The JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort has thoughtfully designed a massive variety of activities that perfectly blend the resort's unique theme with local Vietnamese culture. The prices are incredibly reasonable, allowing guests to tailor their schedules and create unforgettable memories!

Since this JW Marriott is themed around a European university, you actually receive a "Student Handbook" right after checking in!

Inside, not only will you find introductions to the "university's" restaurants, but it also includes a map and separate "Activity Schedules" for both adults and kids!

Activities are divided into free and paid options. We aren't entirely sure about the kids' activities, but for the adult classes, any required fees are clearly listed on the schedule. Below is a sneak peek at some of the awesome activities offered on the schedule (Note: The information below is from our visit in November 2018; actual prices and activity availability will depend on the schedule you receive at check-in).

➡️ JW Marriott Phu Quoc Official Website

🏫 Activity Directory

★ University Tour
★ Hoi An Lantern Making
★ Conical Hat Painting
★ Towel Sculpture
★ T-shirt Painting
★ Coffee Atelier
★ Cupcakes & Cookies Baking
★ Sleep Deeply Workshop
★ Surf Yoga
★ VIP Cocktail Party

🏫 University Tour

▶︎ Price: Free
▶︎ Location: Meet at the Lobby
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

An English-speaking guide takes you through the detailed backstory and history of this fictional university, pointing out brilliant architectural details along the way. It gives you a much deeper understanding of the resort’s background story and exactly what the famed designer (Bill Bensley) was trying to convey. We absolutely recommend joining this university tour! Not only is it completely free and incredibly insightful, but the guide also takes you into exclusive areas you wouldn't normally have access to, like grand meeting rooms and large event halls.

▼ This meeting room was purely magical. The bizarre sight of chairs mounted upside down on the ceiling made it look like someone cast a spell to make them levitate! It gave us serious Harry Potter magic school vibes. So cool!

The hallway also features an entire row of these floating chairs.

Additionally, you get an exclusive peek inside Pink Pearl, the resort’s fine-dining restaurant that normally requires a reservation! The interior styling is just spectacularly gorgeous.

A super pretty, pastel-pink stairwell!

Even the private dining rooms on the second floor are decked out in this lovely blush pink!

Down in the basement wine cellar, there's a stunning, romantic spiral staircase right in the center.

After touring the exquisite Pink Pearl, our guide took us over to the super fun and quirky Department of Chemistry Bar!

Afterward, we all hopped onto a golf cart for a breezy ride around the rest of the resort while the guide continued the introduction.

We drove up one of the resort's hillsides, passing by several different "academic departments" along the way. The photo below is the bell tower for the Department of Architecture!

Finally, we reached a hillside on the edge of the resort that offers a panoramic view of the entire resort's bay area. And that marks the end of the tour!

This university tour is a fantastic way to quickly and deeply understand the resort. It is hands-down one of our most highly recommended, must-do activities!

🏫 Hoi An Lantern Making

▶︎ Price: 100,000 VND (approx. $4.50 USD)
▶︎ Location: Lantern Workshop
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

It’s so meaningful that the JW Marriott Phu Quoc incorporates these deeply representative pieces of Asian culture into their activities. To be honest, even though we’ve seen countless lanterns before, we never really knew or even thought about how they were actually made!

In the lantern-making class, the hotel staff first brings out a vibrant selection of fabrics for us to choose from. You mainly need to pick the primary color for the lantern itself and the color for the upper and lower trimming borders. There are various completed lanterns hanging nearby if you need some inspiration!

The bamboo frames of the lanterns are already pre-made by the staff, and you get to choose between two different shapes. The staff patiently teaches everyone how to cut the fabric to size and glue it smoothly onto the lantern frame.

In the end, the staff kindly steps in to help us secure and finish the top and bottom ends of the lanterns.

For Cherry, who absolutely loves arts and crafts, this was an incredibly fun class filled with rich cultural immersion!

🏫 Conical Hat Painting

▶︎ Price: Free
▶︎ Location: Lantern Workshop
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

Aside from lantern making, another activity heavily rooted in folk culture is conical hat painting. When you think of Vietnam, the "Nón Lá" (conical hat) instantly comes to mind! Even the famous "Miss Saigon" perfume bottle features a woman wearing one. It's safe to say the conical hat is one of Vietnam's most iconic symbols!

During the hat painting activity, they provide paints, brushes, and a bunch of reference pictures you can choose to "trace" (or basically copy! 😆). Of course, you can completely unleash your own creativity and design whatever pattern you like for your hat!

🏫 Towel Sculpture

▶︎ Price: Free
▶︎ Location: Lantern Workshop
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

In this activity, you get to learn how to fold the famous "towel animals" you so often see in resort rooms!

The hotel staff carefully prepared a huge pile of towels of all sizes in the center of the woven mats. There are three different towel sizes used. All the participants sit in a circle as the staff demonstrates step-by-step how to fold various animals, and then it's our turn to practice!

In the past, whenever housekeeping left a towel animal on our bed, we could barely bring ourselves to unfold it. After taking this class, we finally realized that different animals are folded using entirely different sizes of towels! If you hit a roadblock halfway through, you can always ask the staff nearby. They are so sweet and patient—even when faced with our total lack of folding talent, they literally held our hands to guide us through it!

At the very end, they taught us how to make the classic kissing swans that form a heart. It turns out the swans are actually way easier than I imagined!

JW Marriott passing down the ancient hospitality secret of towel animals to their guests—it really is such a delightfully fun activity!

🏫 T-shirt Painting

▶︎ Price: 100,000 VND (approx. $4.50 USD)
▶︎ Location: Lantern Workshop
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

Just like the conical hat painting, the hotel staff provides paints, brushes, and plenty of design templates to choose from! But again, you are totally free to sketch out your own designs. The paint they use is actually amazing! They told us that once it air-dries for a few days, it's completely washable. I was honestly terrified that the black paint we used would bleed and ruin our hard work, so I waited a long time before finally gathering the courage to wash them. But as it turns out, even throwing them in the washing machine didn't cause any fading or bleeding!

Cherry looked up some cute couple t-shirts online for inspiration and added her own little twists, painting designs on both the front and back! Being able to bring your own design ideas to life on a t-shirt is ridiculously fun and so rewarding. I haven't taken an art class since junior high, but this activity at the JW Marriott completely awakened my inner artist. I had an absolute blast painting these!!! Though, to be fair, these matching shirts are a bit too cheesy, so we rarely actually wear them in public! 😆

🏫 Coffee Atelier

▶︎ Price: 400,000 VND (approx. $17 USD)
▶︎ Location: French & Co.
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

This workshop provides a fascinating, deep dive into the differences between Vietnamese coffee beans and other varieties. The instructor shares the slow historical shift in how the Vietnamese accepted "coffee" as a beverage during the French colonial era, eventually leading to the unique origins of modern-day Vietnamese coffee!

Next, you get to choose your preferred coffee base. The options include traditional Vietnamese coffee (which is quite robust and bitter), a 50/50 blend of Arabica and Vietnamese beans, or a 100% Arabica brew.

Following the teacher's instructions, we went step-by-step through the process of brewing an authentic Vietnamese drip coffee.

Down in southern Vietnam, a drink called "Bac Xiu" is incredibly popular. The name actually has Chinese origins—it loosely translates to "more white (condensed milk) and less (coffee)." This explosively sweet drink is a staple of Vietnamese coffee culture! Vietnam also has a famous "egg coffee," where egg yolks and condensed milk are whipped together into a thick, creamy foam (similar to a cappuccino froth) and poured over the coffee. Back in the day, when Vietnam was mostly rural and refrigerators were scarce, preserving fresh milk was difficult. So, people ingeniously used fresh eggs—which were readily available on the farms—to whip up this dense "milk foam" for their coffee! Isn't that both fascinating and brilliantly resourceful?

We didn't have eggs in our class, but the teacher brewed us a cup of traditional Vietnamese coffee packed with a generous layer of condensed milk! (It really is quite sweet—we highly recommend it to anyone with a major sweet tooth!)

At the end of the workshop, they gifted each of us a gorgeous little box of Vietnamese coffee to take home so we can brew it ourselves. Such a thoughtful touch!

🏫 Cupcakes & Cookies Baking

▶︎ Price: 500,000 VND (approx. $19.50 USD)
▶︎ Location: French & Co.
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

Cherry loves baking so much that she was tempted to sign up for every single culinary class they offered! However, due to our tight schedule, she ultimately settled on this dessert course, figuring that with the deep French colonial influence, the Vietnamese must be fantastic at making pastries! 😍

When we arrived at the class, each workstation was set up with a recipe card and an apron embroidered with "Lamarck University." (And yes, you get to take the apron home as a souvenir!) The instructor then detailed all the steps for making the cookie dough, and everyone in the class got to take turns performing one step to create a communal batch of dough together.

We were each handed a portion of the dough to shape into our own cookies and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Then, into the oven they went! The brick oven was absolutely adorable. The teacher was also incredibly sweet and helped take photos of everyone as a keepsake.

While waiting for the cookies to bake, the instructor gave a demonstration on how to pipe frosting to decorate our cupcakes!

After that, it was our turn to let loose and get creative! We didn't actually bake the cupcakes ourselves; the focus was purely on the fun part—piping the frosting!

If you have any interest in baking, it's a genuinely fun class. Cherry headed back to our room that day carrying a massive bag of cookies, three frosted cupcakes, and our souvenir aprons. What a haul! Cherry will definitely be sharing this cookie recipe on the blog later!

🏫 Sleep Deeply Workshop

▶︎ Price: Free
▶︎ Location: Chanterelle - Spa by JW
▶︎ Duration: 1 Hour

Held inside the resort’s beautiful spa center, the Sleep Deeply Workshop is guided by the spa staff, leading everyone through a series of gentle stretching exercises designed to completely relax the body and promote better sleep.

Before starting, they give everyone a dab of Aromatherapy deep relaxation oil to rub on. Once the essential oils take effect, you begin learning stretches that help you drift into a deep sleep, all within a wonderfully tranquil and soothing environment.

If you struggle with sleep, or if you're just severely lacking in daily exercise like we are, going in to stretch out your muscles and joints feels absolutely incredible.

🏫 Surf Yoga

▶︎ Price: Free
▶︎ Location: Meet at the Water Sport Centre (wear swimwear)
▶︎ Duration: 30 Minutes

Cherry was extremely eager to join this Surf Yoga class, but unfortunately, we just couldn't squeeze it into our schedule and had to pass!

🏫 VIP Cocktail Party

▶︎ Price: Free
▶︎ Location: Pink Pearl Restaurant Backyard

As a final bonus, let’s talk about this hidden, invite-only cocktail party! This is an activity you won't find printed in your Student Handbook. Only specific guests receive an invitation. From what we understand, they host this mixer every Thursday evening as a way for the resort's management team to chat face-to-face with high-tier Marriott Bonvoy Elite members, as well as guests staying at the resort for an extended number of days. It’s their way to genuinely connect, see how guests are enjoying their stay, and gather feedback for improvements. The hotel provides fantastic drinks and some lovely canapés!

They were incredibly generous; every single appetizer they brought out was exquisite and delicious! The management team was also exceptionally warm, welcoming, and easy to talk to. It made for a truly memorable evening.

The JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort offers an astonishing amount of activities! For a luxury resort, the prices are incredibly budget-friendly, and the slightly pricier classes even include lovely souvenirs! You can feel the immense thought and care JW Marriott put into designing these experiences. Aside from the abundant activities, the service here is just on another level of excellence! We highly, highly recommend this resort to anyone planning a trip to Phu Quoc—you have to stay here and experience these hotel activities for yourself! There were still so many things we didn't have time to try, like biking to the nearby Coconut Prison, visiting the bee farm, or taking a basic Vietnamese language class. We'll leave those for you to discover on your own trip!

🏫 Marriott Bonvoy Member Booking

If you are a Marriott Bonvoy member or are thinking about joining the program, we strongly recommend booking your room directly through the Official Marriott Website. Booking direct is the only way to guarantee you'll receive your elite benefits and earn those precious points! If you book through a third-party site (like Agoda or Booking.com), there is a very high chance you won't get to enjoy any of your elite perks during your stay!

★ 【Book Direct】Marriott Official Site (EN) / Marriott Official Site (CN)
★ 【Check Rates】JW Marriott Phu Quoc Agoda Deals
★ 【Resort Review】This Isn't a Hotel! It's a European University! JW Marriott Phu Quoc
★ 【Resort Activities】JW Marriott Phu Quoc Activity Guide
★ 【Insane Dining】The Most Unique Dining Ever! JW Marriott Themed Restaurants
★ 【Must-Visit Night Market】A Luxury Phu Quoc Night Market Inside the JW Marriott
★ 【Attraction Guide】Top 11 Must-Visit Places in Phu Quoc
★ 【Highly Recommended】World's Longest Sea Cable Car in Phu Quoc

🏫 Phu Quoc Travel Info

★ 【Guide】Ultimate Travel Guide | Top 11 Must-Visit Places in Phu Quoc
★ 【Transport】Private Charter | Scooter Rental
★ 【Pass】Phu Quoc Attraction Pass
★ 【Tickets】Sun World Phu Quoc | Vinpearl Safari | VinWonders | Grand World
★ 【Tours】Phu Quoc Coral Reef & Half Moon Reef Snorkeling Day Tour
★ 【Attractions】The Most Beautiful Temple in Phu Quoc | Local Favorite Floating Restaurant
★ 【Hotels】Phu Quoc Accommodation Guide ☆ Maps & Surrounding Attractions

🏫 Phu Quoc Travel Articles

★ [Phu Quoc Ultimate Travel Guide] Top 20 Attractions ★ Maps, Transport & Itinerary
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] Accommodation Guide by Area ☆ Maps & Surrounding Attractions
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] World's Longest Sea Cable Car ☆ Must-Visit Attraction
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] The Most Beautiful Temple in Phu Quoc | Ho Quoc Pagoda
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] Local Favorite Floating Restaurant | Rustic & Natural Dining
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] Top 11 Must-Visit Places | Essential Reading!
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] This Isn't a Hotel! It's a European University! | JW Marriott Review
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] Insane Academic Theme~ JW Marriott Phu Quoc Room Tour
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] The Most Unique Dining Ever!! JW Marriott Themed Restaurants
★ [Vietnam Phu Quoc] A Luxury Phu Quoc Night Market Inside the JW Marriott

🏫 Other Travel Guides

★ Islands: Tahiti | Maldives | Fiji
★ Southeast Asia: Bali | Phu Quoc | Koh Samui
★ Europe: Finland | UK
★ USA: New York | San Francisco | Las Vegas
★ Middle East: Doha | Dubai | Abu Dhabi