim thought I was crazy.  She opened the door and ran back in.  It turns out that it was just a cow.  The farmers here let their cows walk all over the place and they come here to graze.  Actually, I find it funny how “cage-free” and “grass fed” are such a big deal in the U.S. – here all the livestock fits those marketing descriptions.

The food at Mango Bay is unreal.  I can’t begin to describe the amazing meals we’ve had at the resort restaurant – all overlooking the beach and watching the small waves crash into the rocks.  The cocktails are great too – a highlight was the lychee and cilantro gimlet.  And they don’t gauge you.  Certainly, the prices are more than eating in town  (which is a 20 minute drive on mostly unpaved roads), but all cocktails are about $5.00 and meals are no more than $10.  And they are fresh and delicious.

Yesterday we went on a snorkeling trip.   We left the resort at 7:20 am and spent almost two hours in a crowded mini-van on winding, bumpy and unpaved roads.  I fought motion sickness and soldiered through.  The day out on the boat was worth the van ride.  We snorkeled near Pineapple Island and had lunch on the boat.  The snorkeling wasn’t great; not the best visibility this time of year.  But I saw lots of parrot fish, urchins, angel fish, colorful coral (especially the purple kind) and a school of yellow tang.  We got back around 4:00pm, sun-kissed, and had massages.

Today has been a nice lazy day.  We’ve lucked out with the weather because it is the shoulder season and you never know how much rain you will get.  I’ve been chilling out and reading and writing between meals.  I started Blood, Bones and Butter and had has been a quick, engaging read.  There is wifi in the reception and restaurant/bar area, and I am sitting here, admittedly in a fish sauce-stained shirt, and making the most of the wifi connection.  Tomorrow, we fly back to Ho Chi Minh and Kim leaves after midnight; then I have to somehow get my mind back into work mode.