A rustic jewelled gem in the Gulf of Thailand.  If you are looking for an unspoiled destination then visit Phu Quoc.

Geographical Details:

Phu Quoc Island is only 25 miles (40km) off the south-west coast of Vietnam at the closest point, and is easily accessible by both air and boat.

When to visit:  Peak season is October to May.  I was there is November and the weather was lovely and mild.  It was slightly humid, but less than Durban. 

Getting there:    Vietnam Airlines fly direct from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at least nine times daily - the flight takes less than an hour and is very reasonably priced with return tickets costing up to about $200 return.  Do book your return flight at the same time, as I experienced catching a prop plane to the Mekong Delta and then disembarking for an hour before flying onto Saigon.

Currency:   Vietnamese Dong is used by with tourist a lot of prices in USD.  As of March 2010 the conversation for Rand to Dong is R1 = 2.5 VND

What to wear:  light clothing.  Mosquitoes are a problem so take something.   Before I left I was about take my anti-malarial medication but a friend convinced me to take large doses of Vitamen B each day instead.  I never got bitten like others did.   I lived in my costume and sarong and dressed up more at night.

Vaccinations Required: 

 What to see:

Phu Quoc is not very urbanized except the town around the airport.   The island is mainly known for pepper, fish sauce, shells and handicrafts.   I bought some really lovely horn salt and pepper pots at a shop close to the entrance of the airport. 

What to do:  scuba diving, snorkling, explore the island on motorbike.  The best thing about this island is that it's still relatively under developed and rustic with pockets of wonderful hotels to explore different restaurants each day - for each meal if you wanted to.

I stayed at Mango Bay.  www.mangobay.com

They have about 40 chalets that are built using the rammed earth method. 

		This is the restaurant