VIETNAM TWO WAYS
With two new burgeoning destinations to visit, great food and wonderful people, it’s wise to get in quick before others discover Vietnam’s hidden hotspots, writes
PHU QUOC Phu Quoc is an island off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand yet considered a territory of Vietnam. It’s a hive of development, with wide beaches, thickets of jungle and a shiny new airport. Travel buzz pegs it as Vietnam’s answer to Koh Samui, although that may yet be a few years away. The white, sandy Long Beach, home to the new InterContinental
Phu Quoc where we stay, is lined with resorts mid-build. JW Marriot, Pullman, shopping precincts, restaurants and spas are just some of the arrivals on the horizon.
Luckily there is plenty of space for the incoming players. The island is relatively undeveloped. Long Beach is wide, long (20km) and lovely, although the wet season can bring currents dotted with litter. The resorts commit to cleaning the beach every day but it’s something that can slightly spoil an otherwise stunning scenario. The trade-off is it is less crowded in the off-season, while peak months, from December until April, can get very busy.
The popular Sao Beach sits on the opposite side of the island (a 20-minute journey by taxi) and, depending on the season, can have calmer waters. There are other beaches, such as the secluded Thom Beach, the moderately developed Ganh Dau Beach and Bai Dai Beach, home to resorts and the casino and golf course. From here it’s a short ride to Turtle Island for snorkelling, although it’s better to do this in the high season. A tour guide can help navigate a day of beach hopping around the island (or the InterContinental offers a luxury yacht cruise to explore some of the 22 islets). Phu Quoc is also home to the world’s longest overland cable car (8km).
There’s not a lot to do in the evening, as the island is still pretty sleepy, which suits us fine, and our hotel offers plenty of strong dining experiences. There is a night market, a 20-minute drive near Duong Dong town, which has some good local eateries such as The Naked Table and Tinh Bien Seafood. Or start your day at the riverside markets before breakfast on Bach Dang Street for the local banh canh cha ca (fried fishcake noodle soup). The most prolific crop on the island is black pepper, but the fishing industry is how many locals earn a living. At night, the ocean comes alive with ferocious intensity; hundreds of throbbing, fluorescent lights dotting the horizon to attract the abundant squid. Phu Quoc is also world famous for its production of fish sauce ( nuoc mam) made from fermented anchovies. You can visit the local factory, but be prepared for a deeply pungent aroma.
The InterContinental’s impressive fine diner, LAVA, was recently voted Southeast Asia’s best beachside restaurant, six months after it opened in January 2019. Designed by Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia, it’s made from natural materials, such as fossilised coral and bamboo, with arched ceilings, a private room and a beautiful beach location (not to mention the largest pepper grinder we have ever seen!). Chef Anh Hoang and a number of the staff have worked in Sydney. Hoang went to school in Hoi An and talks at length about how he combines western and Vietnamese ingredients. You can opt for the degustation menu, or a la carte. The specialty is the local seafood, although there is also Australian Murray Valley beef on the menu.
There is also a good Vietnamese restaurant, Sora & Umi; the Sea Shack for great lobster rolls and ‘feet in the sand’ kind of dining, as well as Ombra if you’re feeling more ‘pizza oven by the pool’ vibes. And at breakfast, the spread is unparalleled, with permanent pho (traditional Vietnamese noodle soup) and banh mi (Vietnamese baguette) stations to start the day in style.
On the very top floor – level 19 – sits a rooftop bar designed by Australian Ashley Sutton around a mythical octopus creature, which has left its ocean lair
and draped itself around the fixtures. It’s an amazing spot to watch the sun set with a cocktail, surrounded by lifelike wrought iron tentacles and half a dozen selfie sticks. Barely 12 months old, the InterContinental is a really impressive set up, and the staff and service spot on. With 459 rooms, four resort wings, five villas, four pools, and a beachfront location, it is pretty easy to relax and stay put while your every desire is catered to. And with so much still to come for Phu Quoc, there is more than just an Insta-worthy sunset on the horizon.
GETTING THERE
Vietnam Airlines flies daily to Phu Quoc from Ho Chi Minh (a short 65 minutes) with daily flights from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh (the flight time is 8.5 hours). It’s worth stopping over in Ho Chi Minh for a few nights to explore.
JUST ADD: HO CHI MINH CITY
We stayed in the convenient District 1 at the InterContinental Saigon.
Its central location means attractions and French colonial landmarks, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the 19th-century Central Post Office or the Reunification Palace, are all within easy walking distance, however crossing the road in the crazy traffic takes some getting used to.
It’s not an easy city to navigate, so take advice from a local. Melbourne-based Vietnamese chef and author Jerry Mai (of Pho Nom, Annam and new beer hall Bia Hoi) is a regular visitor. Here are her tips for eating out in Saigon:
"Pho Anh is one of my favourite pho places, it’s a little out of the centre but worth it. Nhan Tri Bun Bo Hue has really good flavours and the satay spice is so good! Ben Thanh Market is a food court, and is also a really good place to try a few different things. Markets are great places to eat as the local fare is served to people doing their shopping. There are great food stalls at the markets so I always visit a few – get in early before the food runs out. Lang Nuong Nam Bo is a must visit; I haven’t been to its new site yet but I will go when I return. It’s a huge, loud, typical Vietnamese restaurant where people come to drink and celebrate. Not only does it have the best suckling pig I’ve had, it also boasts fresh seafood and interesting dishes on the grill. You will hear a lot of ' mot, hai, ba, yo!' which translates to 'cheers' or 'one, two, three, drink!' Join in, or do it yourself at your table. Oc Dao specialises in oc (snails and sea snails), but my favourite dish here is the octopus beaks with chilli and butter. The customers are mainly local and there are not many tourists at all. Racha Room is owned by my business partner Chris Donnellan (ex-Gingerboy head chef). He also owns Stoker, a woodfired grill and bar, and a whisky bar. The Hue House is a rooftop restaurant on top of the Master Building in the heart of Saigon, and Secret
Garden Restaurant is another rooftop restaurant, in District 1. Com Nieu Sai Gon makes home-style dishes served with its famous claypot crispy rice. Banh Mi Hoa Ma is a great place for breakfast sitting in a laneway, and Banh mi Bui Thi Xuan is the absolute best banh mi I’ve had in a long time."