It's the power of Vietnamese nature to turn the prosaic to extraordinary.

An underpopulated island archipelago tucked in the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc is, literally, paradise in the making. It is a vast natural laboratory where the mighty annual monsoon shapes the coastline, makes waterfalls gush, rivers overflow, and cleanses the land. Its supercharged splendor seems designed to remind visitors of its utter significance in the greater scheme of things. And it works a treat; some crisp clean ocean air, green flora, an eyeful of the cinematic island landscapes, and everyone is transfixed.