Every few days when swimming in the sea on Long Beach we had a rather unpleasant experience. It feels as though you are swimming in water full of small glass filings! The mystery was solved when I noticed something in one of the guidebooks about some little stinging creatures / fish that are present in the sea and I think they are more active when the fishermen have been in that area in the morning. Most of the time it was ok, but i must say it made me glad of the pool facility at the Tropicana!

Phu Quoc was the final stop on my North to South jaunt through Vietnam and the point at which I realized the futility of my attempts to pick up bits of the language. I decided to pass along my bootlegged Lonely Planet phrasebook, purchased for $2 in Sa Pa, to Anh and Fong, my Phu Quoc masseuses. Able to speak only the little bit of English they'd picked up from their "English for Hairdressers" guide, these two sisters took to their language studies immediately after receiving the new phrasebook. Don't be surprised if you come across them when you visit Phu Quoc and they speak fluent English. English is not common among the inhabitants of Phu Quoc, but that doesn't quash their eagerness to learn. So, if you go to Phu Quoc, perhaps bring along a few things to help them out.

Take a Torch
There are not that many street lights once you get out of Duong Dong town. This was the most valuable item on Phu Quoc. Whether you are walking along the road or beach at night it will be very handy.

Few locals can speak English
It may be a drawback for foreign tourist to visit here because all the signs, introduction boards are in Vietnamese. However, here you really can appreciate the beauty of nature.