Phu Quoc Island

Unspoilt Phu Quoc is a tropical island tucked away off the southern tip of Vietnam close to the coast of Cambodia. Inland lies a dense jungle - the backdrop for mile after mile of white sand beaches, swaying palm trees and the warm turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand.

Having flown in from Dalat and hopped onto another plane at Ho Chi Minh City Airport we make our way to the peaceful get-away-from-it-all Mango Bay, an eco-friendly resort set around two private beaches at Bai Ong Lang, north of the more popular but still largely undeveloped Long Beach area.

Our garden bungalow set back a few metres from one of the beaches is a dream. It's simple, but perfect - one huge room with four-poster bed replete with mosquito net draped around it, a floor to ceiling mirror, desk and wardrobe, wooden window shutters and a large door shutter opening out onto a wide verandah, with table, chairs and comfy sofa.

Topping it off - and giving it real wow factor - is the bathroom, located outdoors. Loo, washbasin and shower are set back under a canopy from a gorgeous flowerbed. Outside it may be, but it's completely private - surrounded by teak wood walls on every side. Showering in the garden it is then - come rain or shine - with just birds, butterfies and a few friendly geckos to keep one company. Now that's what we call getting back to nature.

Another bonus is that any neighbours are a long way away - the bungalows are designed in such a way that you are able to enjoy total privacy. You can lose yourself in the sheer tranquility of it all, and have as little or as much contact with the rest of the human race as you choose. If it's complete peace and quiet you seek then you can find it here.

Mango Bay's two beaches are both lovely - sheltered coves with little rocky headlands jutting out to sea - perfect for swimming, snorkelling and just plain relaxing. Having started in the far north and taken in Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Hoi An and the Central Highlands around Dalat - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and the mighty Mekong River next on agenda - we are in the mood to do very little over the next five days other than pull up the beach loungers, get out some books and just get plain lazy for a bit.

The resort itself is both informal and spacious, spread out around an open-on-all-sides main restaurant - the front of it almost touches the ocean - and there is also a separate beach bar just a couple minutes walk away.

First call after waking to the sound of birds, and with natural light filtering in through our shutters, is for breakfast - a very relaxed affair with a wonderful spread of fresh fruit, different types of homemade bread, museli, freshly cooked eggs, pancakes, omlettes and sizzling rashers of bacon, mango (naturally), pineapple and passion fruit juices and the most delicious jams - banana and strawberry - that we have tasted anywhere.

After taking a walk around the resort's gorgeous butterfly garden, vegetable patches and woods it's time for a relax on those lovely loungers under straw umbrellas and take a dip in water as warm as a bath.

Having had such a sumptous brekkie - which we linger over far too long (something to do with the view from our table) lunch at the beach bar is a simple affair and shared by the two of us. There are a few other diners there and we watch in amusement over ice-cold drinks as dishes are delivered to the table by waiters on bicycles who have two-wheeled it - one hand steering , the other holding lunch - from the main restaurant about 200 metres away.

After a lite bite there's nothing much for it but to chill out again in the afternoon and repeat the dose - reading, swimming, sunbathing and snorkelling.

Before you know it dusk is setting in and, with Mango Bay west facing, the sunsets here are among the most spectacular we have seen on our travels. Six until 8pm is happy hour at either bar and it would be rude not to join in the fun, especially with some great deals on the cocktails. So 6pm becomes sundowner time in more ways than one before we head to our table for an evening meal which can either take the form of BBQ meats - chicken, beef or pork - or fish freshly caught that day.

Decisions, decisions - and it was while trying to make one of those that we overheard a Welsh accent on a nearby table. Time for introductions all round. The voice was that of Adrian, who hails originally from Tredegar. He and his wife Bah are teachers at an international school in Hanoi and, having recently got married, were enjoying a few days away together with daughter Hanah.
After putting the world to rights, and trying to figure out how far Wales will progress in the Rugby World Cup, it's back to those decisions - which fish dish to go for.

Yes, its that languid and laidback here - and each day falls into the same busy doing nothing pattern. We should be getting out and about on motrobikes to see the island's infastructure, visit the little fishing villages that dot the coast, head for a factory producing a pungent fish sauce and see the necklaces and earrings produced at a pearl farm.

Sadly, and shamefully, we do none of these things. We are gripped by Mango fever - and with a constant high of around 30C, but lulled by gentle breezes and comforted by oodles of shade, we find it's as much as we can do just to decide which beach to visit on any given day. It's gotten as bad as that.

Oh, well. In a couple of days time we will get a serious reality check when we head for fast and furious Ho Chi Minh City, so we will resign ourselves to making the most of playing at lotus eaters for the time being and revel in Phu Quoc for what it is - a taste of paradise proper.

Talk is that this stunning Vietnamese island may fall into the hands of greedy developers over the next few years and could become another Costa del Soulless. Already a huge new main highway is being built and cuts north to south like a deep scar through the forests. There are also plans for a new international airport, golf course and casino.

On the plus side, the vast majority of it - around 70% is protected under national park status - so it would appear that Mango Bay will be safe for others to enjoy it as much as we did. If it's a beach hideaway idyll your after then this is as good as it gets.