The coastline of the tiny island of Phu Quoc would have been eminently impressive even without the embellishments that make themselves evident every few hundred meters or so. The largely flat terrain does also have gentle hiking trails through the jungle, and these are available as a part of, or exclusive to, package tours.
Little did I know that my South Phu Quoc tour would take me to virtually every important site of attraction in the span of a day, but the cherry on the cake had to be the Ho Quoc Pagoda- an exquisitely beautiful Buddhist temple built atop a hill—providing the little bit of hiking that I wanted to incorporate into my hectic itinerary. In the bright sunshine, the colors came alive as they contrasted sharply with the cerulean sky.
Overlooking the sea, there are steps descending from the pagoda across the main road and on to the shoreline, with stone benches skirting the gentle slope and shaded by casuarinas, that allow one to immerse fully in the peace and tranquility of this extraordinary spot. Walking down to the beach, one is struck by the flat rocks crisscrossed by rivulets that allow the sea to dance in the narrow cracks. One could spend hours here but I had to make my way back to the tour bus taking us to our lunch venue, the magical Sao Beach.
After an absolutely sumptuous meal elaborately presented yet light on the stomach—as Vietnamese cuisine usually is—we had a few hours to spare for a swim and a siesta. The sea here is gentle, and like a baby dozing off to its mother’s lullaby, I found myself floating in the shallow clear waters of the mini lagoons dotting the entire stretch of this magnificent white sand beach.
Your photos are excellent!
Thanks, glad you liked them!