Rach Vem beach, better known as Starfish Beach, is the shore of Rach Vem fishing village on the north coast of Phu Quoc, about 20 to 25 km from Duong Dong. Red starfish live on the shallow sandbar off the village and are easiest to see from November to April, early in the morning. There is no entrance fee.
Most visitors come for three things: the starfish in shallow, clear water, a short boat ride to the quieter sand at Ham Rong Cape, and a seafood lunch on a raft house. One rule matters more than any other at Rach Vem: leave the starfish in the water.
Rach Vem in one unhurried morning
We collect you at your hotel, reach the village before the group tours and take a private boat to the starfish sandbar and Ham Rong Cape. 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 →Where is Rach Vem beach and how do you get there?
Rach Vem beach is on the north coast of Phu Quoc, at the end of the forest road through the national park, about 20 to 25 km from Duong Dong. The drive takes 40 to 60 minutes, north on road DT973 and then along the Suoi Cai to Rach Vem road, a concrete road about 6.5 km long that opened in March 2025.
A Grab car, a rented scooter, a group tour or a private car all reach the village. The catch is the way back: ride-hailing is thin in the far north, so arrange your return before you arrive. Every option is compared in our guide on how to get to Rach Vem.
Since July 2025 the official address is Rach Vem, Phu Quoc special zone, An Giang province; older guides still say Ganh Dau commune, Kien Giang. Our page on the Phu Quoc special zone explains the change.
When is the best time to visit Rach Vem?
The best time to visit Rach Vem is from November to April, in the dry season, arriving around 7 to 9 am. In those months the north coast is usually calm and the water over the sandbar is clear. From May to October the southwest monsoon brings waves and murky water, and the starfish are hard to see.
Time of day matters almost as much as the month. Group tours from Duong Dong usually reach Rach Vem around midday and take the starfish boat in the afternoon, after the clearest hours have passed. Months, sunrise times and tides are covered in our guide to the best time to see starfish.
What is there to do at Rach Vem beach?
Rach Vem beach offers four things: the starfish sandbar, the fishing village, seafood on the raft houses and the boat to Ham Rong Cape. None of them takes long, and a morning covers all four.
| Rach Vem at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Location | North coast of Phu Quoc, 20-25 km from Duong Dong |
| Entry | Free |
| Best months | November to April |
| Best hours | About 7 to 9 am |
| Boat to the sandbar or Ham Rong Cape | About 150,000-300,000 VND a person, return |
| Lunch | Seafood on a raft house, sold by weight |
| Water | Shallow sand and seagrass, no coral reef |
The starfish sandbar
The starfish at Rach Vem are horned sea stars, red to orange-brown with dark knobbly spines, growing up to about 30 cm across. In the dry season some can be seen by wading from the village beach; a boat reaches the clearer water further out.
The village and the raft houses
Rach Vem is a working fishing village of houses on stilts, with raft houses moored offshore that farm fish in cages and serve seafood. Live seafood is sold by weight, so ask the price per kilo before ordering.
Ham Rong Cape
Ham Rong Cape is about 10 minutes by boat from Rach Vem, or a 30 to 45 minute walk along the shore. The cape has white sand, clear shallow water and forest down to the beach, and few or no services.
Swimming is gentle and shallow. A mask shows the starfish and seagrass well, but anyone hoping for coral should look to the islands south of An Thoi instead. What each part of a visit costs, from the boat to the shower, is set out in our guide to Rach Vem costs.
How should you treat the starfish?
Look at the starfish and photograph them where they lie, and never lift them out of the water. Out of the water a starfish can die within minutes, and handling them transfers bacteria and sunscreen from your skin.
The rule exists because the damage has happened here. In April 2021 VnExpress and VietNamNet reported dozens of starfish left drying on Rach Vem beach after being taken out for photos. In September 2022 Tuoi Tre reported three tourists who lined up more than 100 starfish on rocks at Ham Rong Cape. Starfish are not on Vietnam’s protected-species list, so there is no specific fine; the rule depends on visitors.
On our tours the rule is simple: 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.
If you are still deciding whether to spend your day in the north at all, our comparison of north or south Phu Quoc sets the two halves side by side.
If you want the morning without the haggling
Your boat, your route and your lunch are arranged before you arrive at the jetty.
Starfish Beach Private Morning TourAbout 5.5 hoursSee the tour →North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetAbout 10 hoursSee the tour →Rach Vem beach: common questions
Where is Rach Vem beach?
Rach Vem beach is on the north coast of Phu Quoc island, Vietnam, in the Rach Vem fishing village about 20 to 25 km from Duong Dong. Since July 2025 it lies in the Phu Quoc special zone of An Giang province.
Is Rach Vem the same as Starfish Beach?
Yes. Starfish Beach is the name visitors use for the shore and shallow sandbar at Rach Vem fishing village, where red starfish gather in the dry season.
Is there an entrance fee at Rach Vem beach?
No. Rach Vem beach and the fishing village are free to enter as of September 2026. Boats, meals and parking are paid separately.
Can you swim at Rach Vem beach?
Yes. The water at Rach Vem is shallow and usually calm in the dry season, over sand and seagrass. There is no coral reef, and swimmers need to watch where they step so as not to tread on the starfish.
How long do you need at Rach Vem?
A visit to Rach Vem takes about three to four hours on the ground, enough for the starfish sandbar, the boat to Ham Rong Cape and a seafood lunch. Add 40 to 60 minutes each way from Duong Dong.
Can you touch the starfish at Rach Vem?
No. The starfish at Rach Vem should stay in the water, untouched. Out of the water they can die within minutes, and handling them passes bacteria and sunscreen onto them.
Starfish Beach, Ham Rong Cape and lunch on the water
We collect you at your hotel, drive north before the tour buses and have a private boat waiting at Rach Vem. 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 →Access, prices and seasons at Rach Vem as of September 2026.