Tours out of Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam
Southern Vietnam
The island’s quieter side, with sunsets on the west coast
The south of Phu Quoc has cable cars and theme parks. The north is still forest and red dirt roads. We base you on the west coast and show you both.
Overview
Which Phu Quoc you get
Phu Quoc has changed faster than anywhere else in Vietnam. The southern third now has big resorts, a very long cable car and a busy strip at Duong Dong, while the north is still largely national park with a scattering of small beaches. The west coast faces the sunset, which is the reason most people come, and in the dry season the sea there is flat and clear.
Three nights is enough for a proper stay: one day exploring the north, one on a boat among the small islands off the southern tip, and plenty of time to do nothing. We choose a hotel on the west coast between the two halves of the island, so neither end is far away.
- Length
- 4 days, 3 nights
- Flight from Saigon
- About 1 hour
- Base
- West coast
- Best months
- November to April
- Style
- Private, with guide
Nights
Where you sleep
Day by day
Day by day
Day 1
Fly in, the first sunset
The first sunset over the Gulf of Thailand
A morning flight of about an hour from Saigon. Your driver meets you and takes you to the hotel, twenty to forty minutes depending on where it is. The afternoon is free for the beach. Sunset is around six, and the best place to watch it is the sand in front of the hotel.
Day 2
The forested north and a quiet beach
Ham Ninh and its stilt houses
At 08:00 your guide takes you north through the national park, where the forest comes down to the road. We stop at a village on the north coast where the water is shallow and full of starfish, then at a quiet beach for a swim and a seafood lunch.
In the afternoon we come back down the east side of the island to a pepper farm, where Phu Quoc pepper grows on tall poles, and to Ham Ninh, a fishing village of stilt houses on the east coast known for its crab. Back at the hotel by 17:00 for the sunset.
Day 3
A boat day in the southern islands
Snorkelling off the southern islands
In the dry season, a private boat leaves An Thoi harbour at 08:30 for the small islands off the southern tip, with two stops for snorkelling and a lunch of grilled fish on board or on an island beach. You are back at 15:30.
Between June and September, when the south-west monsoon puts swell on this side of the island, we replace the boat with a day on land: a waterfall in the forest, the old prison museum, and a fish sauce house. In the evening, if you want it, we take you to the night market at Duong Dong.
Day 4
A last swim and the flight home
A slow last morning on the beach
The morning is yours. We collect you after check-out for a midday or afternoon flight to Saigon, or onward to Hanoi or Da Nang.
Price
Price
| Travellers | Tier 1 — simple | Tier 2 — comfortable | Tier 3 — the good ones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 travelling | from 495 | from 620 | from 940 |
| 4 travelling | from 405 | from 505 | from 770 |
| 6 travelling | from 365 | from 460 | from 695 |
Hotels on Phu Quoc run from simple guesthouses to some of the most expensive resorts in Vietnam, so the tier choice moves the price more here than anywhere else in the south. Flights are dearest at Tet, at Christmas and in the Vietnamese summer holidays. The private boat is a fixed cost shared between everyone in the party.
Included
What is included
What the price includes
- Return economy flights Saigon to Phu Quoc
- Airport transfers and a private car on touring days
- Guide on days two and three
- Private boat with snorkelling gear in the dry season
- Three nights at your chosen tier, with breakfast
- Two lunches, entrance fees and water
What it does not include
- Cable car, theme park and safari tickets
- Dinners, drinks and tips
- Travel insurance and visas
- Personal spending and optional activities
Practical
Seasons and sea
November to April is the dry season, with the sea on the west coast calm and clear. From June to September the south-west monsoon brings swell and cloudy water to the west coast, cancels some boat trips and closes some small beach restaurants. May and October are in between, usually fine with an afternoon shower.
In the monsoon months the east coast is often calmer, and we can move you there for part of the stay. Tell us your dates and we will say honestly whether the sea will be the point.
Not for everyone
Who this does not suit
If you want an undeveloped tropical island, the south of Phu Quoc will disappoint you and the north takes effort to reach. If you are coming between July and September for the sea, choose Con Dao or Nha Trang instead. And on a twelve-day Vietnam trip, three days on a beach is a real cost; we will say what you are giving up before you book it.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Which side of Phu Quoc is best?
The west coast for sunsets and the dry-season sea. The north for quiet. The south for resorts and entertainment.
Can we add a night?
Yes. A fourth night makes the trip a real rest; we simply add a free day on the beach.
Is the boat day possible in the monsoon?
Often not on the west and south coasts. We replace it with a land day rather than put you on a rough sea.
Related
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Start planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.
Or talk to us:+84 766 045 399