Phu Quoc tours in 2026: island-hopping, prices and our pick

• An Thoi Port (An Thới): Start of the southern-island boat tours — Departures 08:00–08:30
• May Rut Island (Hòn Mây Rút): Clear water, shallow reefs — Snorkelling stop
• Hon Thom Island (Hòn Thơm): Big corals, tropical fish — Snorkelling + cable car
• Gam Ghi Island (Hòn Gầm Ghì): Starfish, chance to see turtles — Wild snorkelling spot
• Coconut Prison (Nhà tù Phú Quốc): Vietnam War museum — Free, check opening hours locally
• Ho Quoc Pagoda (Chùa Hộ Quốc): Largest Buddhist temple, 110 ha — 06:00–18:00 | Free
• Dinh Cau Temple (Dinh Cậu): Cliff-top shrine-lighthouse by the port — Free, best sunset
• Ham Ninh Village (Hàm Ninh): Fishing village, crab by the pier — Jeep-tour stop
• Night squid fishing (Câu mực đêm): Boats leave from Duong Dong port — 17:00–20:00 | from ~$17
• Hon Thom Cable Car (Cáp treo Hòn Thơm): Guinness record — 7.9 km over the sea — 850,000 VND round-trip (~$33)
• VinWonders (VinWonders Phú Quốc): One of Vietnam's largest theme parks — 950,000 VND (~$37)
• Vinpearl Safari (Vinpearl Safari Phú Quốc): 4,000+ animals, 380 ha — 850,000 VND (~$33)
• Sunset Town (Sunset Town An Thới): Mediterranean style, Kiss of the Sea show — Free entry, paid show
• Grand World (Grand World Phú Quốc): Venetian canals, night market — 24/7, free entry
• Starfish Beach (Rạch Vẹm): Hundreds of live starfish in the shallows — Best at low tide, morning
• National Park (Vườn quốc gia Phú Quốc): 70% of the island, trekking — Free

Tour prices at a glance (2026)

Rough conversion used throughout: 26,000 VND ≈ $1. Rates drift, so treat the dollar figures as ballpark.

Boat trips to the southern islands

The signature Phu Quoc experience, and the first thing to book. Twenty-one smaller islands are scattered around the coast, and most boat tours run to the southern An Thoi archipelago — the best coral reefs in the Gulf of Thailand and the clearest water, with visibility up to 15 metres.

Southern-island hop (3–4 islands)

The standard route: An Thoi port in the south → the islands of May Rut, Mong Tay and Dam, with the foot of Hon Thom. Each stop means snorkelling and a swim in turquoise lagoons. Lunch is served on the boat: a seafood barbecue, fresh fruit and drinks. The "3-island" version is shorter and cheaper; "4-island" adds one more stop and an extra hour at sea.

Three comfort levels:

Departures are early — usually 08:00–08:30 from An Thoi port, back by 15:00–16:00. Mask, snorkel, lunch and hotel transfer are included.

Great organisation, a fun guide, the boat in good shape. The sea was crystal clear, the corals beautiful, and the fish swim right up to your mask. — from a review, TripAdvisor

The 3-beach tour

A different format: not islands but the three best beaches in a day. The usual route is Bai Sao (white sand), Starfish Beach (Bai Rach Vem in the north) and Ong Lang beach (west coast, sunsets). From 780,000 VND (~$30), lunch included.

Starfish Beach (Bai Rach Vem)

In the north of Phu Quoc there is a beach where hundreds of live orange-and-red starfish rest in the shallows. It is a rare sight. Come early in the morning at low tide. Entry is free.

Island sightseeing tour

Half a day and you have covered Phu Quoc's main sights in an air-conditioned minivan with a guide (English-speaking guides are easy to book on GetYourGuide or Klook). Group price: from 780,000 VND (~$30); private from ~$350 for 1–4 people.

The standard route includes:

Most stops are free to visit — you pay for transport and the guide. At the pearl farm you don't have to buy anything, though the sellers are persistent. Pepper is a different matter: here it is genuinely good and a fraction of shop prices.

Jeep tour of Phu Quoc

Military jeeps, red dirt tracks, remote beaches and views from mountain passes — this is not a minivan sightseeing loop but a proper adventure. One of the best ways to see the non-touristy Phu Quoc.

Price: ~$350 per jeep for 1–4 people. Split four ways, about $88 each. Duration 6–8 hours, lunch included.

The route usually covers:

• Wild beaches on the south and east coasts
• Mountain passes with panoramas over the Gulf of Thailand
• Buddhist shrines and village pagodas
• Ham Ninh fishing village — crab and seafood right at the pier

Night squid fishing

One of the most atmospheric tours on Phu Quoc, and one of the cheapest. Phu Quoc has always been a fishing island, and night squid fishing isn't a tourist gimmick — it is a real tradition.

A typical evening:

• 17:00 — depart from Duong Dong port
• 17:30–18:10 — sunset out in the open Gulf. Music, fresh fruit, drinks
• 18:10–19:30 — fishing. The crew switches on powerful lamps that draw the squid. It is easy — even kids of five manage it
• 19:30–20:00 — dinner on board from the catch: squid soup, fried squid, rice

Sunset from the boat is a beautiful sight. We didn't catch many squid, but the process is gripping. Dinner on board from the freshest seafood is a nice bonus. — a traveller on TripAdvisor, 2025

Diving and snorkelling

Phu Quoc is one of the cheapest places in the world to dive. Warm water year-round (26–30 °C), 10–15 metres of visibility, and the southern An Thoi islands deliver coral reefs, clownfish, starfish and even small reef sharks. Dive centres here run PADI courses in English (and other languages), and most gear and briefings are aimed at international divers.

Snorkelling

The easiest way in is as part of a southern-island boat trip (from 470,000 VND / ~$18). Mask and snorkel are provided free. A dedicated snorkelling tour runs 520,000–1,170,000 VND (~$20–45).

Best snorkelling spots on Phu Quoc:

• May Rut Island — clearest water, shallow reefs
• Hon Thom Island — big corals, lots of tropical fish
• Gam Ghi Island — starfish on the bottom, turtles if you are lucky

Diving for beginners

A first scuba dive costs from 2,080,000 VND (~$80). The instructor (English-speaking centres are the norm) runs a 30-minute briefing, then a dive to 5–8 metres off the southern islands. No prior experience needed; minimum age 10.

Courses run from about 2,600,000 VND (~$100) for a Fun Dive day to ~9,100,000 VND (~$350) for a three-day PADI Open Water. The dive season is October to April, when the sea is calmer and visibility better; in the rainy season (May–September) many centres close.

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Cable car, VinWonders and Safari

The big attractions sit at opposite ends of the island. In the south, near An Thoi, are the Sun World cable car to Hon Thom and Sunset Town. In the north, near Ganh Dau, are Vingroup's VinWonders, Vinpearl Safari and Grand World. Plan the south and the north for different days.

Hon Thom cable car

7.9 kilometres over the sea — the longest non-stop over-water cable car in the world, a Guinness World Record. Fifteen minutes of gliding above the southern archipelago, turquoise water below. Cabins are enclosed and air-conditioned, holding 30 people.

Return ticket: 850,000 VND (~$33); the Aquatopia water park is included, and kids under 1.3 m get a discount. Check the current fare and what it includes on sunworld.vn. For the full breakdown — timetable, the meal combo, how to save, and what to actually do on Hon Thom — see our dedicated Hon Thom cable car guide.

VinWonders (formerly Vinpearl Land)

One of Vietnam's largest theme parks: six themed zones, a water park, VR rides, roller coasters, an aquarium tunnel, a mermaid show and an indoor ice rink. Ticket: 950,000 VND (~$37) adult, 710,000 VND (~$27) for children 100–140 cm.

Vinpearl Safari

Vietnam's largest safari park: 380 hectares, over 4,000 animals — tigers, rhinos, giraffes, elephants. Ticket: 850,000 VND (~$33). VinWonders + Safari combo: 1,500,000 VND (~$58).

Sunset Town and Grand World

Both zones are free to stroll. Sunset Town is a Mediterranean-style village with the Kiss Bridge and a paid evening show, Kiss of the Sea. Grand World is a 24/7 entertainment town with Venetian canals and the VUI-Fest night market.

Cambodia trips from Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is Vietnam's closest point to Cambodia. You can fly to Siem Reap from here. Whether there is a direct flight right now and what it costs, check a flight search before you go.

What to know

• Passport: required, valid for at least 6 months
• Cambodia visa: visa-on-arrival or an e-visa in advance, $30 for a tourist visa (as of September 2026). Check the current rules on the official e-visa site before you go
• Currency: Cambodia runs on US dollars — no need to change dong

Sunrise over Angkor Wat is in the top 10 sights worth seeing once in a lifetime. If you have 2–3 free days and the budget, this is the trip people talk about for years.

Where to book tours on Phu Quoc

Booking tips

• Book online 3–5 days ahead — cheaper than a hotel desk, with a refund guarantee
• In low season (May–October) discounts reach 30% across the board
• Combo tours (2–3 tours bundled) are 15–20% cheaper
• Children under 4–5 are usually free; 5–9 get 30–50% off
• At street agencies, haggle politely — a 10–15% discount is normal

What to see on your own (for free)

Not every Phu Quoc highlight needs a guide. Rent a scooter (150,000–200,000 VND / ~$6–8 a day) and loop the island yourself. Note: you legally need a 1968 Convention International Driving Permit with the A category, carried together with your national licence; police checks do happen.

Day 1 — south and centre

• Coconut Prison — Vietnam War prison museum. 30–40 minutes
• Fish-sauce factory — home of the world's best nuoc mam. 15–20 minutes
• Pepper farms — tasting and buying black pepper. 20–30 minutes
• Dinh Cau Temple — on a cliff by the sea, come at sunset
• Duong Dong night market — grilled seafood, dinner for two from 300,000 VND (~$12). More in Phu Quoc food

Day 2 — north

• Ho Quoc Pagoda — the largest Buddhist temple (110 ha). 1–1.5 hours
• Starfish Beach — in the north, best in the morning. 1–2 hours
• National park — 70% of the island. Trekking, a waterfall. 2–4 hours
• Sunset Town or Grand World — free walking zones, evening shows

Common tourist mistakes on tours

Booking everything through the hotel desk. A 20–40% markup for the same tour. Compare prices online (GetYourGuide, Klook) — over a week the gap can be $60–100 per person.

Taking the budget boat to the southern islands. You save ~$17, but it's 50 people on one boat, a scrum, and a weak lunch. Comfort class is worth every dong.

Stacking VinWonders and Safari in one day. By 15:00 your legs ache, the kids melt down, and you've skipped half the rides. Split them over two days.

Not booking ahead in high season. December to March is peak. Night fishing, diving and the best boat tours sell out 2–3 days out.

Forgetting sun protection. Six to eight hours on open water and you'll burn even on a cloudy day. SPF 50+, a hat, a rash guard.

Not haggling at street agencies. The first price is always 20–30% high. Bundle 2–3 tours and the discount should be bigger still.

Tour comparison table

Our pick

For a first visit: southern islands (comfort) + Hon Thom cable car + night squid fishing. Three tours over three days, budget around $85 per person.

For families with kids: VinWonders + Safari (2-day combo) + night squid fishing. Tickets come to around $75 per adult, before transfers and food.

For active travellers: diving + southern islands by speedboat + jeep tour. Budget around $215 per person.

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