Tag: resort

Spending my 25th Birthday at a Hut in Vietnam (Part 1)

When people think of tropical destinations in Asia, Vietnam usually isn’t high on the list.  Most people in Japan flock to Okinawa, Thailand, Philippines, Guam, or even the Gold Coast in Australia for vacation.  I wanted to experience something different so I decided to fly to Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam from Hanoi and stay in a beach hut on my 25th birthday in 2018.  This was one of my first times staying on a remote island alone, but it was completely safe and turned out to be one of the best birthdays of my life!

I stayed on Phu Quoc for four days and three nights and managed to learn a lot about the island culture of Vietnam.  Being here is completely different than from being in the city which is truly eye-opening.  In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh you’ll get a lot of stares and attention from the locals, but here you’ll find complete and total privacy:

Getting to Phu Quoc

A roundtrip flight from Hanoi to Phu Quoc only costs $65 through VietJet and takes two hours so it is quite cheap and easy to plan out.  I’ve researched other islands in Vietnam such as Cat Ba, but Phu Quoc is by far the most beautiful.  Long Beach is the best place to stay on the island because it has a lot of restaurants and you can see the best view of the sunset.  The beach looks pretty 24/7, but swimming in the ocean and watching the sky turn that lovely mixture of pink, blue, and red makes it feel as if you are living inside of a painting:

The island hut I stayed at was called Viet Than Resort.  I chose this resort because I liked the design of the thatched huts and it was only around $35 per night.  Plus it was right on the beach and had a swimming pool too!  I came during the off-season in October, but I still had a lot of fun here because the weather was perfect.  I spent my entire first day here exploring Long Beach and going swimming.  It was definitely the relaxation that I needed after several days of trekking through the populated cities.

Cuisine on Phu Quoc is cheap, healthy, and extremely satisfying.  I tried a restaurant near my hotel and ordered seafood ramen and an omelette.  After hours of swimming, this was exactly what I needed!

Another perk of staying here is you’ll often run into Phu Quoc dogs.  An islander informed me that these dogs are friendly towards people but completely independent.  They’ll let people wash and feed them, but they spend most of their time frolicking on the beaches.  I wish I were a Phu Quoc dog!

Unlike places in Thailand and Bali, Phu Quoc is NOT a party island.  It does have a lot of bars and places to socialize, but you won’t find any recreational drugs here.  I really wish that there were more islands in Japan like this.  I went to Okinawa for my first birthday in Japan and had fun, but it does not have a lot of beach huts and the best beaches require renting a car or riding a infrequent bus to reach.  I liked Phu Quoc because everything was accessible, and if I needed to get somewhere I could use Grab or ask my hotel to call a cheap taxi service.  This would honestly not be a bad place to retire.

In my next article, I’ll be talking about my island tour and how I rode a cable car to Sun World!  Thank you all for reading my Vietnam article series!  Though this happened almost 2 years ago, this island is still a very popular resort destination and a place that I would recommend to all my friends.  It’s really easy to have fun here no matter what your budget is.

Strolling through Sentosa Island (Singapore)

Sentosa Island, dubbed “The State of Fun”, is a great getaway for both thrill seekers and those looking to unwind at beaches or resorts.  It also has rain forests, theme parks, and a giant Merlion observatory where you can see a beautiful panoramic view of the island.  The majority of the island is reachable on foot, but you can take cable cars from one end to the other.  Though some parts of the island are quite touristy, the beaches are never overcrowded, so I highly recommend traveling here to see them.

The best way to access this island is to travel from Mount Faber Station via cable car to Sentosa’s Mount Imbiah Station because you get the best views and most exciting experience.  However, taking the MRT is a cheaper option.  I decided to get the Cable Car Free & Easy Package they were selling at the entrance to the cable cars so I had unlimited rides and access to two attractions on the island.  This package was priced at $55 (SIN), and seemed to be overall worth it.

The view I managed to get from riding the cable cars was truly amazing!  I loved looking down at the sparkling pools and seeing the architecture of the massive theme parks:

Upon arrival, I decided to make my way to Sentosa’s most scenic beach, Palawan Beach.  Sentosa has a total of three beaches you can visit, but Palawan is hands down the most popular due to its famous suspension bridge you can cross to climb a wooden watchtower.  Even though I went to the beach on a weekend, it still wasn’t overly crowded and I had a lot of room to swim.  If you come, be sure to bring some water to be hydrated, as most of the restaurants are located closer to the station rather than the beachfront.

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In addition to this beautiful palmed-lined beach, you can also see Siloso Beach and Tanjong Beach, which are a bit more remote but definitely a great change of scenery.  You can also check out some of the many attractions that Sentosa Island has; everything from animal encounters to skydiving.  I chose to go to the Merlion Observatory and seeing an amazing view from its gaping mouth, as well as take the Skyride down to the beach area.  There are activities for all different interests and age groups available, so you have a lot to choose from.

The Sentosa Merlion is a lot bigger than the one in central Singapore and is definitely worth checking out!  You can learn some of the history of the country and also why the Merlion was chosen as its courageous symbol.  It has two galleries; one from atop its head and one from its mouth.  Both are very fun to check out.  In addition, you also get a card to receive a lucky gift from the Merlion!

I am very happy for my experience at the State of Fun because it was exactly the trip I needed to recharge from the bustling city life.