Today we decided to discover the north end of the island. The weather was beautiful, hot and sunny with clear blue skies. Our plan was to find the entrance to Cua Can river and hire a boat along it to take us up through the jungle. But we also wanted to take this opportunity to see what else the island had to offer. Our first stop was the Ba Lon Tuong Le Kim Dinh pagoda. Named after the wife of man considered to be a hero in the war against the French.

Although knowing nothing about her when we arrived we quickly learned her story from other locals around the temple. She and her husband Nguyen Trun Truc fought together during the war and she perished at this spot. Her husband would live on only to perish further up the road where his own pagoda stands today. The local fisherman will come during the full moon and offer gifts to her spirit so that she may guide their boats on rough seas and proctect them from harm.

After leaving the temple we stopped at a local farm off the main road. We had heard proudly from many locals how the pepper grown in Phu Quoc was the best in the world. First of all i didnt even know that pepper grew on trees and is a fruit let alone how to judge the quality. But if confidence is related in any way to quality they must have been right and then some!And then behold the bane of my existence and the light of Hue’s. Durian! There can be no bigger wedge between a couple with the possible exception of socks on or off except the pungent smell of tree meat. And yet to the Vietnamese it is a mouth watering delight.

Finally continuing our trip we took the bike through the jungle in the direction of ocean. A short 15 minute trip from the farm on some less then maintained roads we reached a secluded beach with few travelers. A few adventours souls snorkled out into the bay but for the most part we had the beach to ourselves.

After spending a hour enjoying the water we packed up and headed for home. we never did find the river entrance but that just means we having something to do tomorrow.