No, you should not pick up or handle the starfish in Phu Quoc. The red starfish at Rach Vem live in shallow sea water; lifted out of it they can die within minutes, and handling them passes bacteria and sunscreen from your skin onto theirs. Look at them and photograph them where they lie.
There is no specific fine. Starfish are not on Vietnam’s protected-species list, a Phu Quoc official said in 2022, so the rule depends on visitors. Vietnamese newspapers have reported starfish left drying on Rach Vem beach for photos in 2021 and more than 100 lined up on rocks at Ham Rong Cape in 2022.
A guide who keeps the starfish in the water
We take you to the starfish sandbar by private boat in the clear morning hours, and our guides show you how to look and photograph without lifting. Free cancellation up to 3 days before.
★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 →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 →Why is it harmful to lift a starfish out of the water?
A starfish breathes through its skin. Gas exchange takes place mainly through papulae, small thin-walled gills on the upper surface of the arms, and through the tube feet underneath. Both work only in water, so a starfish held up in the air for a photo cannot breathe properly, and out of the water it can die within minutes.
The horned sea stars at Rach Vem are also poor at coping with sudden change. They usually keep themselves under water, and a move from sea water to hot air and sun, then back again, is exactly the kind of rapid change they do not tolerate well.
Handling adds a second problem. A marine-rescue specialist quoted by VnExpress in 2021 explained that touching starfish transfers bacteria and chemicals from sunscreen onto their skin. A starfish that looks unharmed when it is put back may still have been damaged.
What happened to the starfish at Rach Vem and Ham Rong Cape?
Starfish at Rach Vem and nearby Ham Rong Cape have been taken out of the water for photos often enough to make national news in Vietnam. The reports below are from major Vietnamese newspapers.
| When | Reported by | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| April 2021 | VnExpress | Dozens of starfish left drying on Rach Vem beach after being taken out for photos |
| April 2021 | VietNamNet | The same incident; the paper noted there were no warning signs at Rach Vem |
| September 2022 | Tuoi Tre | Three tourists lined up more than 100 starfish on rocks at Ham Rong Cape for photos |
After the 2022 incident, the head of Phu Quoc’s economic department said starfish are not on Vietnam’s list of protected species, so the local authorities could run awareness campaigns but had no specific penalty to apply. No later rule has been found as of September 2026. In practice, that leaves the starfish to the good sense of visitors, guides and boat owners.
How do you see the starfish without harming them?
Seeing the starfish safely comes down to five habits. None of them spoils the visit, and most of them make for better photos.
| Do | Why |
|---|---|
| Walk slowly and look where you step | Starfish sit half-hidden in sand and seagrass in shallow water |
| Stand beside a starfish, never on or over it | A foot or a knee in the wrong place can crush it |
| Leave every starfish where it is | Lifting, flipping or moving one harms it, even for a moment |
| Photograph through the water | The starfish stays in the water, and the surface glare disappears |
| Say no to anyone who offers to lift one | A starfish lifted by someone else for you is harmed just the same |
Children tend to reach for starfish without thinking, so explain the rule before you get to the water. A simple version works: starfish breathe water, so they stay in the water.
Do not buy dried starfish sold as souvenirs. Collecting for the shell and curio trade is one of the main pressures on this species.
On our tours the rule is written into the day: Starfish stay in the water: look at them and photograph them where they lie, and never lift them out - out of the water they can die within minutes.
How do you photograph starfish without picking them up?
The best starfish photos at Rach Vem are taken with the starfish still in the water. In the dry season, early in the morning, the water over the sandbar is clear enough to shoot straight down from above, and the red of the starfish stands out against pale sand and green seagrass.
A phone in a waterproof pouch, held just below the surface, removes the glare and shows the starfish in its setting. Crouch low beside it rather than standing over it, and keep your fingers out of the frame and off the starfish. The clearest water comes early: our guide to the best time to see starfish covers the months and hours, and the Rach Vem beach guide covers the rest of the visit.
If you want to see them the right way
A private boat to the clear water at the sandbar, and a guide who knows where the starfish are that week.
Starfish Beach Private Morning TourAbout 5.5 hoursSee the tour →North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetAbout 10 hoursSee the tour →Touching starfish in Phu Quoc: common questions
Can you touch starfish in Phu Quoc?
No. The starfish at Rach Vem should not be touched or lifted. Handling passes bacteria and sunscreen onto them, and out of the water they can die within minutes.
Is it illegal to pick up starfish in Phu Quoc?
There is no specific fine. Starfish are not on Vietnam’s protected-species list, according to a Phu Quoc official in 2022. Lifting them out of the water still harms or kills them, which is why guides and local media ask visitors not to.
How long can a starfish survive out of water?
Not long. A starfish breathes through thin gills on its skin and through its tube feet, which work only in water, and out of the water it can die within minutes. The safest time out of water is none.
Can I hold a starfish if I keep it underwater?
It is still better not to. Touching a starfish transfers bacteria and sunscreen chemicals to its skin even under the surface. Look closely and photograph it where it lies instead.
Why were starfish dying at Rach Vem?
In 2021 dozens of starfish were left drying on Rach Vem beach after visitors took them out of the water for photos, as VnExpress and VietNamNet reported. In 2022 Tuoi Tre reported more than 100 lined up on rocks at nearby Ham Rong Cape.
The starfish, seen in their own water
We collect you at your hotel, reach Rach Vem in the clear morning hours and take a private boat to the sandbar and Ham Rong Cape. Every boat ride and lunch is included.
★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 →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 →Rules and press reports as of September 2026.