We kinda relaxed today.
Our hotel is on Long Beach. Early morning walk on the beach
followed by breakfast at the hotel
We had a car, driver and guide to take us around the island. We vetoed the prison tour and, much to Trevor's chagrin, temples. It seems there was a prison here from the Vietnam War. We had our fill out Vietnam War details and temples.
Instead, we went to the pearl farm which was less of a farm and more of a pearl jewelry store. Items ranged in price from $10 to $100,000.
Then we stopped at the fish sauce factory. Imagine how a fish sauce factory would smell. Now multiple by 10 and that's the smell. Fish sauce is a big thing on this island.
Then we went swimming at Sao Beach. With turquoise waters, it is considered the best beach on the island. The water is at least 85 degrees.
After swimming and lunch on the beach, we stopped at both a pepper farm and sim berry winery on the way back to the hotel.
From our guide, we learned about how the island is going through a large development period right now. The government is moving local people off the prime beach properties and selling the land to the big hotel chains. Needless to say, our guide is less than impressed with the current Vietnam government. He also told us about how the waters here in the Gulf of Thailand have been over-fished.
We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the hotel veranda enjoying a few rounds of their exceptional pina coladas.
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