Phu Quoc 4 days 3 nights Itinerary - RM936.60

🏨 Accomodation
9 Station Hostel Phu Quoc 3 nights (book through Agoda)
Private room with one double bed and private bathroom = RM312.57/2= RM156.30

Transport
✈ Flight:
PEN to KUL (return ticket) = RM118
KUL to PQC (return ticket + 1 meal) = RM251

We've booked our flight using BigPay when Air Asia was doing promotion. We've booked flight meals together because BigPay got give discount for meals and luggage. Somemore, I can collect points to redeem free flight tickets. BigPay is now currently collaborate with Agoda so you can use your points to deduct as credit or earn points through booking stay. BigPay card is a prepaid card so you don't have to worry you will overuse your money. Another benefit is when I go to Phu Quoc, BigPay don't need to activate for international use at any ATM machines. Big Pay offered me a better currency than local currency shop.
Click this for further information about BigPay.

🚕 Taxi/ Grabtaxi: 
143, 500 VND (RM26.12, rate 1.82)
* Scroll down to see more details about taxi fares offered by local taxi company

🚘 Airport pick-up service by 9 Station Hostel Phu Quoc:
110, 000 VND one way (RM20)

📞Sim Card
Mobiphone 6GB 30days:
250,000 VND/2= 125,000 VND (RM22.75)
 (2 people share for one sim card)
* Scroll down to Day 1 route and know more about simcard services in Phu Quoc.

🍝Foods&☕Drinks
1,109, 500 VND (RM201.93)
* Scroll down and read my reviews on foods&drinks in Vietnam Phu Quoc

🎫Tickets
Vinpearland Theme Park (Amusement park + water park): RM70
John's Tour Package : RM37
* I bought both tickets at a very cheap price compared to local. Scroll down to Day 2 route and get tips on purchasing cheap tickets.

Additional (bobo things) :
Toilet entrance fee: 4,000 VND (73 sen)
Sao Beach spots to take photo: 35,000 VND (RM6.37)
Laundry service (powder): 5,000 VND (RM0.91)
Foot Massage: 140, 000 VND (RM25.48)
* I like to write in very detailed. If you want to know why, scroll down too.

Total for all above: RM936.60


Recently everyone is asking me about my Phu Quoc trip so I decided to blog about it. It's been one year I didn't blogging after Blog can't let me save, publish or even edit my post that I wrote for 12 hours long about Vietnam Itinerary last year. Yeap, FYI, this is my second time travel to Vietnam. Don't feel shy to ask me anything about Vietnam.

Day 1:

KUL - PQC - 9 STATION HOSTEL - SAIGON EATERY FOOD - SUNSET BEACH - K+ MART - AROI DESSERT CAFE - PHO CUOI PHU QUOC - 9 STATION BAR

We reached Vietnam Phu Quoc international airport about 2pm on first day. This wasn't our initial plan actually because it was raining cats and dogs when we decided to go Sunset Sanato Beach, sailing club, starfish beach, pagoda and other places. FYI, May to October is wet season, please prepare an umbrella and also do your plan B considering weather condition.

Once we've passed the immigration gate, there was no any shop in the airport that selling travel sim card. So we walked to the exit and there was two booth only that is selling sim card. The simcard that I bought is the most expensive travel sim that I bought. It's very difficult to communicate with them because they don't know how to speak English or just know a lil. The sim card that I bought is Mobiphone carrier 6GB for 30 days while I just travel for 4 days. When I asked for a cheaper plan which is for one week and they told me that this 30 days simcard can use for one week. I was like 'what?' . I did look around for cheaper sim plan on his counter but I didn't found it, they really just selling one month travel sim. I guess both booths are the same, driver that picked us up at the airport also can't speak and understand English, he tried to help and understand what we need. Without any better choice, we bought the simcard.

It stated that it is the best tourist sim but at most of the area it has only 3G network.

Reminder: Please buy simcard at the airport. You can't find one single shop that is selling simcard on the town. When we hang around Duong Dong town, two Chinese traveler asked us where we bought our simcard, so I felt lucky that we bought it earlier, I really can't find any single shop that is selling simcard on the town.

I strongly recommend those who wish to travel to Phu Quoc stay at 9 Station Hostel. When everything is not fine, your hotel definitely decide your travel mood on the following days. I have too many negative comments to give but not to ruin everyone's mood so I will separate it from my itinerary post. Even if 5 stars was the maximum, I would like to give 6 stars to my hotel. The airport pick up service from my hotel is the cheapest in town compared to others and taxi, which just cost us 110, 000 VND per way for two peoples. And most importantly, they won't racketeering by force you to give tips. The swimming pool in my hotel is very clean and nice. Breakfast provided have multiple choices and delicious. The lobby area will turn out to bar at night. I think the best memories that I had with my Phu Quoc trip is just my comfortable stay for 3 nights. This must thanks my piggy, which named Jane when she is at outside.

The driver that picked us up at the airport.

Reminder: Taxi rules in Phu Quoc - You must give tips if you take taxi to or from airport. Minimum must give 10,000 VND. Kindly check your hotel got provide pick up service or not and compare the price given.

So basically we went for food hunting on our first day because it was raining. We actually searched for restaurants or cafes which have good reviews and popularity. But unfortunately, all of them doesn't suit our taste. I can't said it has a bad taste but what I can agreed is they're all made up of many and mix of different spices, cilantro and parsley that is definitely suits Vietnamese's appetites. The foods are nice looking, but they are so gross. The spring rolls, salads, rice and other foods are served with many cilantro and parsley. I can't even differentiate is it salads or parsley meal. Most importantly the prices are all expensive than taxi. It costs me around RM36++ for one meal.  The milk tea we had is not the milk tea we recognized, it is full of sugars and it doesn't taste like milk tea. The seafood restaurant that we went to isn't a popular restaurant, as we disappointed to the fake reviews and randomly go for a restaurant nearby. The foods overall is okay compared to previous cafes we visited but have fishy taste. I spent a lot of money on food on day 1 but all of them tastes disgusting and let me felt like vomiting.

The Spring Rolls on the left side 95% inside are cilantro and parsley.

Don't get deceived by its look.
 The brown rice have unpleasant smell together with the salads that are 80% made up of cilantro and parsley.

The milk tea has sugar more than milk and tea but the cake is good.

Oh ya, for Sunset Beach, it is quite dangerous to go for swimming and hang around. The beach area is under construction, I'm not sure it is just done halfway and then stop like that or it is still under progress. There wasn't any signboard showing dangerous or fenced off the construction area. When we reached there, there was tremendous dark clouds coming from far away and slowly engulf the sky. There was great sea breeze and strong ocean waves but there don't have any lifeguards stop the stupid tourists to do activities on the beach and swimming. I saw a parent hug his baby and swimming quite far away from seaside, the waves was so strong and the sky was so dark that we all got that common sense it is about to rain. But nobody stops them. We felt very scared of this like a bullsh** is going to happen. So we ran away like the female leads in disaster film once we heard and seen the thunderstorm.

Forgot to say, don't be deceived by Facebook posts. Phu Quoc is not a nice place to travel in my opinion.
You can find rubbish everywhere, beside the beach or the roadside. They don't have a proper waste disposal system.

Blog can't let me upload larger file size of my video.
Kindly check out my Instagram Highlight for more pictures and videos.
My Insta

Reminder: Sunset beach and Sunset Sanato Beach is two different places. We didn't manage to go Sunset Sanato beach because it is quite far away from our stay so we decided to go beach nearby first.

K+ Mart is like 7 Eleven in Vietnam. It's a convenient store that also sells cheap beers. Beers price range is between 25,000 - 35,000 VND (RM4.55-RM6.37), also, you can also try local yogurts which price range is below 10, 000 VND (RM1.82). Basically, Phu Quoc island is very similar with Langkawi island in Malaysia, both have cheap alcohol drinks but expensive foods that is not to our liking.

Vinamilk branded yogurt is very cheap and can be found at K+ mart.

Day 2: 

BREAKFAST AT 9 STATION HOSTEL - JOHN TOUR'S PACKAGE (PEARL FARM - FISHING ON CRUISE SHIP - SNORKELING SESSION 1HOUR - LUNCH ON CRUISE SHIP- SNORKELING SESSION 45MINS - SAO BEACH) - 9 STATION HOSTEL - PHU QUOC NIGHT MARKET - PEARL SPA AND MASSAGE - 9 STATION BAR

Our hotel's food and drinks are nicer than those restaurants that got good reviews and popularity on Trip Advisor and Google.

On the morning 8.30am, John Tour's person in charge come to pick up us at our hotel. Duong Dong is at the middle of the island, so it is very convenient to go anywhere and almost all of the snorkeling activities have free pick up service provided here. We actually booked a day before because we thought the price offered by local tour group will be cheaper but actually it's not. John's tour is the largest tour group that covered all of the places in Phu Quoc. We bought the ticket through Klook because the same activities for snorkeling package costs 17 USD at Phu Quoc but I just purchase the package with RM37 after using RM15 promo code through Klook. You can get RM15 promo codes by following the steps below.

I've just given you RM 15.0 for your first activity on Klook. Just sign up through my link below:
https://www.klook.com/invite/RTT4H?c=MYR
*Make sure you key in code : RTT4H when sign up to get RM15 promo code.

or

1.Download Klook App on your phone 
2. Complete the sign up progess
3. Key in code RTT4H
4. RM15 promo code will shown up in your profile


After complete sign up, you can buy it online using this link https://www.klook.com/activity/1996-snorkeling-fishing-south-phu-quoc/  or search 'Snorkeling And Fishing To The South Of Phu Quoc on Klook and buy the package.

*Reminder: If you wish to buy it last minutes like us, remember make sure your phone number can receive TAC from respective bank. Or you can asked your friend at Msia help you to buy it.

So the first station we visited was Pearl Farm. There were not allowed to take photography but I still can see everyone took our their phones to snap pictures. There will have person in charge in Pearl Farm explain to you how to differentiate a real pearl, how they make pearl from oyster, types of oyster and types of pearl in English. And then they bring you to souvenir shops which is crowded of tourists.

Found an Instagramable spot behind Pearl Farm building. We are not interested to buy any things there so we quickly come here queue up to snap photo. You can see my pictures was edited in cool tone because the sea is brown but not blue. So you better don't put too much expectation when you arrive, sorry if I ruin your travel mood. 😅

For fishing session, I didn't manage to take any photo or video because I got seasick due to strong ocean waves. Jane gave up fishing too because the sun is too bright and sweat a lot.

Forgot to mention, it's not a private tour. You will be joining other tourists once you boarding at harbour.

The tour guide explained the types of oyster and seafood to us when we were resting at our comfy zone while others went fishing.

Also, I didn't manage to snap any nice photo of beautiful coral because Jane don't know how to swim. I have to be her swimming plate when we went down snorkeling. She is so lucky to have me that willing to go back to her and save her life. 😎 JANE MUST SEE THIS! Overall, snorkeling session is superb but I think it would be good if time for snorkeling can extend a lil bit more longer or else just take out the Pearl Farm out of the schedule. HAHA.

We've made new friends from South Korea while having our lunch on the cruise ships. The lunch is superb but I can't eat much because I got seasick. That wonderful moments when we all asked everyone to eat in our own mother tongue languages.

After snorkeling session, the tour guide drop us at Sao Beach. This is just another beach that you can find rubbish anywhere. The woods behind the beach are garbage heap. The coconut water there sell at a very high price, 15, 000 VND (RM5.50) but have a few water only and without coconut flesh. Every single spot to take pictures need to pay around 20,000 VND to 35, 000 VND (RM4 to RM7). So that means, you will spend above RM35 if you wish to take more pictures for each spots on the beach. In this cases, not only Sao Beach have to pay, other beach like Sunset Sanoto Beach and Sailing Club also need to pay 70, 000 VND (RM12.74) for one time entrance. 

I really don't like smash-tourists-culture in Phu Quoc. This is the only photospots that I pay for. 

It costs 35,000 VND for one person. Don't bother about the queue, once you pay the money, capture as much as you can even tough there have other tourists are waiting. Because you will wait for others a very long time too before your turn.

On 4.45pm, we gather on time and tour guide led us to the van and sent us back to our hotel. Afterward, Jane and me went swimming at our hotel's swimming pool. We went to Phu Quoc night market then and tried a lot of nice seafood. We didn't took our dinner at seafood restaurant at night market because it is very expensive. Kindly check my insta highlight for the street food we tried. 

Oh ya, about the transport, you can use grab taxi or just take any taxi nearby because the price is the same. Remember ask driver to use meter calculate when you take any taxi. There have many taxi group and the cheapest taxi will be orange or yellow taxi which named Saigon Group Taxi. For each taxi, there will be sticker showing price at the car. Vinasun Taxi or white taxi will be more easier to call because it is everywhere but the price will slightly expensive than Saigon Group Taxi. Jane and me got call a 6-seater car by using Grab but the kind driver offered the price same with 4-seater taxi. FYI, prices will be vary depends on car type and company. 

DAY 3:

9 STATION HOSTEL - VINPEARL LAND PHU QUOC - OCEAN BEACH BAR - 9 STATION BAR

Our daily routine always start with took breakfast at our hostel. This day was Jane's birthday. So we planned earlier that we want to go theme park on her special day. FYI, Vinpearl Land got provide free shuttle bus from the south to the north and drop off at Vinpearl Land. If you are not sure about the bus schedule, you can always check up with your hostel front desk.

Reminder: There will have only signboard at roadside showing bus icon to Vinpearl Land. There is no bus station so you might not find it if you didn't notice carefully. You can always ask strangers or local people to guide you.

If you buy the ticket on the spot, it will costs you 500, 000 VND which is RM91. I bought cheaper ticket which costs RM70 only by using RM15 promo code through Klook again. The benefits of using klook is, it will have promo code every month depends on its promotion. And after you finish one activity, you can earn credits that deduct on your next purchase by giving reviews.

You can get RM15 promo codes by following the steps below.

I've just given you RM 15.0 for your first activity on Klook. Just sign up through my link below:
https://www.klook.com/invite/RTT4H?c=MYR
*Make sure you key in code : RTT4H when sign up to get RM15 promo code.

or

1.Download Klook App on your phone 
2. Complete the sign up progess
3. Key in code RTT4H
4. RM15 promo code will shown up in your profile

*Reminder: If you wish to buy it last minutes like us, remember make sure your phone number can receive TAC from respective bank. Or you can asked your friend at Msia help you to buy it.

After complete sign up, you can search Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc on Klook app or click this link to buyhttps://www.klook.com/activity/11989

We spent our whole day here and return to Duong Dong Town at night 7.30pm

Vinpearl Land ticket is included water park, amusement park, aquarium, and other shows.

DAY 4

9 STATION HOSTEL - PHU QUOC INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT -KLIA2

So, on the last day we take enough of sleep and we missed free breakfast time. Jane searched for many nice restaurants but I'm not confidence with Vietnam local food anymore. So I persuade her to eat hostel brunch with me because I trust my hostel chef more than restaurant outside. Haha. Everything is delicious without cilantro and parsley.

After brunch, we took taxi to airport because hostel private charter car need to book 12 hours before depart. It costs us 140, 000 VND included tips. I'm not sure what is the minimum pay for tips so I just give 10,000 VND to him as he asked for it.





CONCLUSION:

I'm not someone that would like to follow the trend and I will just recommend to others if it is really a nice travel destination to explore and visit.
Phu Quoc is definitely a NO if you wish to have a budget trip. 
The place is not clean, food is just normal and everything became expensive when you can't speak Vietnamese. 
Those people wish to have more likes and shares for their posts so they didn't revealed the truth to you. They wrote they made it on budget below RM800 because they didn't write in detailed.
Why I didn't found out any info about photospots fees charge on Facebook?

But overall, the local people is very helpful, they answer your need and question very detailed. Even the strangers is helpful to guide you the direction when he can just speaks a lil bit English. We met 4 new friends from South Korea and few friends from Vietnam through our trip. I think this is the most wonderful travel experience that I got beside comfy stay at my hostel.






If I'm free, I will write more about tips for theme park in my next post.
Stay Tuned.