We met Noris (short for Elinora) with our host and guide, Sara, at the car-park at the bottom of the trail that leads to Lago Di Nambino (Nambino Lake), close to Madonna di Campiglio. It was morning and the air was fresh... this is really just a nicer way to say 'cold'. 

Noris didn't speak too much English but that somehow made communication a lot more fun. She was quirky, animated, and seemed like a determined woman who had led an interesting life. 

She came out of her car with her a rucksack packed with bottles of wine and bunch of other items for the picnic we were going to set up at the end of our hike.

When I saw her full, heavy backpack, I was glad that she didn't know I was the kind of person who complained about carrying a backpack that was half the weight of hers. Especially after she pointed out my wearing (children's) sneakers instead of proper hiking boots. 

I told her that if Nepalese porters could traverse the Himalayas in flip=flops (which I've witnessed first-hand), then with these sneakers I could do anything!

The hike up didn't take long - it was an easy one of about 30-40 minutes through beautiful forest scenery. We passed a waterfall, too. Once we arrived, we were at an elevation of about 1600m. It got colder and I started to question my decision to visit Trentino during autumn. I had a ski jacket on!

VISIT TRENTINO : A REAL TASTE OF NATURE

Noris' life's passion and work is wild foraging - identifying anything that is edible or can be made into food. This includes all sorts of herbs and plants, mushrooms, and even flowers!

Wild food is defined as anything edible that has had no management or intervention to increase its production. 

She has a brand called Primitivizia, and she sells a small selection of pastes and other concoctions made using interesting wild food items such as wild garlic leaves, mountain spinach, and burdock; all found within Val Rendena. This is a real 'taste of nature', bottled up for your convenience!

Noris is so good at what she does that her work has been nominated to be included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

During the hike, I would often find her bent over, examining the flora on the ground or smelling things she had picked up in her hands. There were a lot of lichens, which she insisted were edible and tasty. With a bit of imagination and some garlic, I could believe that.

Once at the top, we could see the beautiful lake, Lago di Nambino, some 100-200m ahead of where we stopped, which was a little cottage that Noris virtually owns (she has been trusted with the keys). I think she keeps a lot of her foodstuff in that house.

A SPECIAL PICNIC IN THE DOLOMITES

We set up our picnic lunch on a rustic-looking table just outside the cottage. 

Everything you see on the table was brought up the mountain by Noris in her backpack! Save for the tableware of course, which was brought from the kitchen.

We had good cheese, special Trentino speck ham, and regional red wine.

Noris introduced to us a fantastic little snack: buttered bread with anchovies with a dash of pine syrup. It was divine. Of course, the syrup was made by Noris herself.

In fact, this syrup seems to be one of her most popular products and you can find it (+ more info) here: Pine Cone Bud Syrup

Our main dish was a simple pasta dish that we cooked together over the wood-fired stove (I even got to put the wood in myself!) in the kitchen: a kind of cacio e pepe made with an amazing wild garlic paste created by Noris.

Instead of pecorino cheese, we crumbled some leftover bread and grilled it on the pan. Noris joked that this was 'mountain cheese'!

Ricardo and I loved this dish; we both thought it was delicious, even though Noris kept apologising for its simplicity. In my opinion its simplicity made it all the more appealing. 

OH! The picnic table is often furnished with some basic utensils for anyone passing by to use (travellers, hikers, etc). Noris tells us that whenever people have enjoyed her table, they have left a little something behind, such as a flower, as a token of appreciation. 

So amongst the mess we made after lunch, I left a small orange for her to find later. I don't know why but that day I decided to put an orange in my jacket pocket. Perhaps I foresaw this opportunity.

LAGO DI NAMBINO

After our 'taste of nature' that turned out to be more like a 'feast of nature', a walk  around the area sounded like welcome idea. A visit to Trentino wouldn't be complete without a wander around one of its beautiful lakes, anyway.

Sara accompanied us around the perimeter of the lake, and I was impressed by her patience as Ricardo and I stopped a million times along the way to shoot video or take photos.

Lago di Nambino is one of those places where you will find yourself taking multiple photos of the same thing, with most of the shots looking almost exactly alike. 

That little house you see is Rifugio Lago Nambino, which is in fact a hotel and restaurant. I imagined it would be a stunning place to spend the night and wished we were staying there.

I spared you by uploading only three of my Lago di Nambino shots. Rest assured there were many more. I hated having to choose because every photo seemed perfect! But you see what I mean that they all look alike!

Sara said that if we had come maybe a week or so later, those trees in the distance would have looked a lot more golden as autumn progressed.

Sorry, had to include a couple of photos that had me in them. 

I felt like Lago di Nambino alone made our visit to Trentino worth it. Especially since we got to experience it with Noris!

Speaking of whom, she turned up to join us on our walk later and we helped to bring back a bunch of branches and twigs for the cottage (to use as firewood). This was when it became obvious I was not used to such work, because the branch I was assigned to carry was dragging along on the ground behind me very ungracefully.

A NEW FRIEND IN TRENTINO

I am so grateful to Noris for sharing such an authentic, unique experience with us. She says she doesn't often invite people up to the house, so I felt extra special!

Noris joked that, men are good for "driving cars, opening wine bottles, and having sex". So if you find one that can do all three, you're set! Haha

On the our hike back down, we talked a little about Italian music and I shared with her one of my favourite, very-old Italian song called 'Il Pinguino Innamorato' , which translates literally to 'The Penguin in Love'.

I couldn't stop humming the tune in my head. We held hands for most of the way down, walking alongside each other like we were kindergarteners at the playground! 

It reminded me of the simplicity friendships when I was a young child - when all you needed to do to express a liking for someone was to hold their hand. I think we should all hold hands more.

Thank you Noris for being such a wonderful character; and now I have another reason to visit Trentino again!

Left: Noris' resident swan! She had stumbled upon this quirky wood formation while wandering the woods and decided that it would be her pet swan.

Right: A doodle I left on her wall in the cottage - it was a wall on which many guests/new friends had left a little souvenir for Noris. 

This post was created in collaboration with Visit Trentino

DID HAMBURGERS ORIGINATE IN HAMBURG?

I'll start off by addressing something that I'm pretty sure has come across your mind when you think of Hamburg: is that where hamburgers were invented?

The answer is yes.. and no.

First thing: a person from Hamburg is in fact.. called.. a  Hamburger! I know.. I laughed too..

The sandwich itself was not invented in Hamburg, but during the 19th century there came to be something called the 'Hamburg Steak', which was when beef from Hamburg cows was minced and combined with salt and onions, then formed into patties. It was usually served raw or lightly cooked, without any bread or buns. 

The Hamburg Steak became a popular item in restaurants at the port of New York, brought there by German emigrants. Its evolution into a sandwich started here, although it is less clear and its exact origins possibly controversial.

I always thought it was a joke that hamburgers came from Hamburg, but now I know there is some truth in it!

WHAT IS HAMBURG?

Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany! Did you know that? I always thought that Munich was bigger... which, as it turns out, is something Hamburgers hate to hear.  :-o 

Since I'm always honest, I'll say that I had a pretty bland picture of Hamburg before I visited. I imagined it to be quite grey and dull, and always cold.

I'm pretty sure I just got lucky, but during my long weekend there the sun shone bright and warm every day. 

Hamburg is also one of the greenest cities in Europe, with about 14% of its area made up of green spaces. So I did see a lot of greenery while I was there (last week) - it's great to travel in summer. Try to visit in summer if you can!

This is a shocker (to me at least): Hamburg has over 2300 bridges! That's more than any other city in the world. 

Last fun fact: Montblanc pens were born in Hamburg! I assumed they were French :p

MS DOCKVILLE 2018

*Photo by Bobo & Chichi

The main item on the agenda was to attend MS Dockville music festival. We went on the Friday and Saturday.

I was really excited to find out that Megan and Scott (hyperlapse experts who blog at Bobo & Chichi) were on the same trip and would be coming to the festival as well! I had been wanting to meet them forever.

And for good reason, too - they were totally on the same kooky planet as I was. We silly-danced and laughed a LOT!

*Megan and me! Thanks Bobo & Chichi for pics

My fun pink playsuit is by Humphries & Begg.

The festival grounds were not huge; there were two large stages including the main stage, and a handful of smaller ones.

Fancy dress wasn't really a theme, so I was a little bummed about that but because I had such good company, I had a fun time overall.

The only act I recognised (and that I saw) was Bonobo; but that's because I'm not too familiar with popular artists these days (my taste in music is too quirky).

Food and toilets were average, with the the usual long lines you'd expect for such an event. The festival site had a kind of industrial feel to it. It was packed and clearly a popular event with the locals.

There were a few art installations and even light shows/light projections on buildings on the other side of the river.. the latter of which we sadly missed (but saw photos after the festival was over).

My favourite was (of course) the rainbow tunnel and a kind of tower of colourful blocks.

I brought a few packets of glitter gel by Projekt Glitter and they went down a treat!

I travel with glitter all the time now. It's such an easy way add some literal sparkle into your day.

If only sparkle came with extra energy, because by the middle of the second night, we were all so exhausted that we decided to go home before one of the headliners (Alt-J?) came on. 

It had been a longgggg day - we'd overexerted ourselves by having gone canoeing that morning.

CANOEING IN WINTERHUDE

I LOOOOVE festivals but in Hamburg, the canoeing activity was my favourite thing that we did, and a definite highlight of the trip.

Before visiting, I didn't know much about the makeup and textures of the city. So I had no idea that there were so many canals snaking around.

On a sunny Saturday morning, we were taken to the neighbourhood of Winterhude to do a bit of canoeing. That 'bit of canoeing' turned out to be 'a lot of canoeing'.

A lot of people like to do a lot of canoeing in Winterhude - we passed many of them and tried greeting them with an enthusiastic German 'Hallo' whenever we had the opportunity (and courage) to do so.

Saying 'hallo' is really amusing and entertaining when you're used to the less drawn out English 'hello'.

♥

Anyway, Winterhude is BEAUTIFUL! The canals were BEAUTIFUL! I was reminded of Hampstead in London.. or Regents Canal near the zoo.

There were big fancy houses with direct access to the canals via their backyards. Some parts were rich with low hanging foliage which made our floating journey feel magical and romantic.

Jessi, our Hamburger host, mentioned that Winterhude was unfortunately not that well connected when it came to public transport, hence she rarely visited, and that it was a pity because each time she does make it over, she loves it.

MINIATUR WUNDERLAND

It seems that no trip to Hamburg is complete without at least a quick visit to Miniatur Wunderland, the world's largest model railway exhibition.

At first I wasn't too interested to go. If it weren't for Megan and Scott, I would've probably given it a miss.

BUT, we made it there and.. wow. There were so many miniature cities and villages and things. With really tiny people! I saw a lot of impressive models of Italian places, such as Venice and Cinque Terre (pictured above). It was all very creative and impressive!

The lighting was constantly fading in and out to alternate between a daytime and nighttime environment. There was even a miniature airport with a runway and little planes that took off and landed on it, complete with sound effects.

We entertained ourselves further by trying to spot tiny people doing naughty things, with or without clothing. We found a few instances of hanky panky going on, but not nearly as many as we had envisioned. 

I was soon tired of seeing miniature things. There were just SO MANY. After a while, it felt repetitive. I'm still glad I went and saw it though - I'd never seen anything like it before.

Ticket prices for Miniatur Wunderland are currently €15 each (adult).

ST PAULI STREET ART TOUR

We stayed in the neighbourhood of St Pauli (St Pauli Quarter), which is bit grungy and known for its abundance of street art/graffiti. They could be seen everywhere!

A short walking tour of the area revealed some of the more prominent artists/pieces. They were mostly quite messy and crazy. I guess it would be a lot more exciting to a graffiti enthusiast.. which I am sadly not!

WHERE TO STAY IN HAMBURG

As I mentioned above, we stayed in the area of St Pauli, at Superbude St Pauli, which is a hostel/hotel which is modern, bright, stylish, and slightly quirky.

On first impression it seemed to be a place that mainly catered to teenagers and young adults, but we saw many older people and families staying there that weekend.

I really liked the location, too. The surrounding area was lively and had a buzzing restaurant and bar scene. 

Superbude St Pauli
Juliusstraße 1-7
22769 Hamburg
Germany

WHAT I ATE IN HAMBURG

In our short time, we really only got to dine at two restaurants in Hamburg, both of which exceeded my expectations (for some reason, I didn't have high hopes :p).

Hatari The Corner in St Pauli was where I had a really juicy burger that came with a poached egg, and the most delicious roasted potatoes on the side. The burger was huge and it was sloppy. Which I liked. It made for a really enjoyable meal!

We also had pizza at Pizza Social Club, topped with the creamiest burrata cheese. For starters we were treated to a good variety of high-quality cold meats including bresaola, one of my favourites.

On my last day, I ventured out for a solo lunch at Ban Canteen, which offered Vietnamese street food in a hipster style setting. Although the dishes were made for the European palate, it was still pretty tasty and a good effort.

MORE FUN WITH FRIENDS

My experience in Hamburg was made a lot more colourful because I was lucky enough to have Megan and Scott (of Bobo & Chichi) around to explore with.

I would recommend visiting Hamburg (and anywhere else in the universe) with someone who brings out your fun side and encourages you to be more adventurous and curious! Someone you can crab-walk on the sidewalk with, or someone who will take your picture (multiple times) when you get shat on by a pigeon.

However, if you cannot find a suitably silly friend, I would say Hamburg is a great (and safe) city for a solo trip, too ;)

Here's a fun little video produced by Bobo & Chichi based on our silly antics!

HAMBURG ON TOUR - IN LONDON!

If you're still unsure about Hamburg as your next city-break destination, are simply curious, or have nothing better to do this weekend AND you're in London, then you're in for a treat because..

Hamburg is coming to London!

In the form of a two-day weekend festival in East London where there will be music, food, and art on display. All meant to show you the best of Hamburg.

Best of all: IT'S FREE!

More information and the event programme can be found on the Hamburg on Tour website.

BESTEST OF ALL: I will be there! Come and meet me!

*This post was brought to you in collaboration with Hamburg on Tour and Hamburg Tourism

If you're ever in Siem Reap, Cambodia, there is only ONE PLACE TO STAY: Shinta Mani Angkor - Bensley Collection.

This is an extremely luxurious collection of ten private pool villas created by my favourite hotel designer - Bill Bensley. A stay here comes complete with 24-hour butler service, so you will be as spoiled as can be!

Located on a peaceful, leafy street in the French Quarter of Siem Reap, the Shinta Mani brand has two other accommodation options within the vicinity: Shinta Mani Angkor, a luxury boutique resort, and the more casual and trendy Shinta Mani Shack. Angkor Wat is a mere 15 minutes away by tuk-tuk or taxi.

At the time we went (January 2018), the Bensley Collection pool villas had only been opened for a couple of weeks. Staying here made all the difference to our first visit to Siem Reap.

Ricardo and I spent four blissful nights at Pool Villa No. 1. Perhaps more blissful for me than him since he was stricken with a stomach bug midway. But hey at least he suffered in luxury!

FIRST, A VIDEO!

This video will give you a much better feel for the villa and how it's laid out - so the photos that follow will make more sense!

I knew we were in for a grand treat the moment we got off the plane. We had a designated escort to guide us through the visa process that took us through a special fast-track immigration lane. No queues! A white car with the hotel logo on its doors picked us up and we were offered some refreshments, cold towels, and mobile Wi-Fi during the short ride.

But nothing prepared me for the amazing welcome card we found in our villa! It was too much! There were handwritten well wishes from various members of staff and we had a picture of ourselves (that they plucked from my blog) superimposed against Angkor Wat! 

OMG I was so impressed and embarrassed and amused all at the same time.

This is the only hotel welcome card I have ever cherished and kept. It has a special place in my room now <3

* 'Bong' is a term of respect used to address someone older/of the same age, in Khmer

THE POOL VILLA
Shinta Mani Angkor - Bensley Collection

Kemlek helped us with everything, including making arrangements for any activity or excursion we were interested in. Really, the whole team of butlers was amazing. Friendly, attentive, and helpful. We were treated so well that I sometimes I had to question reality. 

Kemlek organised for us to catch sunrise at Angkor Wat, which was a total pain to wake up for especially if you hate mornings (like me)! Although I shouldn't complain - we were lucky to do the temple tour using a nice air-conditioned car provided by the hotel. They also packed us mats to sit on and a nice picnic.

And oh! Look at these sweet handwritten notes that were left for us!

One day, I thought I would be a giant cliché and ask for.. a flower bath. I'd never had one before and this was the only occasion where I felt like I could ask for one without sounding like a diva!

And so.. the staff filled up the stone bath with pink lily petals.
They also placed four too-big candles around it. 

I felt like asking for more petals for more coverage, but decided that it would bring me up to diva level, which I didn't want.

Anyhow, they managed to figure out my secret desires and I walked in one afternoon to an industrial sized bubble-making machine by the pool. YES! BUBBLES!!!

You will have seen it in the video. If not, go watch it.

THE ROOF TERRACE

We didn't spend enough time on the terrace!

It has a spacious lounge sofa that can be turned into to a bed on request - so you can spend the night 'under the stars'. And with the mosquitoes.

It was a hard sell when the king-sized bed downstairs was so damn comfy.

One night, we were treated to a most sumptuous BBQ dinner on the terrace, prepared by the head chef. There was so much food! It was delicious.

We were spoilt rotten. But I didn't want the unused/uncooked food to also be spoilt rotten, so asked if the staff could take it home for themselves. It wasn't allowed due to hotel protocol but I was told they could use it for lunch/breakfast the next day.

THE COOKING CLASS

I shall point out that I have by now long forgotten how to cook any of these dishes. Who actually remembers any instructions from cooking classes? 

We had the privilege of spending some time with the head chef at Kroya, the main restaurant for Shinta Mani just across the road. Breakfast is served here for Bensley pool villa guests. We never made it for breakfast so I can't comment on that!

During the cooking class, we were taught how to make a spicy papaya salad, fish amok (a kind of steamed fish curry), and this beef sour soup with morning glory (last pic) which was MY FAVOURITE. Well that and the fish amok. Hard to decide - everything was incredibly tasty!

I think I'll need to re-learn these recipes, especially that beef soup because it needs to be more present in my life.

SHINTA MANI FOUNDATION
Open Doors, Open Hearts

During our stay, we were offered a visit to one of the villages supported by the Shinta Mani Foundation, which is an initiative funded by revenue made from Shinta Mani hotels (and donations) aimed at giving back to the local community.

Sadly, Ricardo wasn't feeling well/couldn't leave the toilet, so I went on my own.

“The only way to positively impact Cambodia is by giving each individual the power to realise their own dreams"

What I love about it is that the Foundation aims to empower the underprivileged with the tools they need to fight poverty; so providing long-term, sustainable solutions that create independence. These include teaching them how to establish and run their own businesses (such as setting up a shop), and encouraging them to learn to grow their own food/manage a small farm.

The Shinta Mani Foundation takes care of dozens of surrounding villages. One of the goals is to build a water well for every family so that the time and effort spent on collecting water from afar can be cut down. In addition, bicycles are provided and assistance given to the construction of simple yet functional homes for the families.

At the village, I got the opportunity to observe the various levels of progress made by different families. It was heartening to be able to see tangible results of the Foundation's work, which were manifest in small but thriving vegetable farms, small tuck shops, and of course, happy faces of children running around.

One thing I noticed was how  neat and CLEAN the village was. Even the dirt/sand paths seemed cleaner than.. normal dirt? It's hard to explain!

Shinta Mani Farm & School of Hospitality

On the way back, we stopped by the Shinta Mani Farm. This was a good-sized vegetable and fruit plantation that supplied fresh produce to the Shinta Mani hotels/restaurants!

Kemlek (our personal butler, in case you forgot) filled our car with a bunch of vegetables harvested that day to bring back with us.

He told me that he was attending farming lessons there, too. Shinta Mani staff are apparently given access to free education and training in farming, so they can learn how to build and upkeep their own farm.

Some of the hospitality staff at Shinta Mani are graduates of the Shinta Mani School of Hospitality, which invites a group of underprivileged locals into their programme (at no cost to them) every year, based on need and potential. The School gives them a chance to gain the knowledge and experience required to get a job in the growing hospitality sector in Siem Reap.

Lastly, Cambodian doctors are supported by the Foundation in providing healthcare and dental care to rural areas, as well as schools with underprivileged children. Again, education is key - so people are also taught proper hygiene practices and habits to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Click here for more info about the Shinta Mani Foundation (and how you can get involved)!

SHINTA MANI ANGKOR (BENSLEY COLLECTION)
Why You Should Stay Here

This post was created in collaboration with Shinta Mani Angkor - Bensley Collection

[this post includes a video – scroll right down for it!]

This post is about the most elaborate and fantastical hotel I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying: JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa. 

Earlier this year, I managed to drag Ricardo along to South-East Asia with me. For a full six weeks! We did a whirlwind tour through Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam (and Malaysia of course but that’s not counted since it’s home).

While in Vietnam were lucky enough to spend a few days at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc, which seems to be the most impressive Marriott hotel I know of to date!

ARRIVING AT THE RESORT

 Phu Quoc island was only a 50-minute flight away from Ho Chi Minh City, which I really couldn’t wait to leave since it was so full of unnecessary noise. We flew Vietjet for under $70 each, return.

I was so excited to be on what I imagined would be a serene, noiseless island that I honestly cannot remember any details about the flight. Though it could also be frequent flyer problems.

At Phu Quoc International Airport, we were greeted by staff specially sent from the hotel to collect us. We were offered some snacks and bottles of cold water during the ride, which took barely 20 minutes.

Nevermind that our car entered the hotel grounds via a road that was flanked by a GIANT gold dog on each side, Egyptian style..

When we entered the lobby MY JAW DROPPED. I really didn’t know where to look first.

WHAT WAS THE WELCOME DRINK?

LAMARCK UNIVERSITY

THE PINK PEARL

Ricardo and I had dinner at The Pink Pearl one evening and it was a real treat. The resident chef is rotated every two or three months. At the time we went, the type of cuisine being served was Thai – as they had invited a chef from… somewhere in Thailand (haha).

Being there when the whole place was lit up with all those fancy lights made it a magical meal – not to mention the food was delicious.

WHERE WE STAYED | THE TURQUOISE SUITE

The Turquoise Suite is the largest suite on the property; ours was 90 square metres in size. That’s bigger than our 1-bedroom apartment at home.

What I loved most were the twin showers – I’d always rejected Ricardo’s attempts to shower together because I hate when it’s not my turn under the shower (I get cold easily). But with this setup we could get clean together AND have a conversation whilst doing so!

LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS! 

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL ROOM WITH BEAUTIFUL THINGS!

The Turquoise Suite is located in the Department of Botany, hence the plant pictures and old seed packets.

There were so many places to plant my butt that we were simply spoilt for choice. I don’t think we managed to sit on all the things that were sittable things. The ratio of available butts to available sittable things was 2 : too many!

The suite comes with a huge balcony overlooking the pool and beach (Emerald Bay). Really, this is the room to get if you’re visiting and want to give yourself a grand treat for a special occasion or because why not.

SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

The School of Professional Studies was so much fun! It essentially contains the meeting/conference rooms of the hotel and other spaces you can lounge around in.

It was like someone’s gigantic living room with lots of compartments.

We particularly enjoyed the blue room above because it seemed to have the strongest air-conditioning.. 

Everywhere we looked – it looked good. It was clear to see that no detail was spared in the process of bringing to life Bill Bensley’s colourful imagination.

Oh yeah, this place cost almost $250 million to build  😎
.

CHANTERELLE SPA

The Chanterelle Spa was easily the most beautiful spa I had ever seen.

It had a mushroom theme (‘chanterelle’ is the name of a type of mushroom) tied in with some elements of Alice in Wonderland.

I think this was just a clever and politically correct way to fuse magic and mushrooms into the narrative of the spa  😆 

This includes picture frames that aren’t straight or aligned with each other, and a hallway with arches of different sizes and heights.

I LOVED ALL THE ROOMS here. Even if you’re not getting a spa treatment, it’s worth coming by just for a tour of the facilities. Every room is stunning.
 

HOI AN LANTERN MAKING

When you enrol at Lamarck University (a.k.a. check in to the hotel), you’ll be given the timetable of student activities for the week which you can sign up for.

I thought it was a really fun idea; it reminded me of being at Club Med when I was a kid.

You could visit the Fish Sauce Factory nearby (did you know that Phu Quoc Island is famous for producing fish sauce?), or cycle to the local bee farm.

On-site activities include surf yoga, Vietnamese classes, towel sculpture, t-shirt painting, and.. beer yoga.

We took part in the Hoi An lantern making class. It took some patience and good fine motor skills, but I loved the finished product. I gave my lantern to my mother – it’d been a while since I gave her a handmade-by-me gift!

THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

If you haven’t already guessed, The Department of Chemistry refers to the bar. It also has a pink colour theme, and is located next to the Pink Pearl and also the beach.

At the bar, you’re able to request a unique cocktail that will be mixed according to your preferences, or not – depending on how much you like surprises..!

Bite-sized or tapas style food is served here.

WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?

I don’t usually have high expectations, or any expectations, about eating at hotels, but the JW Marriott Phu Quoc really outdid itself in terms of the variety as well the quality of the food offered.

Let me just point out that there are five dining options at the resort. FIVE! 
Ok maybe four-and-a-half since the bar/Dept of Chemistry only serves small plates.

Tempus Fugit restaurant is the main dining area, where the daily buffet breakfast is served. It was a dream to be able to have Vietnamese pho and banh mi (amongst a number of other savoury asian things) in the morning instead of what is the bane of my breakfast life: ‘continental breakfast’.

Red Rum is a seafood restaurant on the beach – this was my least favourite, though we got the chance to eat GIANT CLAMS there!

French & Co is cafe style eatery that I remember for their AMAZING smoothies. I still fantasise about the green tea & coconut smoothie. And the blueberry ginger smoothie.

Then there’s the Pink Pearl of course.

I’m not ashamed to say that WE ATE ALL OUR MEALS AT THE RESORT during our three-night stay. They have good food! You will be well fed.

JW MARRIOTT PHU QUOC: FINAL TIPS

• If you can only swim in one pool (there are three!), make it the Shell Pool.
• Definitely try the blueberry or green tea smoothie at French & Co.
• Rent a stand-up-paddle board or body board for free at the beach.
• Have dinner at Pink Pearl Restaurant. Go upstairs to have a peek at their private dining rooms if possible!
• Ask for a tour of the Chanterelle Spa if you’re not getting a treatment.
• If you can manage it, stay in the Turquoise Suite! Otherwise, I can safely say that every other room is also a delight.
• I would recommend staying for at least three nights. I wish we could’ve stayed longer!

  The resort is so huge that it’ll take quite some time to explore. This is something you’ll want to do as everything is so beautifully made, and with little quirks to be found if you look hard enough. You’ll want to be able to experience at least some of the activities available; and time to enjoy all the immaculately designed rooms/areas of the resort.

CLICK HERE FOR BEST ROOM RATES

To get a much better feel of the resort, I recommend watching this fun video we put together 🙂

This post was created in collaboration with JW Marriot Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa.