EMERALD BAY STATE OF MIND

Phu Quoc's imaginative resort fuses whimsical architecture with serious dining – from French-Mediterranean finesse at Pink Pearl to beachfront feasts.

- WORDS AMY VAN

Phu Quoc is known for its white sand beaches, gentle seas and glowing sunsets. Yet it is on the island's southern curve, overlooking jewel-toned waters, that fantasy is given free rein at the popular JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa. Conceived by celebrated designer Bill Bensley, the property is styled as a fictional 19th-century French institution. Christened 'Lamarck University', the setting comes complete with invented departments, playful backstories and a rich fusion of colour, pattern and period references. The interiors are maximalist, whimsical and meticulously detailed. There’s even a running track for those who want to burn some calories after all the feasting.

The sprawling resort stretches along the beachfront. Designed with privacy and space in mind, the accommodations feature terraces or balconies with sofa beds that invite languid mornings and slow evenings. Rooms with the ocean views are most coveted of course.

CULINARY AND THEATRICAL FLAIR

The resort’s culinary narrative is anchored by Pink Pearl by Olivier E., a fine-dining restaurant housed in a pink-hued, couture-inspired mansion. The setting is glamorous, with just 36 seats in the main dining room, complemented by five private rooms, a wine tasting salon and a garden festooned with fairy lights.

At the helm is consultant chef Olivier Elzer whose resume reads like a tour of modern French gastronomy. As a chef-entrepreneur, Olivier brings both pedigree and polish. In addition to leading multiple acclaimed restaurants across Taipei, Hangzhou and Macau, he is also culinary director of two-Michelin-starred L’Envol at The St. Regis Hong Kong. Mentored early in his career by Pierre Gagnaire and subsequently by the late Joël Robuchon, his cooking is grounded in classic technique yet unafraid of contemporary expression.