Phú Quốc island is where we're spending the last four days of our Thailand, Laos & Vietnam swing. It took a huge effort from Sarah and me to book the logistics, including hotels for this 48 day stretch where we were very much on the move.
In the end the accommodations and experiences we've found have been simply outstanding...until we got to Phú Quốc Island.
Right Island, Wrong Coast
A couple days before Sarah started reading up on the island. The West & South coasts of the island have been overrun with development and are largely a party/clubbing scene. She hesitantly asked me, "We're not staying on the West coast, right?" Not what we were looking for in our SE Asia beach swing.
Remove the surrounds, the resort itself was kind of OK, but it was surrounded by two hotels blasting club music 24/7. There wasn't a single foot of beach not right up against a resort on the couple mile stretch of beach. There was more pizza and chicken fingers being served than Vietnamese food.
I took a run this morning and for my running photo album, this was the picture I took. Looking out, the the beach is beautiful. Looking in, no thanks.
This trip is too special, we had to change something. So we did.
Pivot
With more research, we found a hotel on the North side of the island and booked it for our final two nights. The North & East Coasts are far less developed and far more our vibe. We're not even sure we'll get our money back for the final two nights at our first hotel. They've said we will if they're able to fill the room; fair enough.
Gold Coast Resort
Even before we got to our new hotel, the surroundings made us know we'd made the right choice. Instead of loud music and beers cans, the area was locals living their lives. Put an old tent on the beach here and we'd be happy. Bonus, we don't need that tent, the Gold Coast Resort is amazing! We have 2.5 full days to enjoy.
After arriving, we dropped our bags and strolled around. The girls got a couple hours in at the pool and then we headed out to the beach to enjoy the late afternoon sun and sunset. We walked down the beach, ad fisherman who live on the beach were swimming with their families.
We wrapped the night with a delicious dinner at the resort.
What We Told P&S
We intentionally told the girls a white lie about why we changed hotels. The idea that it wasn't nice enough for us, or up to our standard, was not a message we wanted to send. Rather, we told them that it was our mistake and we accidentally had only booked two nights and that we had to change hotels. In that case, what was seemingly a tough situation, we simply turned around and made a positive. When you get lemons... We did relay that we were fortunate that as a result we were back in line with what we wanted. They totally got it...a glimmer of hope on the life long impact this trip will have on them.
Smash the Routines
What we're doing this year is against the norms, we're on the family equivalent of jumping of the high dive at 7 years old. We're discovering things about ourselves and will conscientiously carry lessons and learnings into the rest of our lives, all of us.
I know one for me is to not just do the normal, something because you're supposed to or because it's how you've always done it. Even two days of not the experience we're looking for when we have a whole year to travel isn't acceptable. Not the experience you want, ^$&(@)*! do something about!
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