Starfish Beach and the 4 islands trip are two different days in Phu Quoc. The 4 islands trip is a speedboat tour from An Thoi in the south, with coral snorkelling and often the Hon Thom cable car, for about US$31 to US$80 per person as of September 2026. Starfish Beach is a shallow sandbar off Rach Vem fishing village in the north, free to enter, with no coral reef.
Pick the islands if clear-water snorkelling over coral is the goal or you are staying in the south. Pick Starfish Beach for the starfish, calm shallow water for children and a quieter morning in the dry season.
A quiet morning in the north, by private boat
Your own car and guide to Rach Vem, a private boat to the sandbar and Ham Rong Cape, and seafood lunch on a raft house. 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 →Starfish Beach and the 4 islands, side by side
Starfish Beach and the 4 islands trip sit at opposite ends of Phu Quoc and offer different things in the water. The table compares them as of September 2026.
| Starfish Beach (Rach Vem) | 4 islands trip | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | North coast fishing village | Islands off An Thoi, south tip |
| How you get there | Car or scooter, then a small local boat | Minibus to An Thoi, then a speedboat |
| In the water | Shallow sand and seagrass, starfish in season | Coral and reef fish, snorkelling |
| Cost | Free entry; local boat about 150,000-300,000 VND per person | Share tours about US$31-80 per person |
| Cable car | No | Often included; about 850,000 VND adult if bought alone |
| Best months | November to April | The south is more sheltered in the monsoon |
| Time needed | A morning | A full day, about 7:30 to 17:00 |
The two trips do not compete for the same thing. One is about coral and speedboats, the other about starfish, a fishing village and a slower morning. The comparison of north and south Phu Quoc sets out the wider choice between the two halves of the island.
What does the 4 islands trip involve in 2026?
The 4 islands trip is a full-day speedboat tour of the small islands off An Thoi, at the southern tip of Phu Quoc. Share tours cost about US$31 to US$80 per person as of September 2026, from a Klook 3-island speedboat trip at US$31.29 to a four-island trip with lunch at US$80. A private boat costs about US$168 to US$206 per booking.
Several operators now visit three islands rather than four and spend longer at each. One 2026 itinerary covers Gam Ghi, May Rut Trong and Mong Tay, with hotel pickup at 7:30, a speedboat from An Thoi port at 8:30 and a return around 17:00.
Many versions include the Hon Thom cable car. Sun World lists the line at 7,899.9 metres from An Thoi to Hon Thom, a ride of about 15 minutes, and Guinness World Records recognises it as the longest three-wire cable car in the world. Bought on its own, a return adult ticket costs around 850,000 VND, including the Aquatopia water park on Hon Thom.
What does a morning at Starfish Beach involve?
A morning at Starfish Beach is quieter and smaller in scale. Rach Vem is a fishing village of stilt houses and floating raft houses on the north coast, about 40 to 60 minutes from Duong Dong, and the village charges no entrance fee.
The starfish are red and orange horned sea stars, up to about 30 cm across, living on the shallow sand and seagrass off the village. They are easiest to see from November to April, in the morning, when the water is calm and clear. There is no coral reef to snorkel at Rach Vem; the water is for wading, swimming and looking down.
A small boat takes visitors from the village to the sandbar and to Ham Rong Cape, about 10 minutes away, where white sand and forest meet the sea. Lunch is usually seafood at a raft house, sold by weight. The Rach Vem beach guide covers the village in detail.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the 4 islands trip if snorkelling over coral matters most, if you are staying in Sunset Town or An Thoi, or if you are visiting between May and October, when the north coast is often rough and murky.
Choose Starfish Beach if the starfish are the reason for the day, if you are staying in Duong Dong or the north, or if you have young children who are happier wading than snorkelling. The guide to Starfish Beach with kids covers the details for families.
With two days, do both, and put Starfish Beach on the calmer morning. Guests staying in the south should allow around 1.5 hours each way to reach Rach Vem; the guide to Starfish Beach from Sunset Town covers that drive.
If starfish and a quiet village win
A private morning at Rach Vem, with the boat and lunch already arranged.
Starfish Beach Private Morning TourAbout 5.5 hoursSee the tour →North Phu Quoc Private Day: Starfish Beach to SunsetAbout 10 hoursSee the tour →Starfish Beach or 4 islands: common questions
Is Starfish Beach or the 4 islands trip better in Phu Quoc?
The 4 islands trip is better for snorkelling over coral, and Starfish Beach is better for seeing starfish in shallow water. The islands are off An Thoi in the south, and Starfish Beach is at Rach Vem in the north.
Can you snorkel at Starfish Beach?
You can swim and look down with a mask at Starfish Beach, but Rach Vem has no coral reef. The bottom is shallow sand and seagrass, and the starfish are the main thing to see.
How much is the 4 islands tour in Phu Quoc?
The 4 islands tour in Phu Quoc costs about US$31 to US$80 per person on share tours as of September 2026. A private speedboat costs about US$168 to US$206 per booking.
How much is the Hon Thom cable car?
The Hon Thom cable car costs around 850,000 VND for a return adult ticket as of 2026, including the Aquatopia water park. Children between 1 and 1.4 metres pay about 700,000 VND, and children under 1 metre ride free.
Can I do Starfish Beach and the 4 islands in one day?
Doing Starfish Beach and the 4 islands in one day is not practical. The islands trip runs from about 7:30 to 17:00, and Rach Vem is around 1.5 hours by car from An Thoi.
Starfish, a fishing village and lunch on the water
Your own car, licensed guide and private boat to the sandbar and Ham Rong Cape. Choose your group size to see the total.
★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 →Tour and cable car prices as listed by operators and Sun World as of September 2026.