First published November 2023 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle
Tom Divers is the founder and creator of Vietnam Coracle. He’s lived, travelled and worked in Vietnam since 2005. Born in London, he travelled from an early age, visiting over 40 countries (he first visited Vietnam in 1999). Now, whenever he has the opportunity to make a trip, he rarely looks beyond Vietnam’s borders and his trusty motorbike, Stavros. Read more about Tom on the About Page, Vietnam Times and ASE Podcast.
In a lush and peaceful location in the northwest of Phú Quốc Island, Green Bay Resort is set in beautiful grounds amongst tropical trees on a long and lovely bay with good swimming and excellent coastal views. Green Bay is a low-rise luxury resort that takes pride in its natural location and treatment of the local environment. Featuring ‘rustic-chic’ villas incorporating naturals materials, such as wood and stone, the rooms at Green Bay are spacious, bright and airy. The bay is a mix of sandy beach, rocky inlets and some coral. There are two very attractive infinity pools and lots of activities on offer. [BOOK HERE]
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GREEN BAY PHU QUOC
Address: Hamlet 4, Cửa Cạn commune, Phú Quốc Island, Kiên Giang Province, Vietnam [MAP]
Average Rates: $80-$150/night
CONTENTS:
MAP:
Green Bay Phu Quoc Resort & Spa
The Location: Spread over large, lush grounds including two sandy beaches and rocky bays on a jungle-covered headland separating Cửa Cạn village and Vũng Bầu beach in the northwest of Phú Quốc Island, Green Bay’s location is fabulous. The dense tropical jungle behind the resort remains thick and mysterious; the bays are calm and clear with offshore coral and volcanic rocks peppering the sand; and the views due southeast to Cửa Cạn beach and the hills of the island’s interior are lovely. This all reminds me of what northwest Phú Quốc used to be like, before Vingroup developed massive chunks of it. Green Bay is at the end of a concrete lane: the property is quiet and serene, but for the sounds of birds and frogs and the surf hitting the rocks. Cửa Cạn village is nearby, where there’s local street food and activity; the island’s main town, Dương Đông is 15-20 minutes by road, and the airport and ferry pier are 30-40 minutes by taxi. Sea and weather conditions are best from October to May.
Resort Grounds & Layout: Green Bay is a sprawling property with a long coastline and tree-covered interior. Low-rise rooms, villas and chalets are spread out over the grounds, connected by paved lanes along which electric buggies ferry guests back and forth. The resort is south-facing which means it’s bright and sunny all day and gets the sunrise and sunset (just about). Although there are over 80 rooms, the mostly single-storey wood, tile and stone villas are raised above the ground and nestled among tropical trees and vines and along the beach, so the resort does not feel crowded. In general, Green Bay has done its best to showcase the property’s natural environment: nature is the focus. Compare this to the two giant structures of the Movenpick Resort which you can see on the sands of Cửa Cạn beach southeast of Green Bay.
Beach, Pools & Activities: There are two attractive infinity pools at Green Bay: one overlooks the ocean and the other overlooks the beach. Both are a good size for bathing, playing, paddling and swimming. Green Bay’s coastline is long and lovely, but it’s not all sandy beach: there’s one sandy crescent and another long strip of sandy beach. The swimming is good and there are a few reefs just offshore with some decent coral for snorkeling. Much of the coastline is rocky but still very attractive: personally, I find beaches that are just one long strip of sand quite boring. In addition, there’s a spa set back among the trees and streams, kayaks and paddle boards, a tennis court, a small gym, and free bicycles which are great for a little ride due south and east to Cửa Cạn village or due west on the dirt path through the jungle to Vũng Bầu beach. Also, the resort grounds are so large and lush that walking around the property is a rewarding activity in itself.
Guest Rooms & Décor: All rooms at Green Bay are very spacious, bright and airy with lots of outdoor areas. Most rooms are single-storey, tile-roofed structures supported by wooden beams with large terraces raised above the ground, measuring between 75-95m2. Room hierarchy is: Garden Villa, Green Villa, Beachfront Villa, Private Pool Villa. The best all round is the Beachfront Villa. Rooms are sparsely but tastefully furnished and decorated, including stone sinks and stepping stones in the outside shower, tiled floors, high ceilings and wooden rafters, raised beds on wooden platforms, potted plants, two outside bathrooms – one for the shower, one for the giant sunken bathtub – large covered terrace with loungers leading straight onto gardens, and ‘rustic’ style wooden furniture, such as tree branch lamps. The build-quality appears to be good and the villas have aged well in the tropical conditions, so far.
There are a few minor inconveniences: some villas don’t have a foot wash outside the entrance; there’s a strange slope on the bedroom floor that could be dangerous in the night, especially for older guests; the wooden shelf above the in-room luggage rack protrudes at exactly the point where your head is most likely to hit it; the bathtub is so large that it takes more than 30 minutes to fill; and Wi-Fi is patchy, so if you’re planning on working during your stay, ask for a room with a strong connection.
Breakfast, Dining & Drinking: Green Bay is relatively secluded: there aren’t any alternative dining options within walking distance of the resort. So it’s a good thing that the property has two restaurants and a bar. Gió Restaurant is housed in a large, open-sided raised pavilion by the sea serving Vietnamese dishes. Dusk (around 6pm) is a great time to dine here, with the breeze off the sea and the last glimmer of sunset on the horizon. The Green Restaurant is located near the centre of the resort, overlooking the pool in a high-ceilinged conical structure with a wooden deck and lots of foliage. In the morning, the buffet breakfast is served here – a good-quality spread of everything you’d expect to find at a high-end resort buffet – and the lunch and dinner menu is a mix of Asian and Western favourites. The Coral Bay Lounge Bar is at the western end of the property, built out on a stone terrace with a wooden jetty to a tiny island with chairs where you can watch the sunset with a cocktail. There’s also foosball and a pool table. As usual in resorts in Vietnam, it would be so much better if there were no pop music playing in any of the dining and drinking areas: just leave the soundtrack to nature.
Summary: Green Bay has an excellent location and has done well to make this the main focus of the resort: the beaches, the bay, the trees. It is also very tasteful: personally, I really enjoy the ‘rustic-chic’ style that properties like Green Bay and Mango Bay do so well. This is a peaceful, lush island retreat, but there are also plenty of activities to partake in on the property, so you can be active and, if you have children, they will have lots to keep them happy. For my taste, Green Bay is easily one of the most attractive high-end resorts on Phú Quốc Island today.
*To check rates & make a booking for Green Bay Phu Quoc please BOOK HERE
Support My Website
Please donate or become a patron if you enjoy my work. All my reviews are 100% independent: I do not receive freebies or payment. Use the links on this page to book your hotel & I will make a small commission.
Thank you, Tom
*Disclosure: I never receive payment for anything I write: my content is always free & independent. I’ve written this review because I want to: I like this resort & I want my readers to know about it. For more details, see my Disclosure & Disclaimer statements & my About Page
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Spent Christmas break during covid times in a villa with private pool. Villas are so beautiful and thoughtfully decorated, view on the sea incredible, it was like paradise.
Breakfast (at the time) was so so, not bad, but not great either.
However à la carte food was really overpriced for the quality/quantity.
The problem is that any alternative to eat is so far..
Hi Christophe,
Thanks for sharing your experience staying at Green Bay. I’m glad you liked the villas. As for the breakfast, it has changed now: during the pandemic it was a much reduced spread; now, it is a big, good quality buffet.
Yes, most luxury resorts – especially ones that are located is more isolated areas – charge more for their food and drink than normal. However, Green Bay’s menu prices are lower than many other high-end resorts on the island. Also, there are a couple of very good local seafood restaurants in Cửa Cạn village nearby – just a 5-10 minute bicycle ride from the resort.
Best,
Tom