Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island and is known for its pristine beaches, fish sauce, and pearl farms. After arriving on Phu Quoc by ferry, we checked into our hotel on the east side of the island and relaxed on the very serene beach for the rest of the day. The next day, we rented motorbikes to explore the rest of the island. As we rode around we could see that the island is under rapid development with many hotels, resorts and roads under construction. We could definitely see Phu Quoc becoming a major tourist destination in a few years after all the resorts and infrastructure are built out. As we made our way to the west side of the island, we stopped at a pearl farm, and Kathleen and Yen ended up with some nice pieces of jewelry due to Shane’s bargaining skills. We made it to a beach on the west side of the island just in time for lunch and enjoyed a non-traditional Thanksgiving Day meal on the beach.
Can Tho, Mekong Delta
Can Tho is the largest city in the Mekong Delta and is known for its floating markets. Before coming to Can Tho, we reserved rooms at a guesthouse that also provides a Mekong Delta floating market tour that received raving reviews online. When we arrived at the guesthouse, we were surprised and puzzled that the owner of the hotel, Alfredo, was hesitant to take us on his tour because he thought Yen might steal his ideas and copy his tour route. It turned that Alfredo thought that Yen was a Vietnamese tour agent that brought her Korean (me) and America (Shane and Kathleen) customers to the guesthouse. Everybody in Vietnam thinks I am Korean, Chinese, or Malaysian because I am tall for a Vietnamese man and don’t speak Vietnamese well. We almost decided to leave, but after Yen told Alfredo that she was a Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) from the U.S., he really warmed up and agreed to include us in his tour.
I am glad we overcame the initial misunderstanding because Alfredo’s tour was an incredible experience. Alfredo explained to us that all the tour companies take people to the two floating markets that are closest to the city, but he takes his customers to one that is farther away for a more authentic experience. He was true to his word as there were not any other tour boats in sight at the floating market he took us to. In addition, Alfred led us into the local waterways and introduced us to a few families that live along the water. We definitely got a feel of what it is like to live in the Mekong and I captured some of my favorite shots on our trip
