Salinda Resort Phu Quoc Island

For a truly special night to remember, the staff can organise a private candlelit supper for two on the beach – an irresistibly romantic spot. You can also take dinner on your private balcony, or in the hotel’s pretty mango garden.

There is some pretty stiff competition, but Phu Quoc might just be the Platonic ideal when it comes to islands – unspoilt white sand beaches, hundreds of coral varieties and magnificently multi-hued sunsets that dance in the skies above you every night. Half of the 50km-long island sits within the protected Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve, with 99 undulating peaks running across it. Perched on the island’s western coast is Salinda Resort – a sizable yet strangely intimate mixture of rooms, suites and private villas located directly on Long Beach.

The resort has taken pains to furnish guests with everything they might possibly need for a relaxing stay – from several different on-site restaurants that span Italian, Indian and regional Vietnamese cuisine, to a fitness centre and a fully-equipped Thai spa. Evenings can be spent listening to live music in the hotel’s gleaming tiled lounge, or watching the sun go down at the architecturally-minded poolside bar. Even the on-site boutique shop is worth a visit, offering a range of locally-sourced pearls and hand-crafted ceramics to commemorate your trip.

The beaches on Phu Quoc are truly beautiful – the powdered sands of Long Beach are of course right on Salinda’s doorstep, but if you fancy getting a little further afield, it’s easy to explore. Head south to Sao for champagne-sparkling seas, or north to Rach Vem’s hidden eastern end to marvel at colonies of sunbathing red starfish. The hotel is on hand to help organise transportation – along with sailing, scuba diving, and anything else you might think of to experience on this sparkling isle.