Phu Quoc: Laying under the sun

This picture was shot in front one of the tourist resorts in Phu Quoc's Long Beach.

Can you think of something more relaxing than laying in one of these deck chairs under the shade? I can. What about laying in one of these chairs while having a massage?

While laying on the beach, you will be approached by local masseuses offering their services. They will charge you only a few bucks for an hour massage. Some of these ladies are real experts. Remember to negotiate the price. You do not need to give them any tip.

If you go to a massage lounge (or you take a massage in your hotel), you may be surprised to find there are two prices. A local and a foreign price. The reason for this is that locals always give better tips. Usually a Vietnamese will give a 100% tip -- because they know masseuses do not get any salary from the owner of the place. And we foreigners think that 10% is a good tip! If you are charged more than a local, you do not have to give a big tip. But if you pay the local price, you do have to give at least a 50% tip. This is only for massages. At restaurants, tips are no obligation. It depends on the quality of the service.