We reached upon the wharf on Phu Quy at around 7 p.m. when the island was enveloped in darkness and twinkled by glistening light from dozens of fishing boats onshore and offshore.
Phu Quy Island lies between the mainland and Truong Sa Archipelago, 120 kilometers from Phan Thiet City. It is one of the most-visited destinations in the area as the island's stunning beaches, forests and pristine landscapes offer an ideal getaway for tourists. Therefore, we were very excited to explore the new destination after a long journey of four hours by bus from HCMC to Phan Thiet City and six hours by boat from Phan Thiet City to the island.
After checking in a guest house at VND200,000 per room for three of us, we hired two motorbikes at a price of VND150,000 each per day to ride to Cao Cai Mountain for dawn admiration. The mountain is what remained of a volcano that was active millions of years ago and now it has been formed into splendid rocks through ups and downs of time and natural impacts.
Trekking up to the top of the mountain, we were rewarded with a stunning panoramic view over the island. Our eyes were dazzled by the endless ocean, immense forests and darkness of rock walls around.
Our next stop was a dyke on the west of the island where many fishing boats were anchoring peacefully. We luckily met some boats just coming back from the outer sea with a lot of fresh seafood from crabs, shrimps, fish, and squid to clams and oysters. Many real stories from locals helped us know more about the local daily activities and culture.
Not too far from there is a lighthouse where we had wonderful moments under the sunset.
The second day was spent for our discovery on Hon Tranh Island some 10 minutes away by boat. We seemed to get lost in the marine world where we could indulge in the blue cool water, swim with schools of fish and dive to explore underwater species.