Chen Sea Resort & Spa

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Korean, so you can deal with the practicalities without resorting to underwater hand signals. The resort has 36 rooms and sits around a secluded bay, with tropical rainforest behind it and the sea in front.

This is a place for a proper switch-off rather than a town-base hotel. You can move between the beach, the pool, the restaurant and the spa without turning the evening into a logistical exercise. The mood is easy-going and self-contained, with enough on site for a quiet day when your legs have had quite enough activity.

You are in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, at Bai Xep in Ong Lang Hamlet, on the island’s north-western side. The resort is directly beside the sea, with a private white-sand beach equipped with sun loungers and parasols. Ong Lang Beach is nearby, while Phu Quoc town is about 3.7 miles away.

The setting is a secluded bay surrounded by tropical rainforest, so the view is more sea and jungle than traffic and shopfronts. The airport is a 20 to 25-minute drive away, and the resort also arranges transfers from the airport and ferry terminal.

The accommodation is arranged as villas rather than a long corridor of identical rooms. For two people, the sea-view villa is the obvious choice if the view matters: it adds a dining area, fridge, private entrance and a bath alongside the usual room comforts. The two-bedroom villa gives families or friends more room to spread out, while the standard villa keeps things simpler.

Air conditioning is available for the hot part of the day, with a fan as another way to keep the air moving. Tea and coffee facilities, bottled water, a minibar, Wi-Fi and a safe cover the useful basics; the sea-view villa also has a fridge, which is welcome when you come back wanting something cold rather than another conversation. Bathrobes, slippers, toiletries and a hairdryer keep the unpacking straightforward.

Some villas have a bath, some a shower, and room features vary by category. A private bathroom, television, wardrobe and desk are part of the general set-up, with a mosquito net also available among the room facilities. Family and connecting accommodation are available within the room mix, subject to the category you choose.

There is one restaurant, Il Ristorante, set by the beach and outdoors, with sea views. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, combining Italian, Vietnamese and international cooking. Fresh seafood, local specialities and a broad wine selection give the menu more range than a simple post-dive refuelling stop.

Breakfast comes as a buffet or à la carte, and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices are available. Half-board and all-inclusive arrangements are offered alongside breakfast-only stays, depending on the option you book.

For the drink afterwards, Ghe Bar is the resort’s beachfront bar. Cocktails, mocktails and snacks are served there, while room service runs until 10pm. There is also a café and a snack bar on site, useful when you want something smaller than a full meal.

The infinity pool gives you a second place to get wet without putting a mask on. It is open from 6am to 7pm, and the beach supplies the slower alternative: white sand, sun loungers, parasols and beach towels. Kayaking, paddleboarding, boat excursions and snorkelling are available for days when floating about is enough of a plan.

For the less aquatic hours, you can borrow or hire a bicycle, walk, play billiards or pick up a book in the library. The resort can also arrange visits to the local market, waterfalls and other boat excursions. A cookery class adds a more purposeful activity for a day when lying still begins to feel suspiciously ambitious.

Chen Sea Spa offers massages, facials and baths, with treatments under the BIYOKEA name. Yoga is available too, while the fitness facilities cover those who prefer a more structured recovery session. The garden, terrace, picnic area and barbecue facilities leave room for a quiet afternoon without forcing you into a timetable.

Check-in runs from 2pm to 10pm, with check-out by midday. The reception is open around the clock, and private check-in and check-out are available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort, and the property also offers luggage storage, concierge assistance, laundry, dry cleaning and car hire.

Airport and ferry-terminal transfers are available, either arranged as a private service or a shuttle through the hotel. Arrange the arrival details with the resort in advance. Parking is available, and an on-site first-aid room adds a useful practical detail for a remote beach setting.

A few details are worth keeping in mind before you choose your villa. Extra beds depend on the room category, and only registered guests can access the rooms. Spa treatments and massages should be arranged before arrival. Pets, including assistance animals, are not accepted.

The resort’s environmental measures include recycling, reducing plastic use and restoring coral reefs. Those are practical actions for a property whose appeal depends on the beach, the sea and the rainforest around the bay.

The approach is less about a badge on the wall than about cutting down disposable plastic and putting something back into the marine environment. For you, that means the conservation work is tied directly to the setting you have come to enjoy.