The airport is south of the town of Duong Dong and the road is still under construction in some parts, although I was relieved to find the narrow dilapidated bridge where vehicles had to carefully place their wheels on the single track available for each set of tyres, had been replaced with a substantial creation of solid stone and concrete. To get to resorts on the northern part of the island takes a little longer than from the old airport, about 35 minutes, but this will be shortened when the new roads are finished.
The airport is not the only development which has occurred since I was last here, just eight months ago, it seems that there are many initiatives taking place to accommodate and amuse the expected influx of tourists to this underdeveloped island. The growth and investment is a positive opportunity for many of the Vietnamese on the island, creating jobs and training and bringing in much needed cash. However, at the back of my mind, I wondered how long this unspoilt paradise would remain so, is there a concern that Phu Quoc will become just another commercial enterprise and the original charm of the island sink beneath the pressure of yet another tourist destination.
At my journey’s end, my resort hideaway and the surrounding beach, was still as beautiful and unaffected as I remembered. The sun set in a large orange ball of heat over the distant horizon, where the sea meets the sky, the fishing boats lined up in the indistinct distance ready for their night’s work. The dusk fell quickly, as it does in the tropics, and the boats turned on their lights, a parade of twinkling fireflies setting a magical ambience to enjoy whilst dining.
Dining opportunities on the island are variable, at the top end the 3-4 star luxury resort restaurants to small thatched beach hideaways where local women barbeque fresh red snapper and prawns taken off the fishing boats that morning. Water taxis are prevalent along the west coast of the island which will take the adventurous tourist into Duong Dong. However, the main attraction of the island is the tranquillity it offers, an escape from the fast pace of the modern world; let us hope that Phu Quoc Island continues to provide the tourist with the simple pleasures of life.