The beautiful island of Phu Quoc in the South of Vietnam is the perfect end to a backpacking trip across the country. If you are tired and sore from motorcycling through its hectic streets, or need a change from all the train hopping; relaxing on the beaches of Phu Quoc seems like the obvious alternative! Find out the easiest way to get to Phu Quoc Island on a ferry below.
Situated just off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc has become a fairly popular destination with both local and international travellers in recent years. This comes as no surprise. The island is famous for its beaches, relaxed vibes and now, luxury hotels.
However, there is a lot more to this island than just relaxing on the beach. Choose from snorkelling, hiking or get cultural by learning more of the island’s history.
in this guide
Phu Quoc Island Ferry Services
So, you’re ready for a change of scenery? Phu Quoc Island can easily be reached by air or by boat from the mainland, or from Cambodia. As we were already in the Mekong Delta, we decided to take the sea route.
There are several companies running the Phu Quoc ferry route. Superdong and Phu Quoc Express most notably. After a quick research, the latter seemed to be the most reliable (and newest) option, having been running their services since 2017. It came with the best reviews as well.
It’s described as a 5-star service, and though we wouldn’t necessarily go as far as to call it that, it was an entirely hassle-free process. The catamaran itself was professionally run, clean and had Western toilets. The seats are assigned and your ticket includes a bottle of water.
How to Buy Tickets
Phu Quoc Express and Superdong have daily departures to and from Rach Gia Port and Ha Tien Port in the south of Vietnam. The actual ferry journeys take approximately 2,5 hours and 1,5 hours respectively.
Phu Quoc Express Tickets
Rach Gia – Phu Quoc (340,000 VND)
Ha Tien – Phu Quoc (250,000 VND)
Superdong Tickets
Rach Gia – Phu Quoc (330,000 VND)
Ha Tien – Phu Quoc (230,000 VND)
You can either buy tickets online or from one of their offices in either town. Phu Quoc Express’ own website didn’t work for us for some reason, but you can also purchase them online at Baolau. We used them a lot during our travels in Asia. They were reliable and you could usually choose your seats. And they only charge a small commission, which seemed worth it to us.
Things to Consider
When booking in advance, just make sure you bear in mind that ferry services to and from Phu Quoc may get cancelled or delayed due to rough seas. This is especially true during the monsoon season in May-October. So if you have a fixed schedule, this may not be the best option for you.
We travelled outside the monsoon season and it was a pretty bumpy ride regardless!
You can also fly to Phu Quoc from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. You get daily departures with Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air and Jetstar.
Note: If you are looking for budget accommodation in Rach Gia, we recommend the Bui Hostel. It’s only about a 10-minute walk away from the ferry port.
Travelling from Ferry Port to Town Centre
Duong Dong is the main town on Phu Quoc island. You’ll be able to easily travel to the town centre from the ferry port. As you exit the ferry, walk about 100m to the main ferry terminal area. From here you can either take a taxi, or a shuttle bus.
Phu Quoc Express offers a shuttle bus service, which you will find just outside the terminal. They have their logo on the side of their minibus, so it’ll be impossible to miss.
It seems you need to get your bus tickets either on the ferry or at the ferry terminal. We were unaware of this. However, we did notice one of the staff members walking around waving what looked like a bunch of tickets shortly after the boat left. This is probably your best opportunity to purchase your tickets, so keep an eye out.
If you do end up off the ferry without a bus ticket and don’t have time to go and investigate at the terminal, just go and find the mini busses. You’ll be bound to find someone to speak to.
Be prepared to haggle for the price as it’s likely you’ll be charged a premium for your ticket. The actual cost of the ticket in 2019 was 30k. For this price, they will take you to your accommodation in Duong Dong, and includes luggage. We spoke to a couple of local passengers, who confirmed this and showed their official tickets to us. You probably won’t get given one though.
It’s worth having this discussion with the driver’s assistant before you get onboard.
All in all, getting to Phu Quoc Island was super easy. And as long as you’re already in the south of Vietnam, getting there on the ferry is surely the way to get there.
