Last updated October 2019 | Words and photos by Vietnam Coracle
This post was last updated 5 years ago. Please check the comments section for possible updates, or read more on my Updates & Accuracy page.
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A lush, peaceful, and unassuming place to stay on Phu Quoc Island, Thanh Kieu Resort has been my go-to accommodation for years whenever I stay on Long Beach (Bãi Trường). Unlike the brash, flash, upmarket resorts that are popping up on the island, Thanh Kieu Resort has a simple, honest charm to it. Despite the competition getting snazzier with each year, Thanh Kieu has remained a down-to-earth, modest yet extremely tasteful beach resort. Rather than try to reinvent itself as a plush or boutique-style resort, Thanh Kieu has made the most of its superb beach and extensive tropical gardens, by simply trying not to be too ‘clever’ with it. Prices have increased (as they have everywhere on the island) but room rates can still be as low as $35 a night during the shoulder season, while average high-season rates range from $50-$100. [To check current rates, availability & make a reservation for Thanh Kieu Beach Resort BOOK HERE]
*Please support Vietnam Coracle: All my reviews are independently researched & financed. I never receive freebies of any sort in exchange for positive reviews or listings. If you use the links on this page to book your accommodation, I make a small commission (at no extra cost to you). All my earnings go straight back into this website. Thank you.
Excellent, mid-range, beachfront accommodation: Thanh Kieu Resort
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REVIEW: THANH KIEU BEACH RESORT
Address: 100C/14 Tran Hung Dao, Long Beach, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc, Vietnam [MAP]
Average Rates: $40-$100 per night |Email: info@thanhkieuresort.com
[Click the image below or BOOK HERE]
MAP:
View in a LARGER MAP
At the end of a small paved lane, two kilometres south of Duong Dong town, Thanh Kieu Resort opened in 2005. This prime plot of land was originally the owners’ family home. But, as Phu Quoc became more popular, they started to build simple brick and tile bungalows near the beach. Over the years it has grown into a resort, currently boasting over 40 bungalows amid gorgeous gardens, set a little back from their sublime stretch of sand (not to mention the new infinity pool). I’ve been visiting regularly since 2008 and I’ve seen it grow with each year. Despite the expansion and the ever increasing number of visitors, Thanh Kieu has managed to retain the laid-back, informal feel of a local, family-run resort. Staff, many of whom are from the owner’s family, are polite and friendly enough, but not ingratiating, as is so often the case with the over-trained staff at other resorts. Any rapport between guests and staff is likely to be genuine, not forced.
Thanh Kieu’s modest red brick bungalows are surrounded by lush gardens of tropical foliage
Simple and elegant: a guest room at Thanh Kieu Resort
Thanh Kieu is a low-key resort. Rather than building multi-storey structures and luxurious bungalows equipped with modern gadgets, Thanh Kieu has chosen to let their marvelous slice of island paradise do all the talking. The gardens are beautifully maintained, with stone-slab pathways leading between coconut and areca palms. Bamboo, bougainvillea and a host of exotic, colourful, aromatic plants and flowers grow throughout the grounds. In the mornings they are full of birdsong; during the day the leaves rustle in the sea breeze; in the evenings cicadas and frogs sing a nighttime chorus.
Tropical gardens and brick bungalows, Thanh Kieu Resort
The beach, shaded by tall coconut palms and tropical almond trees, is the most alluring section of sand and sea along the entire length of Long Beach. The fine sand and calm, blue, lapping waters of the Gulf of Thailand, is exactly what most visitors to Phu Quoc Island come looking for. Thanh Kieu’s beachfront is wide enough to accommodate all its guests without ever feeling crowded. Wooden loungers under palm-thatched parasols are generously spaced out under the swaying trees. The new and improved beach bar serves good Vietnamese dishes and average Western food, and is a great place for a cocktail or fruit juice while watching the sunset over the horizon.
The wide, shaded beach at Thanh Kieu Resort
The newest addition to Thanh Kieu Resort is an infinity swimming pool, set amidst the gardens with views down onto the beach and out to sea. As with everything else at Thanh Kieu, the new swimming pool is tasteful and blends in with the rest of the resort: not too showy, not intrusive, surrounded by trees and shade, and big enough to swim laps.
The beautiful infinity swimming pool is the newest addition to Thanh Kieu’s property
Brick bungalows are simple, comfortable and elegant, with tiled floors and roofs, and large patios. Rooms are cosy and adequately equipped without any superfluous additions, such as TVs. The rooms are designed to be naturally ventilated, but there’s an electric ceiling fan to keep the air circulated on hot days and air-conditioning too. Attractive bathrooms are semi-open to the elements, allowing plenty of natural light in and, in some bathrooms, you’ll even have fruit falling from the trees
A comfortable and cosy brick bungalow at Thanh Kieu Resort
One of the resort’s main strengths is genuine peace and quiet. Within the resort’s grounds, recorded music is never forced upon guests. This is a great relief in Vietnam, where noise pollution is often a problem, even in the smartest resorts. At Thanh Kieu the only sounds you hear are natural. Indeed, Thanh Kieu always feels calm and relaxed: even during the high season months, around Christmas and Lunar New Year, there’s no sense of it being crowded or busy. Breakfast (included in the room price) is served in a wonderful wooden house, raised on a stone platform, and surrounded by lush foliage. Outside dining in the cool morning air is a real treat (even though the breakfast itself is not particularly special).
Breakfast outside on the patio at Thanh Kieu Resort
In general, Thanh Kieu blends in with its natural surroundings, and works with nature rather than against it. The majority of building materials are sourced locally, as are most of the ingredients for food (a lot of the fruit at breakfast is fresh from the resort’s gardens). Water is heated by solar panels atop each bungalow, and, although there’s enough space for another row of seafront bungalows, they’ve left it as a grassy, shady, beach garden instead.
Low-impact: building materials and food are locally sourced
Very occasionally, light fixtures can be a little dodgy and curtain rails a bit loose, but none of these could really be considered ‘inconveniences’, and, each time I return, these ‘issues’ have been addressed. Given the choice, Thanh Kieu Resort is always where I’d stay when visiting Long Beach on Phu Quoc Island. As with all accommodations on Phu Quoc, prices increase during the high-season (December-March), but whenever I’ve stayed at Thanh Kieu I’ve felt it to be good value for money. [To check current rates, availability & make a reservation for Thanh Kieu Beach Resort please BOOK HERE]
*Please support Vietnam Coracle: All my reviews are independently researched & financed. I never receive freebies of any sort in exchange for positive reviews or listings. If you use the links on this page to book your accommodation, I make a small commission (at no extra cost to you). All my earnings go straight back into this website. Thank you.
The excellent beach at Thanh Kieu Resort never feels crowded, even when the resort is full
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 here
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G’day Tom
i will never get to all these places or bike tours; but in the remote possibility that we might get to holiday in Phu Quoc, you beg the question: which one – Mango Bay or Thanh Kieu?
and changing the subject. i am thinking that i might like to buy land in La Gi, if i ever have more than $2. iuf we went on an exploratory trip, where would you recommend to stay? Nice, but not resort prices. and finally, on that subject, would you recommend some other location? in another life, i once had a beachfront block in Dong Hai next to Doc Let, but divorce finished that. and it was possibly TOO quiet with a very small market and no supermarket closer than Nha Trang. but i loved the location and block. 🙁
warmest
don
Hi Don,
Overall, I would probably choose Mango Bay over Thanh Kieu. Mango Bay is quieter, more secluded and atmospheric. However, if you want to be close to restaurants, bars and town life, then Thanh Kieu is better. Also, Thanh Kieu is usually cheaper than Mango Bay.
In La Gi there are several places to stay, including La Gi Farmstay, Coco Beachcamp, and Hon Ba Resort.
For other coastal locations to look for land, you might consider the coast to the south and north of Quy Nhon.
Best,
Tom
Thanh Kieu has a great vibe. Thx for the recommendation. Taking the motorbike on the ferry was crazy. *It was the day when everyone returned from Tet holiday. Keep up the guides. A++
Hi Cameron,
Glad to hear you enjoyed Thanh Kieu. And, yes, I can imagine how busy the ferry was after Tet 🙂
Tom
Tom, Agoda didn’t show vacancy but the hotel had rooms. We stayed one night in a bungalow and fully enjoyed the resort. Then we wanted to explore the island. So the second and third nights we stayed at their sister propert Galaxy Hotel for a 1/4 of the price. It was nearby and has full access to Thanh Kieu’s beach.
Hi Cameron,
Happy to hear you enjoyed your stay.
Yes, Agoda have limited rooms available, so if there’s none available through them it’s always a good idea to go through the hotel directly.
That’s very interesting about Galaxy – I didn’t know it was Thanh Kieu’s sister hotel. Thanks for the tip – I will check it out next time I’m on the island.
Tom
Hi Tom. First of all thank you the informative website. It has been super helpful. I was hoping to pick your brain on the following itinerary:
My wife and I will be honeymooning in Viet nam late February/early March next year. We have a few musts: time at the beach, see some of the amazing scenery Vietnam is known for, and eat as much food as possible. Big cities are not essential to us as we are not big nightlife people but we do want to get a good cross-section of the country. We will fly to most destinations to save travel time and are staying in mid-tier hotels. I know this is still a lot of travel for a short trip but we are having a very hard time editing especially since we will not have a chance to come back in the foreseeable future. Thoughts?
Arrive HCMC and fly straight to Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc (3 nights) — relax on the beach, eat seafood
Morning flight back to HCMC
HCMC (2 nights) — buzz of citylife, tourist sights, streetfood
Morning flight to Danang, taxi to Hoi An
Hoi An (4 nights) — stroll historic city, beaches, get some clothes tailored
Train/bus/taxi to Phong Nha
Phong Nha (3 nights) — national park, caves, motorbike around the countryside
Bus/taxi to Dong Hoi fly to Hanoi
Hanoi (2 nights, + 1 night Bai Tu Long Bay) — streetfood tour, boat cruise
Depart Hanoi
Instead of Phong Nha and Hanoi/Bai Ti Long, we could go to Dalat and pad extra nights in the other places as well. It just seems criminal to go to Viet Nam and not see the karst dotted landscapes it is so famous for.
Hi Eric,
That looks like a pretty solid itinerary to me. I think it’s best to stick to your original plan of Phong Nha instead of Dalat. However, bear in mind that the weather in Phong Nha will not be as good as the weather in Dalat at that time of year.
Also, the beginning of your trip might coincide with the Tet Lunar New Year holiday, in which case you should book all transport and accommodation a long time before you arrive, because at that time of year things get busy as the whole country travels for New Year.
Yes, a day-night trip to Bai Tu Long/Halong Bay is OK. It is rather spoiled these days, but, as you rightly say, it’s a bit strange coming to Vietnam and not visiting it’s most famous attraction.
If you’d like to support my website, please consider booking some of your accommodation through Vietnam Coracle – more details about that here.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hey,
i`ve found your great website because we are going to travel for the first time to vietnam…
our last part of our journey will be phu quoc, for 4/5 nights – and – we are looking for a good hotel/resort where we can relax and have a great time. the thanh kieu beach resort look pretty nice, do you know how it is in the begin of january – i mean, are there a lot of people and is there enough place on the beach etc.?
i read a lot of comments of the hotel (tripadvisor, booking.com etc.) – and there are different posts about the quality of the hotel/resort, what you can say to the resort right now?
thanks a lot!
Hi Reinki,
Yes, Thanh Kieu is a very nice, relaxing place to stay. January is a good month to be on Phu Quoc, but it is a busy month so make sure you book your accommodation soon. Thanh Kieu never really feels busy, even when there are a lot of guests. As for my opinion of Thanh Kieu, I’ve written what I think about it in the review on this page 🙂
You could take a look at my review of Mango Bay too. Also, you might be interested in my guide to Phu Quoc’s Beaches, which also includes some accommodation suggestions.
If you’d like to support my wesbite, please consider booking your accommodation through the Agoda search boxes or links on this page – I really appreciate it.
I hope this helps,
Tom
thanks a lot for your answer 🙂
i think we will take this resort, it sounds & look really good…
another question to you – did you know a good hotel/resort in mui ne, which is also like this here?
Hi Reinki,
I’ve reviewed a couple of hotels in Mui Ne that I like here.
There’s a lot of choice in Mui Ne. You can browse all the hotels here.
As well as the ones I’ve reviewed, Cham Villas and Bamboo Village are very nice and so is Villa Aria.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom
Thank you for a very informative site.
I am planning to visit Phu Quoc for 2 days in early December and would like to go scuba diving. Can you suggest anyone ? I have found Rainbow Divers online?
I will be travelling with my elderly father. Can you recommend a resort that is reasonably priced and quiet where he can relax on the beach and that is not too far away ? Would Thanh Kieu be suitable ?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Suiko,
Yes, rainbow divers has a good reputation, so I think they would be fine.
Thanh Kieu is a very quiet resort and the beach is good too. It’s not that far from Duong Dong Town or from the airport, so it’s in a good position. My parents are in their 70s and they like staying here, so I hope it’s OK for your father too 🙂
Tom
Hello Tom,
Just book a room at Thanh Kieu resort for December first week.
What is the best way to go to the An Thoi Island, Fingernail Island?
Regards
Vera Vieira
Hi Vera,
Most resorts can organize boats to the islands, and also the dive shops and several travel agencies on Phu Quoc. It’s best if you go in a group because this will spread the cost.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Hi Tom! Love your web site, thank you so much for all of the great information. We are going to Phu Quoc in December, and I’m hoping to find a resort that doesn’t border on construction – a common theme in the reviews of a lot of places that I’ve been reading. Thanh Kieu Resort looks fantastic, but I hear that there may be construction right next door. Do you have any recommendations of places where we might be able to avoid this noise?
Also, have you ever been to, or do you have an opinion about Freedomland on Phu Quoc?
Thanks again!
Hi,
Yes, it can be a problem finding a place to stay on Phu Quoc that doesn’t have construction near it at the moment.
I stayed again at Thanh Kieu 6 months ago and they were building another resort next door but such is the density of foliage in the gardens of Thanh Kieu that we didn’t notice any noise or disturbance from the construction at all.
Some of the more isolated resorts, such as Mango Bay, Bo Resort and Peppercorn Beach Resort might also be good options to look at. And Freedomland is good too.
If you haven’t already, then take a look at my Phu Quoc Beaches guide which also mentions some places to stay.
If you’d like to support my site and the work I do, may I ask that you consider booking your hotels through Vietnam Coracle via the Agoda search boxes (like the ones on the page above) or links like this one. If you end up making a booking then I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) which goes a long way to keeping this site up and running.
I hope this helps,
Tom
Great website. I like the idea your mom is your biggest network!
I am traveling with my sons and friends we do not want heavy partying but a chance to relax after my son’s wedding, and walking distance to town for some culture. Thank Kieu sounds like the place. Do you agree
thanks
tina
Hi Tina,
Yes, I certainly do think Thanh Kieu would suit your needs. It’s very relaxed, has a lovely beach, and you can walk to town in around 10 minutes – either along the beach or along the road.
And, yes, my Mum is definitely the best Vietnam Coracle ambassador 🙂
I hope you enjoy your time on Phu Quoc,
Tom
Hi Tom,
Met your lovely mum briefly the other day here at Thanh Keiu and she gave us your card as we are just off to district 3 in Saigon this afternoon to stay at a Homestay.
Great informative site…..you’ve given us plenty of foods to try during our three days there and told us we’re to try it too….priceless!!!
Best,
David & Jaz.
P.s. Could not agree more with your review of Thanh Keiu but think the price is ok….that extra is for the natural beach front and to keep away the young noisy backpackers..ha ha.
Hi David,
Thanks. Mum has always done a better job promoting my site than I have 🙂
I hope you get a chance to try lots of food during your stay in Saigon – cơm tấm is a must!
We are now on the Con Dao Islands which is always a very different island experience to Phu Quoc.
Enjoy District 3.
Tom
Hi Tom,
We’re in two minds about whether to go to Con Dao or Phu Quoc. We’re strongly leaning towards Con Dao as we’re looking for a quiet, unspoilt beach experience for 4 nights as part of our honeymoon. Definitely not looking for a “party” environment. We’re looking at staying at either Con Dao Resort, or if Phu Quoc, we would look at this resort due to your recommendation.
What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Leighla
Hi Leighla,
If you haven’t already, then have a look at this article comparing the two islands.
It also depends on what time of year you are going?
Con Dao is definitely not a party island. Phu Quoc is to some extent, but it’s easily avoided and Thanh Kieu is very quiet.
Con Dao Resort is all about the view from the seaview rooms. The hotel itself is not particularly atmospheric, but the view and position is stunning. Walking from the resort to the quiet town and along the seafront promenade is very relaxing and romantic.
Thanh Kieu is quiet and green. It’s in a line of other resorts, so walking on along the beach is great, but not walking along the road. Mango Bay on Phu Quoc is also a very romantic place to stay. Click the links in this article to find prices and pictures on Agoda.
Tom
Thank you so much. So Con Dao it is for us. 🙂 We’ll be there for 5 days in December. I see there is a strong chance of heavy winds, but I have no doubt there should be some quiet time for swimming and snorkelling in between and when it’s windy, we’ll go hiking or explore the prison and other sites.
Thanks for the feedback – your site has been an absolute wealth of information while planning this trip. X
Great! I hope you have a wonderful time.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Was wondering, is there any budget or low range accommodation you would recommend on Phu Quoc? Ideally on a beach which is fairly quiet and secluded? We’re two backpackers, so $50-80 is a bit much for us, even though it looks beyond perfect!
Huge thanks!
Naomi
Hi Naomi,
I don’t have any specific budget recommendations for Long Beach on Phu Quoc. By you can try the small lanes leading down to the beach off the main beach road south of Duong Dong town – about a kilometre or two past Thanh Kieu you’ll see signs on the road for ‘Backpacker’s Dorms’. Check these out, and look down those lanes – near the beach (if not on it) you may find rooms for around $20-25 (500,000vnđ) for a double. Away from Long Beach try Thuy’s House – my friends give this rave reviews for budget, beachfront accommodation and food. Google it and you’ll find what you need.
Good luck,
Tom
Thanks Tom for this terrific and useful blog! I am planning to come back to Vietnam to visit my son, Bill. I am always querying him on places to see and stay while I am in Vietnam. I prefer staying and visiting places of what you have so eloquently described the Thanh Kieu Beach Resort, Phu Quoc Island to be. I will look forward to reading more of your travel blogs before I make any of my reservations for traveling there as I am sure your suggestions will be very helpful.Thanks!
Louise Hones
Thanks, Louise,
I hope you enjoy your next trip to Vietnam. Phu Quoc is just a short flight from Saigon so it’s easy to get to. Vietnam has plenty of good mid to high-end beach accommodation, especially in the south. You might also be interested in Ho Tram Beach Resort, which is also just a couple hours’ drive from Saigon.
Good luck planning your trip,
Tom
Hi Tom, my husband and I stayed at the Thanh Kieu Beach Resort 18 months ago – highly recommended!
Thanks, Jan. I agree 🙂