Phu Quoc National Park covers more than 30,000 ha, over half of Phu Quoc island, most of it in the hilly north. It was established in 2001 and has been a core zone of the UNESCO Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve since 2006. Most visitors see it from the road rather than on foot.
The drive north from Duong Dong on road DT973 runs along the edge of the park’s forest, and the concrete Suoi Cai to Rach Vem road, opened in March 2025, carries you through it to Starfish Beach. Expect 40 to 60 minutes of forest and hills on the way to Rach Vem.
Through the forest to the starfish before the crowds
Our north-island day drives the park road early, reaches Rach Vem while the water is clear, then crosses to Ganh Dau and the Cua Can river. 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 Phu Quoc National Park?
Phu Quoc National Park is a protected forest area covering the northern half of Phu Quoc. It was created on 8 June 2001 by Decision 91/2001/QD-TTg, which upgraded an existing nature reserve, and in 2006 it became a core zone of the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve recognised by UNESCO.
The park’s own figures, published in August 2025, give an area of 36,262 ha, about 63% of the island’s natural area. Older sources quote smaller totals of around 31,000 to 34,000 ha, but every source agrees the park takes up more than half the island.
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Established | 8 June 2001 | Decision 91/2001/QD-TTg |
| Area | 36,262 ha, about 63% of the island | Park website, August 2025 |
| UNESCO status | Core zone, Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve, 2006 | UNESCO Man and the Biosphere |
| Main forest type | Evergreen broadleaf, about 98% of natural forest | Park website |
| Plant species recorded | 1,397 | Park website |
| Animal species recorded | 480, including 132 birds and 25 mammals | Park website |
Besides evergreen forest on the hills, the park includes mangrove along the coast and cajeput forest in the low, seasonally dry ground. Pangolins, primates and birds of prey are among the animals the park lists.
Which roads go through Phu Quoc National Park?
Two roads matter to visitors heading for Starfish Beach. Road DT973 runs north from the Duong Dong area up the middle of the island, along the edge of the national park. Near Suoi Cai, the Suoi Cai to Rach Vem road branches off towards the north coast.
The Suoi Cai to Rach Vem road is new. It is concrete, about 6.5 km long and 6 m wide, with drainage and bridges, and it opened in March 2025 at a cost of nearly 90 billion VND. It replaced the red dirt track that many older blogs still describe. Our guide on how to get to Rach Vem covers the route turn by turn.
Since 1 July 2025 the island has been the Phu Quoc special zone of An Giang province, and the park is now managed under An Giang rather than Kien Giang. The special zone guide explains what changed for visitors.
What can you actually see from the road?
From the road you see the forest from its edge: tall evergreen trees on low hills, stretches of younger growth, streams under the bridges and the occasional clearing. The drive is green and quiet once you are past Duong Dong, and after the final bend the forest opens onto the sea at Rach Vem.
Wildlife is rarely seen from a moving car. The park records 132 bird species and 25 mammal species, but shy animals such as pangolins keep well away from traffic. Treat any sighting as luck rather than part of the plan.
An early start helps. Driving the forest road around 8:30 means cooler air, softer light and a morning arrival at Rach Vem, where the starfish sandbar is clearest from about 7 to 10 am in the dry season. Our one-day north Phu Quoc itinerary shows how the park road fits into the rest of the day.
The road in the rainy season
From May to October the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain, with August the wettest month. The approach roads can be slippery after a storm, especially the short village lanes at the end of the route, which matters most to anyone on a scooter.
Where else on a north-island day do you meet the forest?
The forest of the north is not only along the road. Several stops on a north Phu Quoc day sit where the forest meets the water, and they show it more closely than the drive does.
| Stop | What you see of the forest |
|---|---|
| Road DT973 and the Suoi Cai to Rach Vem road | Evergreen forest and hills along the roadside |
| Ham Rong Cape, 10 minutes by boat from Rach Vem | Primary forest running down to white sand |
| Ganh Dau Cape | Forest reaching the rocks at the north-west tip |
| Cua Can river | Mangrove, nipa palm and cajeput on both banks |
Ham Rong Cape is the closest look most visitors get: the boat from Rach Vem lands on a beach backed by old forest, with a small stream meeting the sea. At Ganh Dau Cape, the forest stops at the rocks with Cambodian islands in view across the water.
On a Cua Can kayak trip, the river that rises in the island’s northern hills carries you between mangroves and nipa palm at water level, the closest look at mangrove forest that a day in the north offers.
Want the forest road with a local guide at the wheel?
We drive the park road on the way to Rach Vem, Ganh Dau and the Cua Can river.
North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetAbout 10 hoursSee the tour →Starfish Beach Private Morning TourAbout 5.5 hoursSee the tour →Phu Quoc National Park: common questions
How big is Phu Quoc National Park?
Phu Quoc National Park covers more than 30,000 ha, over half of Phu Quoc island. The park’s own website gives 36,262 ha, about 63% of the island’s natural area, as of August 2025.
When was Phu Quoc National Park established?
Phu Quoc National Park was established on 8 June 2001 by Decision 91/2001/QD-TTg, upgraded from a nature reserve. In 2006 it became a core zone of the UNESCO Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve.
Do you pass through Phu Quoc National Park on the way to Starfish Beach?
Yes. The road north from Duong Dong, DT973, runs along the park’s edge, and the concrete Suoi Cai to Rach Vem road passes through forest to reach Rach Vem Starfish Beach.
Is the road to Rach Vem through the park still a dirt road?
No. The Suoi Cai to Rach Vem road was rebuilt in concrete and opened in March 2025. Only a few short lanes near the raft houses at Rach Vem are still rough.
Will I see wildlife from the car?
Probably not. Phu Quoc National Park records 480 animal species, including 132 birds, but most animals avoid the roads. Any sighting from the car is a bonus rather than part of the plan.
The long green road to the northern coast
A private car and guide from your hotel, the forest road north, the starfish sandbar and lunch at Rach Vem, Ganh Dau Cape, the Cua Can river and sunset.
★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 →Park figures from the park website, August 2025; road details as of September 2026.