Spend the day in the north of Phu Quoc if you want forest, fishing villages and quiet water: Rach Vem Starfish Beach, Ham Rong Cape, Ganh Dau Cape and the Cua Can river. Spend it in the south if you want the built attractions and boat trips: the Hon Thom cable car, a 4-islands speedboat trip, Sunset Town and Sao Beach.
The north is quieter and mostly free to visit; the south is busier and ticketed, with a return cable car ticket around 850,000 VND. The season matters too: November to April suits both, while from May to October the sheltered south and east coasts are often calmer.
The whole north coast in one private day
Starfish in the morning, lunch on the water, Ganh Dau Cape, the Cua Can mangroves and a west-coast sunset, with no shop stops. Free cancellation up to 3 days before.
★North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetStarfish Beach by private boat, lunch on the water, Ganh Dau Cape, the Cua Can mangroves by kayak and a west-coast sunset. · About 10 hoursSee the tour →Starfish Beach Private Morning TourRach Vem by private boat before the crowds, a swim at the starfish sandbar and seafood lunch over the water. · About 5.5 hoursSee the tour →What is the difference between north and south Phu Quoc?
The north of Phu Quoc is mostly national park forest, fishing villages and small capes, with few built attractions. The south is where the island’s big resort developments are: the Hon Thom cable car, Sunset Town, the speedboat trips to the southern islands and Sao Beach. Duong Dong, the main town, sits in between on the west coast.
| North Phu Quoc | South Phu Quoc | |
|---|---|---|
| Main sights | Rach Vem starfish, Ham Rong Cape, Ganh Dau Cape, Cua Can river | Hon Thom cable car, 4-islands boat trip, Sunset Town, Sao Beach |
| Feel | Forest road, working villages, quiet | Resorts, shows, busier |
| Entry costs | Rach Vem free; boats about 150,000-300,000 VND a person | Cable car about 850,000 VND adult return |
| Boat trips | Small wooden boats to the sandbar | Speedboats, share tours US$31-80 a person |
| From Duong Dong | Rach Vem 40-60 minutes; Ganh Dau about 30 km | Sunset Town about 30 km; Sao Beach 25-30 km |
| Best months | November to April | November to April; south and east coasts steadier in the wet season |
Prices are as of September 2026. The north costs less to visit, but it is spread out and has little public transport, which is why most visitors see it on a tour or by scooter. Our guide on how to get to Rach Vem compares the options.
What does a day in the north look like?
A day in the north of Phu Quoc follows the coast and the forest. Phu Quoc National Park covers more than 30,000 hectares, over half the island, and the road north to Rach Vem runs along its edge. The park is a core zone of the UNESCO Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve, recognised in 2006.
The morning belongs to Rach Vem, where red starfish sit on a shallow sandbar off the fishing village. A wooden boat takes about 10 minutes to reach Ham Rong Cape, a stretch of white sand with forest down to the shore. Lunch is seafood on a raft house over the water.
In the afternoon, Ganh Dau Cape at the north-west tip looks out to Cambodian islands only a few kilometres away. The Cua Can river, about 20 km long and lined with mangroves and nipa palm, is paddled by kayak for around 100,000 VND. The day can end with a sunset on the west coast at Ong Lang or Bai Dai.
The north is best in the dry season. Our guide to the best time to see starfish covers the months and the hours.
What does a day in the south look like?
A day in the south of Phu Quoc is built around the sea and the large developments around An Thoi. The Hon Thom cable car runs about 8 km over the sea to Hon Thom island; the return adult ticket costs around 850,000 VND and includes the Aquatopia water park and Exotica village on the island.
The 4-islands trip is a speedboat day to the small islands south of An Thoi, with snorkelling stops. Share tours cost about US$31 to 80 a person as of September 2026, and private boats from about US$168 a booking.
Sunset Town sits at Ong Bon Cape, about 3 km from An Thoi and 30 km from Duong Dong. The streets are free to walk; the Kiss Bridge and the evening sea show are ticketed. Sao Beach, on the south-east coast 10 to 15 minutes from An Thoi, has white sand and is reached through restaurants or small managed entrances, some with a small fee.
Which half of Phu Quoc suits you?
Choose the north for nature, villages and a slower day; choose the south for rides, shows and island boat trips. Families with children who want a water park, and anyone keen on snorkelling over coral, will get more from the south. Rach Vem is shallow sand and seagrass, not a coral reef.
Where you sleep matters. From An Thoi or Sunset Town, Rach Vem is around 1.5 hours away by road, so a north day from the south is a long one. Hotels in the south of the island - An Thoi, Sunset Town, Bai Khem and Bai Sao - are collected too, with a transfer surcharge added at checkout.
The season can decide it for you. From May to October the southwest monsoon hits the west and north coasts hardest, while the south and east coasts stay more sheltered. In those months the starfish at Rach Vem are hard to see, and a south-coast beach is often the better bet. The costs on the ground in the north are set out in our guide to Rach Vem costs.
| If you want | Go |
|---|---|
| Starfish, fishing villages, forest | North |
| Kayaking in mangroves | North |
| Cable car and water park | South |
| Coral snorkelling by speedboat | South |
| A west-coast sunset away from crowds | North |
| Nightlife and an evening show | South |
If the north is your half of the island
One private car for the whole day, with the boat, lunch and kayak already arranged.
North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetAbout 10 hoursSee the tour →Starfish Beach Private Morning TourAbout 5.5 hoursSee the tour →North or south Phu Quoc: common questions
Is the north or south of Phu Quoc better?
Neither half of Phu Quoc is better overall. The north suits travellers who want forest, fishing villages, Rach Vem Starfish Beach and quiet water; the south suits those who want the Hon Thom cable car, island boat trips and Sunset Town.
Can you see north and south Phu Quoc in one day?
It is possible but rushed. An Thoi in the south and Rach Vem in the north are around 1.5 hours apart by road, so a day covering both spends much of its time in a car. Most visitors pick one half per day.
How much is the Hon Thom cable car?
The Hon Thom cable car costs around 850,000 VND for an adult return ticket as of 2026, including the Aquatopia water park and Exotica village. Children between 1 m and 1.4 m pay around 700,000 VND.
Which part of Phu Quoc is best in the rainy season?
From May to October the south and east coasts of Phu Quoc, including Sao Beach, are usually more sheltered than the north and west. The starfish at Rach Vem are hard to see in those months.
Is north Phu Quoc worth visiting?
Yes, from November to April. North Phu Quoc has the starfish at Rach Vem, Ham Rong Cape, Ganh Dau Cape, the Cua Can mangroves and quiet west-coast sunsets, most of them free to visit.
From Starfish Beach to a west-coast sunset
A private car, a licensed local guide, a boat to the sandbar and Ham Rong Cape, lunch on a raft house and a kayak through the Cua Can mangroves, all in one group price.
★North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetStarfish Beach by private boat, lunch on the water, Ganh Dau Cape, the Cua Can mangroves by kayak and a west-coast sunset. · About 10 hoursfrom$91/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$255BOOK →2 guests$295BOOK →3 guests$330BOOK →4 guests$365BOOK →See the full tour page →Starfish Beach Private Morning TourRach Vem by private boat before the crowds, a swim at the starfish sandbar and seafood lunch over the water. · About 5.5 hoursfrom$63/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$175BOOK →2 guests$200BOOK →3 guests$225BOOK →4 guests$250BOOK →See the full tour page →Ticket prices, tour prices and distances as of September 2026.