Novotel Phu Quoc Resort Receives 5-star Certification

• An example of a beautiful resort in Phu Quoc helping to preserve the island’s natural surroundings

• How can the community get involved to help sustainability in Phu Quoc

• Phu Quoc’s best resorts are helping to reduce plastic and use sustainable materials

As with any popular tourist destination, Vietnam’s gorgeous island of Phu Quoc is not short of resorts. Island-wide, a growing range of accommodation caters for every budget and holiday experience. However, with such growth come concerns about sustainability and consideration for the island’s ecosystems. Thankfully, an increasing number of resorts in Phu Quoc’s hospitality industry are showing consciousness about their effects on the environment, social landscape, and local economy.

Resorts in Phu Quoc Realise That Staff Are People Too

Fusion Resort Phu Quoc is the pinnacle of relaxation and privacy for discerning travellers. The secret to the resort’s success, though, lies not in obsession with profits, but in the exceptional treatment of its employees. Staff receive a higher pay than at most resorts on Phu Quoc island and enjoy the “luxury” of two days off per week - uncommon in Asian hospitality businesses. As a result, employees enjoy a living wage and high job satisfaction.

Image source: agoda.net

Additionally, employees report feeling that there is a family environment at Fusion that encourages growth, collaboration, and high staff retention. The management at Fusion Resort Phu Quoc have it figured out - if you take care of the employees, they will work hard and ultimately keep guests satisfied.

At the family friendly resort of the new Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, hired staff that are not local recruits are assisted with relocation costs and employees are provided with return flight tickets to allow them to visit their hometowns and families. Bonus allowances are offered for special life events and through company awards, and employees’ families are gifted discounted stays at the resort. Along with a comprehensive training and career plan, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc knows these actions go a long way to keeping a happy staff, which then benefits their guests.

Image source: Mervin Lee

Preserving Phu Quoc’s Natural Beauty

Along the shores of Ong Lang Beach stands Mango Bay Resort, seamlessly integrated into the natural landscape. Unfortunately, many resorts are built at the expense of the natural ecology of the island; however, Mango Bay is different. When building the resort, the architects worked hard to avoid environmentally negative actions, such as cutting trees and clearing native vegetation. In addition, the landscape design includes only indigenous plant species.

Mango Bay has also taken measures to protect the coral reef in their section of Ong Lang Beach by discouraging fishing and educating guests to prevent further damage. Other resorts and businesses on Phu Quoc, and throughout Vietnam, could do well to take note of Mango Bay Resort’s initiatives to help preserve the long term viability of the country’s beautiful natural habitat.

Image source: Mango Bay Resort

Hospitality in Phu Quoc: Community Involvement

Smaller resorts are also doing their part to improve social constructs. Phu Quoc Ecolodge is a Vietnamese-owned and operated boutique resort in Cua Can. As the name implies, environmental sustainability of Phu Quoc is a core value of the resort. They use solar panels, provide glass bottles and refill stations for drinking water, and grow herbs and vegetables on site. The rooms remain delightfully comfortable and the property is breathtaking while maintaining a low carbon footprint.

Most notable, though, is the dedication to the local Phu Quoc community of the owner, Phong Bui. He regularly works with clean up efforts in the area and, though it’s a slow process, he patiently impresses upon his neighbors the importance of reducing plastics, keeping trash out of the water, and properly disposing of waste. Additionally, he supports the local economy by providing Phu Quoc-made and environmentally-conscious products at Phu Quoc Ecolodge. Change is easier when motivated by economic viability.

Image source: tripadvisor.com

Phu Quoc’s Plastic Reduction and the Use of Sustainable Materials

It has been impossible to escape the global plastic reduction movement in recent years (for good reason) and encouragingly, this trend is also gaining momentum with top resorts in Phu Quoc.

Supporting this movement in Phu Quoc is the company Bamboo Step, who are supplying a number of the island’s major hotels and resorts with premium quality bamboo drinking straws to ease the burden of single use plastic. Some of the best Phu Quoc resorts such as La Veranda, Fusion, Best Western Sonasea Phu Quoc, JW Marriott and Radisson Blu are all playing their part by using bamboo, grass or metal straws instead of plastic ones.

Image source: shutterstock.com

Going a step further at the plush Salinda Resort Phu Quoc Island, bamboo and grass straws are used as standard. Ceramic containers for bath products are included in all rooms, and carafes of filtered water are available for a small fee to cut down on purchased plastic bottles. Biodegradable and renewable materials such as Accoya wood were used in the construction of Salinda, showing that the sustainability commitment was present from day one.

Image source: shutterstock.com

It is clear that there is a lot of positive work being done at some of the excellent resorts in Phu Quoc, which gives good reason to be cautiously optimistic for the future of sustainability on the island. However, there is always much more that can be done and there are still plenty of challenges to making more significant progress; policies that are environmentally and socially responsible usually hit a resort’s bottom line, at least in the short term.

If the growing trends of sustainability and environmental protection gather increasing local and governmental support, then Phu Quoc, as one of Vietnam’s best places to visit, will continue its rise to becoming a sustainable tourist destination in all regards.

Banner Image source: Mervin Lee

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc not only focuses on setting the standard for comfort and exceptional service, but also leads the trend for sustainable tourism.Best Western Premier Sonasea wants to be Phu Quoc’s first plastic-free resort. As The World’s Largest Hotel Chain®, with over 4,200 hotels worldwide and over 70 years in the hospitality industry, Best Western Premier takes pride in making upscale hospitality a sustainable and successful business model. With Green Hotel Design and development prototypes that use locally-sourced products in order to boost the local economy, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc seeks to be an eco-friendly and socially responsible resort.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc is familiar with the challenges facing this pristine island that makes part of an ecologically diverse 28-island archipelago in Vietnam. As such, the resort has planned in advance with sustainable measures in an effort to be a leading, positive influence on the island, rather than a neutral one.

When it comes to sustainable tourism, the three main challenges facing Phu Quoc island are: leveraging green practices against the rapid growth in the tourism industry; lack of available and qualified local residents to take on jobs in the hospitality sector; and waste management throughout the island.

Aspiring to be the first plastic-free resort in Phu Quoc and the leading example of a Green Resort on the island, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc’s key areas of focus are:

1) Partnership and collaboration with local and national authorities to advance eco-tourism and environmentally conscious practices and awareness in the hospitality sector

2) Economic workforce development with an emphasis on benefits for local residents

3) Reduction and management of waste as well as reduction in the usage of valuable resources while maximizing efficiency.

Top Tourist Destination Means Increased Social Responsibility

Vietnam was named “Asia’s Leading Destination” at the 2018 World Travel Awards in Hong Kong. Furthermore, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) representatives recently participated in the 39th International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain in January of 2019.

It’s clear that Vietnam has become internationally known as a highly desirable tourist destination. As such, a commitment to eco-friendly initiatives and sustainable tourism is paramount in Phu Quoc island’s development, as one of Vietnam’s top three tourist destinations. With an added focus on attracting tourists comes corporate and social responsibility.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc is proud to partner with local and national authorities and support Kien Giang province’s eco-friendly initiatives to make Phu Quoc island the number one tourist destination in Vietnam. In 2017, local authorities opened a Waste Treatment Plant in Bai Bon. While Phu Quoc island does not yet have a recycling plant, there are plans for the construction of a new waste treatment plant in the near future. Best Western Premier Sonasea is keeping abreast of these initiatives and taking full part in them wherever possible.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc and Local Workforce Development

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc takes pride in its commitment to improving the lives of all employees and contracted workers. Whether they are local residents, from other parts of Vietnam or international staff, under the leadership of The CEO Group, this outstanding beach resort has provided work for 1,795 builders from four different construction companies (Hoa Binh, Alliance, Serifico, and Nem).

The hotel’s fully operational workforce will include 420 employees from over a dozen provinces across Vietnam, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Danang, Vung Tau, An Giang, and of course, Kien Giang province. The international staff hails from countries such as France, Japan, Australia, Ireland, and India.

While providing desirable jobs, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc offers training for the development of local residents as well as the local business sector. With new investment comes a new network of partners, developers, and local entrepreneurs. Establishing supply chains of locally sourced products and agriculture, along with improved import and export infrastructure, helps Phu Quoc’s economy to thrive in the short-term as well as the long-term.

Employees Are Well Taken Care Of At Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc realises that employee benefits packages need to be competitive and responsive to the needs of all of its great staff. Employee Benefits include free meals and accommodation, as well as three types of insurance: social, unemployment, and health. In addition, there is personal accident insurance for all employees, plus private health insurance for those travelling overseas.

For employees that come from other provinces in Vietnam, relocation costs are covered and the hotel also provides a return ticket as an added convenience for those visiting their families. Staff are offered bonus allowances during special events such as birthdays, weddings, and Best Employee awards, while also treating employees’ families to discounted stays and other perks.

Taking employee retention seriously, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc aims to provide working conditions that emphasise teamwork, professional development, and self-improvement. All employees receive assistance in creating their own Personal Development Career Plan which provides them with mandatory and supplementary training opportunities and incentives, along with clear paths towards promotion.

The staff’s General Training and Orientation includes 11 modules on safety, hospitality, customer service, brand awareness and plenty of hands-on technical training. With team-spirited support, the company values mean that employees are trained not just on how to deliver great service, but also the reasoning behind the methods.

Whether the focus is on how to document a guest complaint or on best practices for food hygiene, BWP Sonasea Phu Quoc believes that quality training involves analytical thinking by employees. Further, by creating mentorship opportunities within the workplace culture, a friendly working environment is created that focuses on caring family values, not just an employer-employee relationship.

Best Western Sonasea Phu Quoc Is An Eco-Friendly Beach Resort with a Proactive Approach to being Plastic-Free

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc operates under the belief that more is not necessarily better. As such, the resort’s sustainable practices send a clear message of awareness and conviction to its guests. Capital investments in the management of waste is championed through a dynamic approach in the reduction of plastic throughout the resort. An emphasis on local sourcing of ingredients and products, such as pepper, fish sauce, seaweed and bamboo, helps create a sustainable destination for both local visitors and guests from around the world.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc’s aim to maximize the comfort of guests while keeping balance with environmentally conscious practices means that its rooms are almost 100% plastic free. With the exception of water bottles and basic amenities, there is a strict policy on plastic use that is positioning this hotel to become Phu Quoc’s first 100% plastic-free resort.

Each room comes with a standard offering of two Dental Kits, a Vanity Kit, a Sanitary Bag, and the resort’s signature soap, while other plastic amenities (such as combs, shower caps, and shaving kits) are available upon request to reduce single-use waste. This sends a message to our guests that “less is more” and that the best in comfort is not about quantity but about quality. Creating awareness takes time but, by taking incremental steps to provide quality, sustainable accommodation, BWP Sonasea is clearly stating its position on the environment for all to see.

The upscale room amenities are proof that Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc is focused on the details. Following a green policy for the laundering of sheets and towels, the process is done in-house with the aim to reduce emissions. In addition, all nail files are wooden, not plastic, while the exclusive soap is palm-free and cut in a traditional non-factory brick-cut. Handmade, the soap is made from locally sourced lemongrass and recycled coffee as an exfoliating feature.

Vanity Kits and all dry amenities have cardboard packaging, including soaps, toothbrushes, and earplugs. Instead of providing guests with single-use plastic bottles, resin dispensers are filled on a daily basis from large 20-litre containers that provide guests with shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion.This means that Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc saves four plastic containers per room per day. At full capacity, that amounts to a saving of over 2,200 plastic bottles per day or more than 803,000 bottles per year!

Other plastic reduction features include non-plastic ear plugs and straws - both made from locally-sourced bamboo. There are no plastic bags in the resort and it provides reusable woven beach bags to guests while the staff make use of paper bags for all operations. In addition, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc has a polystyrene-free agreement with local food delivery companies, which it is hoped that other resorts and hotels will follow, creating a positive ripple effect that will be felt across the island.

Waste Management and Reduction at Best Western Sonasea Phu Quoc

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc has regular garbage collection throughout the resort and regular sorting of aluminum cans, cardboard paper, and plastic bottles - all of which are recycled.

Food

Biowaste from food is collected in the kitchens and used for pig farming, while cooking oil is recycled and the collection of grease must be placed in grease bins. There are upcoming plans for a vegetable garden that will be used for food composting and, as and added benefit, for enhancing the ingredients available for seasonal fine-dining.

Electricity

BWP Sonasea keeps the use of electricity to as reasonable a limit as possible with energy-efficient LED light-bulbs installed throughout the resort and managed on a strict schedule. All guest rooms contain air conditioning systems which feature an automatic turn-off cooling system that turns off automatically if the balcony or a window is opened. Additionally, high quality insulation of the hot water and AC networks throughout the main building are in place in order to minimize heat loss.

Water Usage

A new sewage treatment plant was recently built with a number of chambers in the ground which will put water through a filtration system containing sand and charcoal to help filter the water to then be used for irrigation. Water regulation technology includes low-flush / high-flush options throughout the resort along with water regulators in bathtubs that reduce water usage without affecting speed or pressure for the maximum enjoyment.

Furthermore, a sprinkler system in the ground gardens as well as the balcony gardens on each floor is set to water plants at night in order to maximize water use. Finally, there is the use of recycled water, also known as “grey water”, for irrigation, gardening, and watering. Rainwater is collected from villas to enhance the resort’s irrigation system.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc is proud to embrace environmentally conscious business development principles to the finest of details. This can be seen through strategic partnerships and local workforce development, the use of locally-sourced products, as well as dramatic reductions in plastic use, waste management, and resource reduction practices. All of this hard work, points clearly to Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc as an industry-leading resort in eco-friendly hospitality and sustainable tourism in Phu Quoc.

Image source: Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc - by Mervin Lee

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc is a top class 5-star resort that is perfect for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism and business travel in Vietnam. Phu Quoc island, also known as Vietnam’s “Pearl Island,” continues to grow into one of Southeast Asia’s leading destinations for travellers of all walks of life and is a fantastic choice for companies and organisations looking for a luxurious location for their business travel needs.

Located on the marvellous western coast of Phu Quoc along a private section of Long Beach, the resort is 8 km from Phu Quoc International Airport and is an advantageous destination for both local and international business travellers. Direct flights from Hanoi, Saigon, Seoul, Copenhagen, Oslo, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, and Guangzhou - to name a few - make it a highly convenient option for your company’s luxury getaway to Vietnam’s most prestigious travel hotspot.

As part of The World’s Largest Hotel Chain® with over 4,200 hotels, the award-winning Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, overlooking the deep turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand, recently received a nod from Dotproperty.com for “Best Landscape Design”, making the resort a wonderful place for business people engaging in MICE tourism in Phu Quoc and Vietnam.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc: The Perfect Destination for Business and Incentive Travel in Vietnam

As a seasoned company in the tourism industry, Best Western Premier has decades of experience providing accommodations for incentive travel and this is very well demonstrated at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc. This tropical location is an upscale resort featuring a warm climate, gorgeous landscapes, and a full array of services that caters brilliantly to business travellers and their families in Phu Quoc.

Research shows how well-rewarded employees normally work harder and remain loyal to their company for a longer period of time when offered incentive travel opportunities. In fact, the return on investment for businesses investing in incentive travel for employees can yield results as high as 84 percent, according to a study titled “Assessing the Impact of Sales Incentive Programs.”

In order to provide a fantastic, well-rounded experience for business travellers, the CEO Group, through their Sonasea (“Sonata of the Sea”) property, have created a masterfully designed beach resort in a gorgeous location that provides a convenient and comfortable space with top-class amenities, while opening the door to the wonderful island of Phu Quoc.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc accomplishes its mission to be a sought-after MICE Tourism destination, in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia, by providing superior accommodation, lavish food and beverage venues, banquet-ready conference and meeting areas, plus the quality front desk, guest, and concierge services that you would expect from a top hotel. A Recreation Team is also on-hand for a variety of team-building activities within the resort and beyond.

Outstanding Conference, Banquet and Team-Building Facilities for Business Travellers at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc

For large company meetings, training workshops, exhibitions, and dining events, the Duong Dong Conference Center measures 360m² and can host people in a variety of formats: from banquet-style (240 people) and theatre-style (350 people), to classroom (160 people) or boardroom-style (110 people). Featuring high-speed WiFi, comfortable furnishings, and a dedicated hotel coordinator to assist with your event requirements, Best Western Sonasea Phu Quoc will ensure your business travel experience in Vietnam is highly rewarding.

The main conference room can be divided into two separate areas, named An Thoi and Ham Ninh, that measure 245m² and 115m² respectively. Each area can also be accommodated to host a variety of conference and meeting styles to suit your company’s varied needs. Flexibility and a desire to fulfill all your business requirements are key at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc.

The business meeting banquet options at the resort are not only convenient and varied, but also delicious. Whether your company wants a comfortable coffee break or a week-long retreat from the office, this pristine resort has you covered. Meals can easily be arranged within the conference area if your business wishes to remain separate from other guests in the hotel.

Coffee break menus all include a selection of Dilmah tea, coffee, mineral water, and a fresh fruit platter, starting at VND95,000 per person, depending on the length of stay. Coffee break menus can also feature a generous assortment of sandwiches, savories, pastries, and juices.

The Banquet and Events team has assembled Half-Day and Full-Day Meeting Packages that also include these coffee breaks to give business travellers well-earned rests between work sessions. Meeting areas are kitted out with pencils and markers, A4 paper pads and flip charts, high quality projectors, and a fully equipped sound system suitable for anything from meeting announcements and presentations, to karaoke parties to blow off steam at the end of a working day!

The Full-day Package includes two coffee breaks and a lunch buffet (or set menu) at Essence Restaurant, which can seat up to 350 guests at any given time. Lunch and/or dinner services are available with four Western and six Vietnamese menu options.

Mouth-watering culinary offerings, featuring fresh seafood and locally sourced produce, are available at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc’s different venues including a Beach BBQ & Buffet which can accommodate up to 400 people. Oasis Pool Bar, with its relaxing swim-up bar and the beach nearly within touching distance, can host up to 150 people outdoors and up to 40 people indoors. With a similar capacity plus glorious ocean and island views from up high, the astounding CView Sky Bar is a stunning venue to gather your business groups, while the Ballroom can host up to 200 people with an indoor buffet.

If you choose Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc for a team building opportunity, then activities on the resort’s beautiful stretch of beach will be a highlight of your company’s group experience with plenty of fun in the sun to be had. Games and activities include “Tug of War,” where groups are divided into two teams who take a side of a rope and try to pull it over the line to beat the other team. A game called “Longest” in which each group is divided into three separate subteams by height including tall, middle, and short. Then, members of each subteam lay down on the sand and the longest team wins. Other bonding activities include “Treasure Hunt,” the “Human Knot,” and “Powder Transfer”, as well as plenty of chances for splashing in the ocean and other fun ways for your company’s employees to enjoy their time together.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc Offers High Quality Accommodation for MICE Tourism in Phu Quoc

The Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc beach resort boasts 550 guest rooms and suites as well as 16 beachside villas, ranging from 35m² Deluxe Rooms to the highly coveted 280m² Presidential Villa. Guests staying in suites and villas will have access to a variety of business-friendly conveniences and amenities. For example, the hotel is one of a very small number of resorts that have dry cleaning services on the island. Although the resort’s scale is grand, with a capacity to host over 1,500 adult guests at any given time, each guestroom shows admirable attention to detail for all business and incentive travellers coming to Phu Quoc.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc seeks to raise the bar for business travel in Vietnam by providing luxury level hospitality for all guest rooms, not just some. The enjoyable comforts that can be found in all rooms include privately furnished balconies with garden, mountainside or sea views, kitchenette and minibar, Queen or King size beds with plush bedding (washed in-house), overhead adjustable rain showers; and classy furnishings that include a sofa bed and dining table. In addition, guests can expect:

- 24-hour in-room service

- 43-inch screen flat TVs, and plastic-free luxury amenities that feature locally sourced, natural ingredients such as coffee and lemongrass infused soaps.

- Extended In-Room Dining and Late Night menus

- Yukatas (Japanese-style robes) and slippers, perfectly suitable for the warm climate of the island

- Central comfort lighting system

- Dialing Code Index for international calls

- Laundry, Dry Cleaning, and Pressing same-day service is available with express options and can be done as quickly as two hours for an additional fee.

In addition to the above, the Executive Deluxe rooms come with a convenient writing desk while 100 Suites have impeccable bathtubs that offer a great opportunity to relax after a day’s business meetings or company team-building.

Well worth mentioning are the Deluxe Villas at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, which come with three bedrooms and have their own living areas, perfect for business travellers bringing their families to enjoy this top notch beachside resort. Luxury villas offer extra space for groups or families and come with additional features such as en-suite bathtubs, private terrace with swimming pools and a sea view or beach front, separate kitchens with island seating, and a living room and dining room that can comfortably accommodate up to ten people.

Venues

The Lagoon, which is the longest lagoon pool in Vietnam, is one of the headline features of the resort. This mesmerizing 300-metre body of water is lined by shady palm trees, sun loungers, and a moving current that flows all the way from the main building down to the beachside Oasis Pool Bar and beach area.

Opportunities to relax, have a snack, or have a complete hearty meal are available in their various F&B venues - the CView Sky Bar, Essence Restaurant, and Oasis Pool Bar. The seaweed-themed Thala Spa offers a variety of services, including Jacuzzi VIP rooms as well as manicure and pedicure services for guests wanting to be pampered. Business travelers with children will have many comforts at this family-friendly resort, including a Nemo Kids Club with scheduled activities, babysitting services, playground, and The Lagoon - the longest pool in Vietnam, as well as two kids’ pools.

The fully equipped, state-of-the art Fitness Center is open from 6am until 10pm and includes private lessons, plus scheduled group classes including Tai Chi, yoga, and Mindful Breathing meditation for beginners as well as advanced practitioners. Each guest will also receive a schedule of recreational activities for adults that includes basic Vietnamese language classes, water sports, arts and crafts, and other outside group activities.

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc’s Front Desk, Guest, and Concierge Services For Business Travellers in Vietnam

Keeping true to the Best Western Premier brand, exceptional service is the name of the game. Front Desk Guest, and Concierge services are both varied and expansive to cater for all the needs of a business traveller. These services include:

- Airport transfer, car and motorbike parking, plus airport and downtown shuttle bus services

- Complimentary Wifi service throughout the resort

- Front lobby is equipped with computers for guests to use 24/7

- Fax and Photocopy services are available 24/7

- Airline reservations, flight modifications and confirmations, as well as airport transfer services

- Complimentary bicycles for local individual escapes or group tours

- Concierge services are available from 8am-10pm

- Courier Service - International door-to-door delivery services are available

- Currency Exchange is available at the Front Desk and can exchange into Vietnamese Dong (to exchange from Vietnamese Dong into a different currency, transportation will be arranged to a local service)

- Information about local religious services will be provided, including access to two Catholic Churches, as well as information about Buddhist pagodas throughout the island.

Group Excursions to Phu Quoc National Park and Beyond

As one of the island’s top beach resorts, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc aims to provide complete comfort and convenience to MICE and business travellers coming to Vietnam. However, guests are encouraged to approach the island as their oyster and take advantage of the many offerings in Phu Quoc.

Front Desk and Concierge services are readily available to help your company organize the company trip of a lifetime, in partnership with CEO Travel. Whether individual travellers want to adventure around or companies want to organize group outings and team building excursions, Phu Quoc island is a great place to explore!

With an annual temperature of 27℃ (81℉), this 28 island archipelago, which measures 594km², offers many opportunities for individuals and groups alike. A growing nightlife scene as well as a variety of local and Western-style restaurants, a vibrant Night Market, a fishing village, boat tours, and a variety of natural life excursions, speak to the varied experiences that can be had in the paradise that is Phu Quoc island.

Whether you are curious about the translucent waters and fresh ocean breeze or desire a closer look at the spectacular marine life available through diving and snorkelling activities, the island does not fall short of things to do.

For example, Phu Quoc National Park, considered a national treasure as a UNESCO designated site and part of the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve, covers almost 50 percent of the island and offers a wide range of ecotourism activities. These include trekking and hiking, as well as water sports like kayaking.

Divided into four park zones, this magnificent location offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature while respectfully admiring wildlife that includes a fascinatingly wide range of animal species. Is it any wonder that Phu Quoc island is quickly becoming one of Asia’s leading destinations for business travellers who also want to enjoy a beautiful landscape and plenty of attractions?

Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc is proud to offer MICE Tourism and Business Travel comforts in a superb 5-star resort location that is sure to captivate the hearts of guests who will already be planning their next visit. With upscale hospitality comes the convenience of conference rooms and banquets, team-building fun activities, mesmerizing local group excursions, and a variety of stand-alone venues to keep guests and visitors satisfied throughout their stay. Choose Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc for all your business travel needs while in Vietnam’s Pearl Island and have a wonderful and fruitful time with your company or organisation.

Image source: Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc - by Mervin Lee

The Phu Quoc development plan announced by the government in 2004 and adjusted in the summer of 2015, makes provision for a massive investment and a huge development of large parts of this idyllic island. In the revised plan, land dedicated to tourism will cover 40 sq km; land for mixed tourism and housing 33 sq km, whilst forestry gets 374 sq km. In addition there is a 66 sq km buffer zone with close on 40 sq km given over to agriculture. This is not a small development. At the end of 2014 there were just 1,500 rooms for rent on the island, by the end of 2017 that will have risen to 10,000, with many more planned over the next 15 years.

Phu Quoc lies off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. It is a mere 10 km from the Bokor National Park on the outskirts of Kampot. It is the largest of Vietnam’s islands with a total area of 593 sq km and one that has been the cause of constant argument of ownership between Vietnam and Cambodia. The capital of the island Duong Dong is situated on the west coast of the island at about the north-south mid point. This town will change beyond recognition as part of the development plan.

The government has decided that Phu Quoc is to become the biggest island destination in the whole region and they are pulling out all the stops to make this happen. It seems inconceivable that this beautiful island could become the next Bali or Phuket, but that is what they want. The resort style developments are already starting to arrive and are totally taking over the west coast of the island. From the enormous Vinpearl hotel and resort in the north to the newly opened Novotel in the south, huge swathes of land and being carved up and built on.

Broadly speaking the island’s development is being handled by two groups. Vinpearl will take on the north of the island, whilst responsibility for the south falls to the Sun Group.

Already open in the north is phase one of the Vinpearl hotel and resort, Vinpearl Land amusement park, Vinpearl Safari Park, the Vinpearl Golf Phu Quoc and the Vinmec Phu Quoc International Hospital. Impact on the local ecology has been huge. Local people are seeing big increases in the local economy and most seem content that this is good for the island. To the north of these opened attractions, the second phase of the Vinpearl development is underway, with one of the biggest building sites on the island just opening up. Based around a 17 hectare lake, it is simply massive. Whilst slightly south another huge development for Grand World has begun. It is rumoured that the country’s second giant casino, after the the Grand Casino at Ho Tram Strip, will be built here.

VinPearl Phu Quoc Resort & Villas on Long Beach, Phu Quoc - Source

The southern development along Long Beach is slightly different. The hotels and resorts here are generally speaking smaller and more eco-friendly, though this certainly depends on your definition. On Phu Quoc anything is classed as an eco-resort as long as less than 50% of the land is built upon. This of course raises as many questions as it does answers. No provision is made for sustainable building materials in the definition.

The Mercure Phu Quoc Resort & Villas at the northern end of the southern development has at least tried to make their resort genuinely eco-friendly. The impact on the local ecology here has been positive. This small hotel is virtually invisible until you arrive at its door. The 67 bedrooms are by way of individual villas, dotted around beautiful gardens, rich with trees and greenery. They even grow their own vegetables in and around the villas, supplying the kitchen with pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes and other ingredients.

Moving south from the Mercure, you’ll find the Sunset Sanato resort and Luxury Villas (under construction); the Pullman hotel and resort (construction soon to start); the Novotel Phu Quoc (opened in February 2016) and the 17-storey InterContinental (under construction). The Sofitel is also coming here. The whole of Long Beach is being snapped up by developers who are facing a backlash from locals demanding access to what are, after all, public beaches. The government has said that some kind of access road 50 metres from the beach has to remain in place, but in some cases clearly no provision has been made for this. The famous pearl farm here is on borrowed time.

Moving across the island to the eastern beach area of Bai Khem, work is well underway on the large JW Marriott hotel and resort. This 5 star luxury resort will forever change this small but beautiful beach. The plans for the it do look beautiful and tastefully done. The Marriott is in the process of building a new road to the resort.

There is also a cable car ride being built connecting the island’s second largest town of An Hoi with the island of Hon Thom, also called Pineapple Island. The 8 km ride will be the longest aerial ropeway cable car in the world. As it passes over the islands of Hon Dua and Hon Roi, the towers will reach 160m in height. Construction started in 2015 and is expected to be completed in 2016 with the ride being fully operational by 2017. It will be capable of carrying 3,500 people per hour to the so far undeveloped Pineapple Island.

Many resorts are being planned for long Beach, including the Vinpearl Premium Villas - Source

Development on this scale of course requires a huge change to local infrastructure. New roads are planned and a widening and upgrading of existing roads is underway. The island currently has two landfill sites, a large one in the north and a smaller one in the south. At present the island manages all its own electricity needs but this is about to change.

Building an incinerator to fuel the island is planned, but this is fraught with difficulties: the island doesn’t create enough waste (yet) to keep an incinerator going full time. However an underwater cable is also being built to the mainland and the national grid; this was started in 2014.

In 2012 the new Phu Quoc International Airport opened its gates to the public. Short-lived flights to Singapore and Siem Reap were soon shelved, but new international flights are planned for 2017.

Phu Quoc International Airport - Source

All this large-scale change will inevitably affect the micro economy on the island. Small bars will undoubtedly spring up everywhere, local restaurants will increase in number and probably quality. Phu Quoc is already famous for its amazing seafood and of course locally grown pepper.

Regardless of anyone’s opinions on the relative merits or disadvantages on the future of Phu Quoc, this tiny tropical island will never be the same again. Life for the 100,000 inhabitants is about to change, irrevocably.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the Novotel Phu Quoc Resort for a media familiarisation, and can truly say that it was an unforgettable experience.

At the airport arrivals hall we were greeted by the Novotel shuttle bus for the 9 km journey to the resort.

It now being lunchtime, the group was told that we would be having lunch after a quick freshen-up. It’s the little things that make a big difference, so the complimentary fruit platter with personalised welcome message and bag with some local specialities provided a sense of personal service for such a large resort. After a quick rainfall shower and change of clothes it was time to come to grips with what else the Novotel Phu Quoc Resort had to offer.

First Culinary Impressions

Seated at a lovely pool-view table in the all-day dining restaurant, Food Exchange, it was time for the indulgence to begin. Food Exchange offers an extensive buffet selection as well as an a la carte menu. There were many stations around the restaurant serving Western, Asian and Vietnamese fare, with the famous Phu Quoc seafood featured in many of them.

As a seafood lover, I wasted little time in sampling some of the freshest squid, shrimp and scallops I have tasted in Vietnam. I’m not a big lunch eater, and diligently restricted myself to a frugal three plates. My favourites were the seafood curry, Hungarian potato salad, seafood pasta and the refreshing variety of salads.

Pina Coladas by the Pool

After a satisfying lunch, we were given an opportunity to relax and enjoy the resort’s facilities. First stop for me was a quick retreat to my room to get some work done. I was lucky enough to have been given a Superior Suite on the third floor. If it wasn’t for the sun shining in a cloudless-sky and the temptation of a pina colada by the pool, I think I may have not left the room for the rest of the stay.

The suite featured a separate living room, standing bathtub, rainfall shower and a double-sized balcony with spectacular views over the pool, surrounding villas and all the way to the Long Beach area. The design of the resort aims to maintain the feel of a traditional Phu Quoc fishing village, with the smallest beachfront buildings being the One Bedroom Villas with private pool that resemble traditional fishing huts. Away from the beach, the buildings become progressively larger until you reach the main building housing 366 rooms.

On my way to the beach, I passed the spa and decided to grab a nice cold drink at the beach bar to enjoy while sunbathing. There I noticed the fantastic range of homemade ice creams for only VND40,000 per scoop. Being adventurous with ice cream flavours, I tried the blackcurrant and Phu Quoc pepper. It first gave the tongue a kick of the hot pepper, then instantly soothed by the cold blackcurrant creaminess. Perched on a lounger under the merciful shade of a well-manicured palm tree, I enjoyed a few hours of swimming, relaxing and reading – an idyllic afternoon.

A Sunset to Remember

As the sun began to set, we were lured to the beach-bar area by the enchanting melody of the in-house band that performs six nights a week. We were treated to some simple yet delicious Vietnamese-inspired canapés to accompany a few glasses of wine whilst watching one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen.

Seafood Sampler

That night we would be dining al fresco at the beautiful Phu Quoc Seafood Restaurant. Sampling the island’s best catch is obligatory for any selfrespecting seafood-lover. We were each given a cold, refreshing towel scented with lemongrass and ginger, which truly awakened the senses.

For starters, we were silver-served a tangy salad followed by a smooth and creamy lobster bisque. After selecting our items from the a la carte menu, they were exquisitely presented on a haring platter. Shrimp, squid, scallops, whole crab and cobia (also known as black salmon) were all on offer, but my hands almost subconsciously reached first for the Oysters Kilpatrick, which didn’t disappoint.

A very relaxed and conversation-filled meal ensued, enjoyed at a leisurely pace with some of the group beginning to fall into a siesta in the large, comfy chairs. To round off the evening, we were served a scoop of the homemade vanilla ice cream served on a bed of honey-drizzled mango and a master-crafted sugar tuile, which again sparked the table back into conversation.

Champagne Breakfast

The following morning, we received an a la carte champagne breakfast back at the Phu Quoc Seafood Restaurant. Not being one for morning alcohol, I started the day with my routine ca phe sua da while enjoying the fresh fruit platter.

A Sunday breakfast in a 5-star hotel on Phu Quoc is always a treat and this was no different. After considering a few options, I settled for one of my favourites (which, no matter how hard I try, I have never been able to perfect at home): eggs Benedict. Being from Scotland, my preferred accompaniment would have been smoked salmon, but sadly I was informed that it was not available. An alternative offer of smoked ham turned out to be a more than suitable substitute.

As most of the group were booked on earlyafternoon return flights, the hotel organised a whistle-stop tour of Ho Quoc Pagoda and the famous Phu Quoc Market.

Massage

After two strenuous days of relaxing, sunbathing, wining and dining, it was now time to relieve those niggling aches and pains with a rejuvenating massage at the hotel spa. I decided to go for the sports massage and a facial. The massage was exactly what the doctor ordered: firm, focused and just the right amount of time spent on each area. This was my first ever facial, and I couldn’t stop laughing when the products were being applied: they felt ticklish and made me giggle like a little schoolgirl; even the therapist, Ms. Huong, had a chuckle to herself.

Some people might feel the prices here are high compared to their normal VND250,000 massage in a local Ho Chi Minh City spa, but you cannot compare hamburgers with Kobe beef. Novotel Phu Quoc Resort has searched far and wide to employ only the most highly skilled professionals. My masseur at the spa, Mr. Quy, has 15 years’ experience in the industry and was hired from Saigon. My therapist has six years’ experience and relocated from Binh Thuan. For me, anything to do with your body and well-being should focus on quality over price. I’m sure we’ve all heard about someone’s horror massage that left them walking like the hunchback of Notre Dame.

What Could be Improved

With an unobstructed view of the sky and ocean, my room enjoyed the sun non-stop from dawn till dusk. Even with the A/C on maximum setting and net curtains drawn to block direct sunlight, it felt too warm.

However, when the sun relented on the second day, so did this small issue. On the first night of our stay, the hotel was hosting four corporatefunction events entailing a gala-dinner and musical entertainment, which can be a bit noisy if you are in relaxation mode.

Contact information:

Address: Duong Bao Hamlet, Duong To Commune, Phu Quoc

Email: h9770@accor.com

Phone: +84 7 7626 0999

Website: www.novotel.com/PhuQuoc