Falling in love with Phu Quoc, Korean reporter calls it 'Maldives of Vietnam'

Sunset Town is located in the South of Phu Quoc. European-style buildings and sculptures line the beachfront, creating a quaint setting.

Photo posted on Chosun Ilbo

"It's been a long time since I've had a night flight. After a 6-hour flight, we arrived in Phu Quoc at dawn. Without having time to feel the excitement of arriving in a new land, I went straight to my accommodation and climbed into bed. I never dreamed that a few hours later, I would wake up to the sparkling sunlight reflecting on the crystal clear turquoise sea" - Kim Ji-won opened her article emotionally.

This female reporter affirmed that Phu Quoc is still the "hottest" destination for domestic tourists when visiting Southeast Asia after the pandemic. She described: In just 10 years, the island in the southernmost part of Vietnam has gone from being a place with only pepper farms and fish sauce factories to becoming "the Maldives of Vietnam".

More than half of the island is still protected as a UNESCO biological reserve, maintaining a healthy natural environment. Especially the southern area of ​​Phu Quoc is developed under the investment of "Sun Group " - the largest tourism developer in Vietnam, giving visitors moments of comfortable relaxation on the beautiful beach and participating in exciting activities at the giant amusement park.

You can see the whole view of Phu Quoc covered by turquoise sea and green coconut trees from above in about 20 minutes.

"Falling in love" with Phu Quoc from the first moment we met

"When I opened my eyes, the sun rose from the horizon, dyeing the whole world pink, dispelling my fatigue. I put on light clothes and went out to the sea. Khem Beach was in front of me. The Vietnamese also call this Kem Beach. Among the many beaches in Phu Quoc, the sand is as soft as cream, hence the name" - Kim Ji-won explained and felt refreshed when feeling the fine sand grains slide between her toes, creating a "pushing" sound like cappuccino foam.

Most flights from South Korea to Phu Quoc land around 5-6am. If you decide to stay in the South, you cannot miss walking on the sandy beach and watching the sunrise at Kem Beach. Only 20 minutes by taxi from the airport, the crystal clear water, the soft sand touching your feet and the cool salty sea breeze will paint the first impression of Phu Quoc with all 5 senses. "From dawn to dusk, my heart is filled with the colorful sea" - a female reporter from Chosun Ilbo shared her feelings.

After the first minute of meeting, Kim arrived at Sunset Town - Sunset Town, which the female reporter called a European-style coastal village. It was definitely Vietnam but it felt like a Mediterranean coastal town. There were replicas of buildings you might see in Europe, with slightly faded yellow exterior walls, orange tiled roofs and arched windows. At first glance, the colorful buildings lining the hillside by the sea looked like the coastal towns of Cinque Terre in Italy.

If you want to take a "lifetime photo" in the colorful alleys of Sunset Town, Kim Ji-won advises you to be patient, because the highlight of your Phu Quoc trip is still waiting behind. After passing the building that resembles the Roman Colosseum, you will reach the cable car station leading to Hon Thom Island. The moment you step onto the 8km long cable car, said to be the longest in the world, you will be amazed. A beautiful view of the open sea and Sunset Town appears in the blink of an eye. The 20 minutes on the cable car pass by in the blink of an eye as you admire the ever-changing scenery below your feet. In particular, the fishing village where the locals live and the countless boats floating on the sea can only be seen from this cable car.

Reporter Kim Ji-won experiences walking on the beach

"Paradise of experience" to beat the heat

Arriving at Hon Thom Island, the Korean female reporter felt that this was almost a completely different world. The entire island was an amusement park, truly "a land of fantasy". The round-trip cable car ticket price for adults was 650,000 VND, equivalent to 35,000 Korean won. It seemed quite expensive compared to the price in Vietnam, but it turned out that the price included the entrance fee to the amusement park and water park on Hon Thom Island.

"While I was fanning myself under the hot sun, the local guide asked: "There is a way to cool down immediately. Do you want to try it?" Was it wrong for me to nod? With his guidance, we went to the roller coaster area. While still hesitating because of the creaking of the wooden rails and the screams of the first riders, the safety bar was lowered. I don't remember much about the next two minutes. The sweat running down my back gradually cooled down, my arms got goose bumps, so I was able to withstand the heat" - the first time experiencing the roller coaster on Hon Thom Island was vividly described by reporter Kim.

If you want to beat the heat even further, jump into the water park’s wave pool. The biggest advantage is that you can jump on the various water slides without having to wait in line. If you’re in Korea during peak seasons, you might have to wait over an hour. Since there aren’t many people, you can comfortably ride the tram through the lush palm trees.

There are many ways to enjoy activities on the sea instead of in the pool. If you take a small motorboat from Hon Thom Island for about 5 minutes, you will reach the “Sea Walking” experience center. By wearing a helmet similar to an astronaut’s helmet on your head, you can walk on the ocean floor and see fish and coral as if you were walking on land.

"For a moment, my ears were ringing, my breath was interrupted by the pressure of the water, I couldn't help but exclaim "Wow" when a school of hundreds of fish passed before my eyes. Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around, the diver in charge put something in my hand. It was a starfish living on a hard pink surface. It was amazing" - Kim Ji-won recounted her experience of diving to see coral at Hon Thom.

The play "Kiss of the Sea" is performed at the outdoor theater in Sunset Town

Magical love moments under the sunset

In the late afternoon, reporter Kim quickly took the cable car back and arrived at the Kissing Bridge before sunset. This bridge was designed by Italian architect Marco Casamonti, and is a bit unusual. The two 400m long bridges face each other, 30cm apart. It can be said that this is a live-action version of the Ojakgyo Bridge in "Gyunwoo and Jiknyeo" (one of the best Korean fairy tales - PV).

As the red sun set over the horizon, couples who had been walking hand in hand around the bridge began to part ways. The goal was to create a “sad moment of love.” When the man standing at one end of the bridge leaned over the railing and got closer to the face of his lover on the other side, the other tourists started cheering. The silhouettes of the lovers finally touching each other looked like a scene from a Woody Allen movie.

"While I was mesmerized by the romantic scene under the sunset, I started to hear singing from somewhere. A parade of jet skis carrying the Vietnamese flag appeared, cutting through the waves. I felt excited watching them move freely on the sea at an incredible speed. The show called "Love Storm" is held every day at sunset. When young men on jet skis held torches and divided the water to form a heart shape, one person flew up with the water from under the Kissing Bridge" - Kim Ji-won recalled.

Reporter Kim Ji-won was particularly impressed with the sunset scene at the Kissing Bridge.

After dinner, as Sunset Town descends into darkness, visitors gather at the outdoor theater modeled after the Roman Colosseum. Once all 5,000 spectators have settled into their seats, the “Kiss of the Sea” show begins on a stage above the sea. Various multimedia special effects, laser shows and fountain shows are performed according to science fiction-like videos. The highlight is the spectacular 7-minute fireworks display at the end of the show. Adults and children alike gasp in amazement at the colorful fireworks that decorate the night sky.

"Even after the last firework was fired, people could not easily leave. Thousands of stars were woven into the dark sky. At that moment, I knew that the journey to experience Phu Quoc had officially begun" - reporter Kim Ji-won ended the article suggestively, leaving open a separate article about Phu Quoc night market.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/phai-long-phu-quoc-phong-vien-han-goi-noi-day-la-maldives-cua-viet-nam-185240407125237112.htm