Phu Quoc is tipped to become one of Vietnam’s major drawcards in the future and is already well established as a tourist destination amongst well-travelled people. Getting from Saigon to Phu Quoc isn’t as straightforward as travel to parts of Vietnam from Saigon, mainly because Phu Quoc is an island off the south coast. In this post we cover the various (and best) ways to get to Phu Quoc from Saigon. The easiest option currently is to fly to Phu Quoc from Ho Chi Minh. Check prices and schedules for this route using this website. A multi day (2-3) trip to Phu Quoc, exploring the Mekong Delta may be possible from Saigon, take a look at one of these tours here.
There are several ways to get from Saigon to Phu Quoc. If you use this service you will see multiple ways of travelling from Saigon to Phu Quoc side by side, with prices. (Flights, boats, buses etc.)
Travelling to Phu Quoc by air is the fastest method, the flight time is only about an hour on Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines or Jetstar Pacific. As far as I can see Air Asia don’t fly this route, I could be wrong.
Phu Quoc is an island, so you can’t catch a train to Phu Quoc from Saigon, but there is an airport on the island with direct flights to Saigon HCMC Airport. Look for Phu Quoc International Airport (IATA: PQC, ICAO: VVPQ) when booking your flights.
The other way of getting from Saigon to Phu Quoc is overland. You’ll travel by bus, rail or road to southern Vietnam where you have to catch a ferry from the mainland to Phu Quoc. The ferry journey time is about 2 to 3 hours and the boats depart from Ha Tien or Rach Gia.
There are various multi-day tours from Saigon, via the Mekong Delta, to Phu Quoc. Having taken one of these trips, I really recommend them, check one out here.
Saigon to Phu Quoc Distance?
Phu Quoc island is located nearly 400 km southwest of Saigon so it can take a while to get there.
How Long Does it Take to Get From Saigon to Phu Quoc?
Bus drive time approximately 7 hours to the ferry port.
Ferry time 2.5 to 3.5 hours
Flight Time just under an hour.
Train – not currently available.
Private car or driver, around 7 hours also. Some ferries take cars
Saigon to Phu Quoc By Plane
By far the easiest and fastest way of getting to Phu Quoc fro Saigon is to fly, take a plane.
Even with the hassle of getting to the airport you’ll still save time with flight times at only about 1 hour
Numerous local airlines normally fly this route and you can usually buy tickets from as little as $30 US.
If you are flying to Phu Quoc from elsewhere in Southeast Asia there should be direct flights from Bangkok, Kuala Lumper and even Hong Kong to Phu Quoc airport. Find flights from KL to Phu Quoc here.
Obviously, prices and times will vary depending on the time of year. Availability will be dependent on local closures and restrictions.
A big advantage of getting to Phu Quoc by plane is that you won’t need a visa if you are only going to Phu Quoc.
Even if you fly via another international hub in Vietnam this visa exemption is valid. You must have a return ticket within 30 days and all travel is via air including departure. Check this for yourself, visa regulations change all the time and the Vietnamese agencies don’t email me to tell me.
No stopovers are allowed in any other part of Vietnam to qualify for this visa exemption, so be mindful when organising tickets if they go via the mainland.
Please double-check the latest Vietnamese immigration advice regarding this as it is possible that it may change in the future. This applied to all nationalities the last time we checked.
Saigon to Phu Quoc By Train
Unfortunately, there are no trains running south of Saigon at the time of writing.
Saigon station is the last stop on the line south.
This effectively rules out catching a train to anywhere but north of Saigon. If you do want to catch a train you can read about heading north to Hoi An and Danang here.
Getting from Saigon to Phu Quoc By Bus and Ferry
Bus and ferry combination is the most popular way of getting to Phu Quoc from Saigon for budget travellers with plenty of time.
This is also the slowest method of getting to Phu Quoc as you’ll need to take 1 bus to either Rach Gia or to Ha Tien which is the main ferry pier. From there take the ferry to the island.
The bus station in Rach Gia is about 7 km north of the ferry terminal so you’ll need to factor this into your travel plans. Buses can be Vietnamese semi-sleepers, tourist, air-con or local. Drive time is approximately 7 hours.
It is worth noting that the Phu Quoc has numerous jetties where the ferries land. A lot of people will want to go to the west side of the island where popular tourist destinations such as Long Beach are located.
The bigger companies with fast ferries will go to the east coast which is also the shortest route. Journey time is approximately 2.5 hours.
Most public buses leave late at night which means you’ll have quite a few hours between the bus arriving at Rach Gia and when they leave for Ha Tien in the morning.
If you don’t have much time this is something to be aware of and this will be similar on your return journey.
While you can’t seem to catch a bus directly across from Saigon to Phu Quoc there are car ferries that service this route.
Space is limited and it is advisable to book ahead but if you have a motorbike or have hired a driver there is no reason you can’t drive directly to Phu Quoc.
Getting Around Phu Quoc Island
There are minivans and taxis to the ferry ports on Phu Quoc island. Uber and Grab should also operate so you should have no shortage of options when you arrive.
Sometimes Uber and Grab aren’t so great in Vietnam and aren’t the cheapest, check prices and options.
Shared minibuses are the cheap transport option, especially if you’re travelling alone. A group of 4 would be better off getting into a taxi or Grab and going directly to your accommodation.
When using public transport know where you’re going and know how long it will take to avoid scams. Having Google maps open on your phone is always a good idea.
Best Way of Getting from Saigon to Phu Quoc
Unless you have endless time and like catching buses I’d take the short flight. Cost-wise it won’t be much more expensive journey once you factor in all the connections, bus and ferry etc.
Flight time is under an hour and unless you turn up without a ticket you’ll find yourself paying not much more than $30 USD. The most expensive flights are only about $80 USD for last-minute reservations.
Distance to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh is only 6 km (4 miles) from district 1 and doesn’t take long unlike airports in Bangkok or Kuala Lumper that are on the outskirts of the city. Phu Quoc International Airport is centrally located and travel distances to any part of the island are quick and easy. This is the other big reason I’d catch the plane over the bus and ferry route.
Thanks for Visiting our Vietnam section, we hope you find our travel tips for Vietnam helpful. In 2024 we will be visiting Saigon and Vietnam again to add more Vietnam travel posts and guides. If you’ve travelled from Saigon to Phu Quoc let us know your experiences in the comments.
If you’d like more information, including avoiding common scams, transport and what is illegal in Vietnam you can read our Vietnam travel tips here.
Alyson Long is a British medical scientist who jumped ship to chase dreams. A former Chief Biomedical Scientist at London's West Middlesex Hospital she started in website creation and travel writing in 2011.
Alyson is a full-time blogger and travel writer, a published author, and owns several websites. World Travel Family is the biggest.
A lifetime of wanderlust and over 6 years of full-time travel, plus a separate 12 month gap year, has given Alyson and the family some travel expert smarts to share with you on this world travel site.
Today Alyson still travels extensively to update this site and continue her mission to visit every country, but she's often at home on her farm in Australia.
