The best time to see starfish in Phu Quoc is from November to April, the dry season, and early in the morning, roughly 7 to 9 am. In those months the north coast at Rach Vem is usually calm, the water over the starfish sandbar is clear, and the red starfish sit in water shallow enough to see from the surface.
From May to October the southwest monsoon brings wind, waves and murky water, and the starfish are much harder to find. In the wet season a calm day matters more than the month. In any season, arrive well before the group tours, which usually reach Rach Vem around midday.
At the sandbar while the water is still clear
We collect you early, drive the forest road north and have a private boat waiting at Rach Vem for the best hours of the morning. 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 →Which months are best for starfish at Rach Vem?
November to April is the starfish season at Rach Vem. Phu Quoc’s dry season runs roughly from November or December to April, and in those months the north coast is sheltered, the sea is flat on most mornings and the water over the sandbar is clear enough to spot the starfish from a boat or while wading.
Sources disagree by about a month at each end: some travel guides give October to March, others December to April. Every source agrees on December to March, and February is the driest month of the year, with around 30 mm of rain on average.
| Months | Sea at Rach Vem | Starfish | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| November to December | Calming down, clearing | Good, improving | Storm risk lingers until about early December |
| January to March | Calmest and clearest | Best of the year | Busiest months; Tet falls on 6 February in 2027 |
| April | Usually calm, very hot | Good | Last reliable month before the monsoon |
| May to June | Monsoon arrives, rougher | Fewer, further out | Calm mornings still happen |
| July to October | Often rough and murky | Hard to see | August is the wettest month, around 545 mm of rain |
Rainfall figures are long-term averages for Phu Quoc. Tropical storm risk on the island is highest from mid-October to December, with a peak in early November, so the first weeks of the season can still bring a rough spell.
What time of day is best to see the starfish?
Early morning is the best time of day to see the starfish at Rach Vem, roughly 7 to 9 am in the dry season. The water at the sandbar is at its calmest and clearest in the first hours after sunrise, and visibility tends to drop later in the day, just as the beach fills up.
Most group tours from Duong Dong reach Rach Vem around midday, after a bee farm and a kayak stop, and take the boat to the starfish in the afternoon. By then the best light and the clearest water have usually gone. A visitor who arrives by 8 or 9 am sees the sandbar before the boats and swimmers do.
Sunrise at Rach Vem in the starfish season
Rach Vem is 40 to 60 minutes’ drive from Duong Dong, so an early start means leaving around sunrise. Times below are for the 1st of each month and change by only a minute or two across the island.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|
| November | 05:55 | 17:41 |
| December | 06:06 | 17:40 |
| January | 06:22 | 17:54 |
| February | 06:27 | 18:08 |
| March | 06:19 | 18:14 |
| April | 06:02 | 18:15 |
The route itself is covered in our guide on how to get to Rach Vem, including why the trip back from the far north needs more planning than the trip up.
Does the tide change what you see?
The tide changes how you see the starfish rather than whether they are there. At lower water the sandbar is shallow enough to wade over and look straight down at the starfish. At higher water the same starfish sit under deeper water, and a mask and snorkel show them far better than looking down from the boat.
Tide times move later from one day to the next, so a fixed hour is not always a low-water hour. The horned sea stars at Rach Vem live in intertidal water and are sometimes left almost uncovered on a very low tide. Those mornings are when careful footsteps matter most, because a starfish in a few centimetres of water is easy to tread on.
On our private tours the pickup time is set for your date, so the boat reaches the sandbar at a good point in the morning rather than at whatever hour a group schedule allows.
Is it worth going in the rainy season?
Going to Rach Vem between May and October is worth it only if you can be flexible. Calm, clear mornings do happen in the wet season, but they are hard to predict more than a day or two ahead, and on rough days the boat may not go out at all.
Our current season note for the starfish reads: Starfish are easiest to see from November to April, when the north coast is calm and the water is clear. From May to October wind and waves often push them into deeper water, and on rough days the boat may not go out at all.
If the sea turns rough on the day, this is what happens on our tours: If the sea is too rough for the boat, your guide takes you to the calmer shallows by the village instead and the rest of the day runs as planned - or you can move to another date free of charge. The price stays the same; only a storm that makes the tour impossible is refunded in full. The full terms are on the booking terms page.
A rainy-season visit is easier to plan if you keep two or three possible dates open and decide the evening before, once the forecast for the north coast is clear.
If you have one good morning to spend on it
We plan the pickup around your date, so the boat reaches the sandbar before the group tours.
Starfish Beach Private Morning TourAbout 5.5 hoursSee the tour →North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetAbout 10 hoursSee the tour →Best time to see starfish: common questions
What month is best to see starfish in Phu Quoc?
January to March is the most reliable period for starfish in Phu Quoc, with November, December and April close behind. In those months the north coast at Rach Vem is usually calm and the water over the sandbar is clear.
Can you see starfish in Phu Quoc in the rainy season?
Sometimes. Starfish stay around Rach Vem all year, but from May to October waves and murky water make them hard to see, and they often sit further out. A calm morning in May or June can still be good; a rough day in August usually is not.
What time should I arrive at Starfish Beach?
Arrive at Rach Vem Starfish Beach by about 8 or 9 am. The water is clearest in the early morning, roughly 7 to 9 am in the dry season, and group tours usually arrive around midday.
Are the starfish at Rach Vem guaranteed?
No. The starfish at Rach Vem are wild animals, and their numbers and position change with the season, the tide and the weather. November to April and an early start give the best chance, not a certainty.
What time is sunrise in Phu Quoc in the dry season?
Sunrise in Phu Quoc falls between about 05:55 and 06:27 from November to April, latest in early February. Rach Vem is 40 to 60 minutes’ drive from Duong Dong.
Starfish in clear water, before the crowds
We collect you at your hotel, reach Rach Vem in the clearest hours of the morning 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 →Seasons, sunrise times and rainfall averages as of September 2026.