August 5 - 8, 2015 

My $50 flight left Saigon hours behind schedule so I landed in Phú Quốc super late. I booked a room at Khách Sạn Hiệp Thoại on Agoda for $20.62 and immediately took a taxi there. It was dark when I checked in, but the hotel was quiet, the room was clean, and the internet was fast. I woke up pleasantly surprised with a partial ocean view as my hotel was across the street from the beach.

Phu Quoc is a cheap island getaway with a ton of nature and water sports activities. Almost 70% of the island is protected as a national park, so it’s mostly covered in dense, tropical jungle. It’s also an island off the coast of Cambodia so it’s lined with white-sand beaches and palm trees.

There are plenty of dive operators on the island offering a variety of excursions for competitive prices. I did two dives for $90 with Mr. Willy. The beaches he took me to were gorgeous and the water wonderfully warm, but the visibility was poor during dives because of the rainy weather. Still had a great time that day. And, I made friends to visit the Dinh Cau Night Market with —which is worth the trip for a fresh seafood dinner.

It’s a beautiful place, but it’s definitely not a party place as there are just a few places to socialize scattered around the island, which are basically empty. It’s also difficult to get around on its rocky red dirt roads. What a great place to disconnect, though. I recommend getting a private bungalow. For example, Freedomland is a tiny resort in the jungle just a 15-minute walk from Ong Lang Beach. It’s an ideal place to unplug and unwind at a super low cost.