Welcome to today's article. You might expect a resort review to start with infinity pools and sunset drinks, but let's talk about the airport transfer first.

That's the thing nobody mentions when they rave about Phu Quoc. Salinda Resort sits on Truong Beach, about a 25-minute drive from Phu Quoc International Airport, and the hotel can arrange a private car for you.

It costs around $15 USD one way, which is worth every cent after a long flight, trust me. The road is smooth, the driver waits with a name sign, and you're sipping cold lemongrass tea in the lobby before you know it.

Why Truong Beach wins

Phu Quoc has two main beach zones, and they're not created equal. The west coast, where Salinda sits, has the famous sunsets and gentler water. The southeast around 'DuongDong' town is busier, with more boats and jet skis. Truong Beach is the sweet spot: calm enough for a proper swim but still close enough to town that you're not stranded.

The sand here is a pale golden color, finer than what you'll find further north at Bai Dai. You can walk for miles along the shore in the early morning and see maybe five other people, just fishermen checking their nets and a few stray dogs doing their rounds.

The rooms you should book

Salinda has 73 rooms and villas, which is small compared to the mega-resorts nearby, and that's a good thing. The Deluxe Garden View rooms start around $110 USD per night, but you should stretch to the Deluxe Ocean View for about $150.

The difference isn't just the view, it's the orientation. Ocean View rooms catch the breeze off the water, which matters because the air conditioning here runs on the cooler side and you'll want to sleep with the balcony door open. The beds are firm but not hard, with a pillow menu that actually delivers. I asked for a buckwheat pillow and got it within ten minutes, no fuss.

What to eat beyond the buffet

The resort's main restaurant, Pepper, does a solid breakfast spread with made-to-order pho and fresh tropical fruit. But don't limit yourself to the hotel grounds. Walk south along Truong Beach for about ten minutes and you'll hit a cluster of local seafood shacks. The one called Nhat Phong does a grilled squid with tamarind sauce that's worth the trip alone, around $8 for a whole squid.

If you want something fancier without leaving the resort, the afternoon tea at the Sandals Lounge is surprisingly good, with Vietnamese coffee and little coconut cakes that disappear fast.

Planning your days and budget

You'll want at least three nights here to feel like you've actually relaxed. Day one is for the pool and the beach, day two for a snorkeling trip to the An Thoi islands, and day three exploring the local night market. The snorkeling trip, booked through the resort, runs about $35 USD per person and includes lunch on a boat. The night market is free to browse, and you can grab a mango smoothie for $1.50 while you watch the vendors grill skewers.

For the resort itself, budget about $180 USD per day total, including the room and meals, and you'll be comfortable without thinking about money. If you're coming in the dry season, November to March, book at least two months ahead. The resort fills up fast with families from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City escaping the winter.

One last tip: bring reef-safe sunscreen. The water around the An Thoi islands has living coral, and the local shops mostly sell the kind that damages it. Pack your own from home, and you'll be doing both your skin and the reef a favor. That's the kind of detail that turns a good trip into a great one, and it's exactly the thing you'll remember when you're floating face-down over the coral, watching parrotfish dart between the rocks.