An Thoi, at the southern tip of Phu Quoc, is the island's best-value base for travellers who came for boats and beaches: simple homestay rooms start around AU$38 (roughly US$25) a night, mid-range private-pool villas run US$100–250, and the town sits just 20 minutes from Phu Quoc International Airport. Choose it for the Hon Thom Cable Car, Sao Beach and the An Thoi archipelago — but look north to Duong Dong if walkable nightlife and full resort service matter more to you than early-morning boat departures.
Where exactly is An Thoi — and why do travellers base themselves there?
An Thoi is the main town at the southernmost tip of Phu Quoc, roughly 28 km from Duong Dong, the island's capital, and about 20 minutes by road from Phu Quoc International Airport. It is a real working town — home to fishing families, ferry crews and the island's southern port — and it feels noticeably rawer and more workaday than the polished resort corridor along Long Beach to the north. That is precisely its appeal for a certain kind of traveller: you get the south coast's white sand and reefs at local-town prices, without paying resort-corridor premiums for your pillow.
The area around An Thoi Port is the operational heart of the neighborhood. Ferries, fishing boats heading out before dawn, and tourist speedboats bound for the An Thoi archipelago all work out of the same harbour zone. If your plan involves island-hopping day trips, snorkelling the coral reefs off the small southern islands, or riding the Hon Thom Cable Car — whose mainland station sits minutes from town — staying in An Thoi puts you first in line every morning instead of on a 40-minute minibus transfer from Duong Dong.
| Destination | Distance from An Thoi | Typical journey time |
|---|---|---|
| Phu Quoc International Airport | ~20 km | ~20 minutes by car |
| Duong Dong (main town) | ~28 km | 35–45 minutes by car |
| An Thoi Port to Duong Dong centre | 25–30 km | 35–45 minutes by car |
| Sao Beach (Bai Sao) | ~8 km | ~15 minutes by scooter |
| Khem Beach (Bai Khem) | ~5 km | 10–15 minutes by scooter |
| Hon Thom Cable Car station (Sunset Town side) | ~3 km | Under 10 minutes by scooter |
The south is also where Phu Quoc's most famous white sand lives. Sao Beach and Khem Beach both fall within the wider An Thoi area, and the Bai Sao/An Thoi pocket is widely described as the island's premier white-sand zone — which is exactly why it doubles as the base for the cable car and the archipelago boat tours. Offshore, the small islands carry the coral reefs that day-trip snorkellers come for.
What does accommodation in An Thoi actually cost in 2026?
An Thoi's accommodation market has grown fast. Aggregators now list around 80 villas in the area, with nightly prices running from about AU$38 to AU$463 — roughly US$25 to US$305. Homestays and guesthouses cluster at the low end of that range, while beachfront villas and the luxury resort stock around Sunset Town and Bai Khem occupy the top end. Here is how the 2026 price bands break down by property type:
| Accommodation type | Typical 2026 rate (per night) | What that buys you |
|---|---|---|
| Simple homestay or guesthouse double | AU$38–70 (~US$25–45) | A/C or fan, hot shower, family-run service, walking distance to market and port |
| Boutique homestay room or small bungalow | US$40–70 | Quieter street, breakfast, sometimes shared pool |
| 2-bedroom villa with private pool (south coast) | US$100–180 | Private pool, kitchen, 10–15 minutes by scooter to the beaches |
| Family villa, 3 bedrooms | US$150–200 | The sweet spot for families of 4–6 |
| 3-bedroom private-pool villa | US$150–250 | The most-booked family bracket on the island |
| 3–4-bedroom villa with premium amenities | US$200–450 | Sea views, housekeeping, concierge-style service |
| 5-bedroom luxury villa | US$300–450 | Beachfront, staff; US$30,000–60,000 per week over Christmas in the Bai Sao/An Thoi pocket |
Real listings back these bands up. Wotif's Phu Quoc villa guide, for example, shows An Thoi villas at AU$227 (~US$150) and AU$297 (~US$195) per night — squarely mid-range villa money — with the top of the local market near AU$463. A 2026 where-to-stay guide puts the south (An Thoi/Sunset Town) at US$180 and up for luxury stays, consistent with the 3–4-bedroom premium band above.
So what does a US$30 homestay room actually get you? Typically a clean air-conditioned room with an en-suite hot shower, motorbike parking, Wi-Fi that is fine for messaging but not always for video calls, and a host who will happily arrange your boat tour and scooter. What it does not get you: a pool, soundproofed walls, a 24-hour front desk, or anyone turning down your bed. That trade is the whole An Thoi decision in one sentence.
Homestay, villa or resort? Who each option suits — and doesn't
An Thoi offers three genuinely different ways to sleep, and picking the wrong one is the most common booking mistake in the area.
Homestay — US$25–70/night
Suits: budget couples, backpackers, divers and boaters with 7–8 am departures, long-stay travellers on scooters, and anyone who would rather spend the savings on island tours.
Less suited to: light sleepers on port-side streets, honeymooners wanting privacy and a pool, and anyone who needs a 24-hour English-speaking reception desk.
Private-pool villa — US$100–450/night
Suits: families of 4–6 (the US$150–250 bracket is the island's most-booked), groups of friends splitting a 3–4-bedroom house, remote workers staying a week or more.
Less suited to: solo travellers and one- or two-night stays, where the villa's space (and cleaning/handover overhead) is wasted and a homestay costs a quarter of the price.
Beach resort — US$180+/night
Suits: honeymooners, families who want kids' pools, breakfast buffets and direct beach access at Khem Beach or Sunset Town.
Less suited to: travellers who want street food, local coffee prices and the flexibility to leave at 6 am for the archipelago — resorts charge resort prices for all of it, and early boat transfers cost extra.
And to be blunt about the area itself: An Thoi is a poor fit if your mental picture of Phu Quoc is an evening stroll through a night market, a choice of twenty restaurants, and cocktail bars open past ten. An Thoi town winds down early, dining is simple and local, and the nearest proper nightlife is in Duong Dong, 28 km and 35–45 minutes away. It is also a poor fit if you refuse to ride a scooter — the area is spread out, and taxi fares for every trip will quickly erase what you saved on the room.
The best pockets of An Thoi for a homestay stay
"An Thoi" covers several quite different micro-locations, and a listing ten minutes away from another can mean a very different stay:
An Thoi town centre and market streets. The cheapest homestays sit here, typically US$25–45, within walking distance of the market, local coffee shops and eateries, and about five minutes from the port by scooter. This is the most authentic base and the best value — but expect a working town, not a resort village.
Streets immediately around An Thoi Port. Maximum convenience if you are on the first speedboat out every morning, but remember this is the operational heart of the area: ferries, fishing boats and tourist boats share one harbour zone, and engines start around 5:30–6 am. Book here deliberately or not at all.
The Sunset Town / cable-car side. Newer, polished and noticeably more expensive, with the Hon Thom Cable Car station, evening shows and restaurants on the doorstep. Luxury stays here start around US$180 per night; homestays on this side cost more than the equivalent room in town centre.
The Bai Sao / Bai Khem beach pocket. The island's most famous white sand and its snorkelling reefs, but this end is dominated by villas and resorts rather than homestays — and prices climb accordingly, up to US$30,000–60,000 per week for 5-bedroom villas in Christmas week. Note that some stretches of Khem Beach sit inside resort grounds, so check beach access before booking.
How to book an An Thoi homestay without getting burned
Homestay booking in Vietnam runs on direct messages, cash and trust, and An Thoi is no exception. A short checklist before you pay anything:
- Time it right: for the December–March high season, book 1–3 months ahead; for Christmas and New Year, 3–6 months — especially for 3+ bedroom villas, which hit US$150–250/night and sell out first.
- Use the low season: in the May–October rainy months, homestays often discount 20–30% below high-season rates, and walk-in availability is rarely a problem.
- Message the host before paying: confirm air-conditioning, hot water, and whether the "sea view" is a real view or a rooftop sliver between buildings.
- Check the map pin, not the listing title: "An Thoi" listings can sit anywhere between the port, Sunset Town and Bai Sao — ten minutes matters when everything runs on scooters.
- Ask about airport pickup: the transfer is only ~20 minutes, but a pre-arranged car saves haggling with drivers after a late flight.
- Carry cash: most homestays prefer payment in Vietnamese dong on arrival; ATMs cluster in An Thoi town, while villas and resorts accept cards.
- Ask which boat operator the host works with: hosts usually sell island-hopping tours at prices close to the pier's, with hotel pickup thrown in.
Local tip: rent a scooter for your stay (typically US$6–8 per day). A taxi from Duong Dong to An Thoi covers roughly 28 km and costs in the region of US$15–18 each way — so three or four taxi journeys already pay for a week of scooter rental, and you will want the bike for Sao Beach, Khem Beach and the cable-car station anyway.
Getting around from an An Thoi base
A scooter is the default transport in the south: An Thoi town to Sao Beach is about 15 minutes, to Khem Beach 10–15 minutes, and to the Hon Thom Cable Car station under 10. Roads in the south are generally in good condition, but wear a helmet, carry your licence, and check the brakes before you ride — the road to Bai Sao gets busy with tour traffic mid-morning.
For the water, everything funnels through An Thoi Port. Shared island-hopping speedboat tours typically cost around US$20–35 per person including lunch and snorkelling stops, while the Hon Thom Cable Car runs roughly US$20–35 per adult depending on the package (the aquapark-inclusive tickets sit at the top of that range). If you are staying in Duong Dong instead, remember to add 35–45 minutes and a paid transfer each way to every one of those trips — that is the hidden cost the cheaper northern hotel rate doesn't show you.
Taxis and ride-hail cars exist in An Thoi but are thinner on the ground than in Duong Dong, so agree fares or book through your homestay rather than counting on hailing one from the street at night.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a homestay in An Thoi cost per night?
Budget around US$25–45 (from about AU$38) for a simple double with air-conditioning, and US$40–70 for a boutique room or bungalow. For comparison, the area's roughly 80 listed villas span AU$38 to AU$463 (~US$25–305), with 2-bedroom pool villas at US$100–180 and 3-bedroom pool villas at US$150–250 per night in 2026.
Is An Thoi a good area to stay in Phu Quoc?
Yes — if your trip is about island-hopping, the Hon Thom Cable Car, and the south coast's white-sand beaches, An Thoi is the strategic base, just 20 minutes from the airport. It has a rawer, workaday feel than the northern resort corridor and closes down early in the evening, so travellers wanting nightlife and walkable dining are better off in Duong Dong, 28 km north.
How far is An Thoi from Phu Quoc Airport and Duong Dong?
An Thoi is about 20 km from Phu Quoc International Airport — roughly a 20-minute drive — and about 28 km from Duong Dong, the main town, which takes 35–45 minutes by car. An Thoi Port itself sits 25–30 km from Duong Dong centre. Budget roughly US$15–18 for a taxi from Duong Dong each way.
When should I book An Thoi accommodation?
For the December–March high season, book 1–3 months ahead. For Christmas and New Year, book 3–6 months ahead — 5-bedroom villas in the Bai Sao/An Thoi pocket reach US$30,000–60,000 for the week and go first. In the May–October low season you can often book days ahead and save 20–30% on high-season rates.
Can you walk to a beach from an An Thoi homestay?
An Thoi town itself is a port town, not a beach town. Sao Beach is roughly 8 km away (about 15 minutes by scooter) and Khem Beach about 5 km (10–15 minutes). Some stretches of Khem Beach sit inside resort grounds, so confirm public access before you book a room on the promise of "beachfront".
Homestay or villa for a family of five in An Thoi?
A 3-bedroom family villa at US$150–200 per night is usually the better deal: the island's most-booked family bracket (4–6 people) sits at US$150–250, and you get a private pool and kitchen. A homestay can sleep a family in one room or two, but you give up the pool, space and soundproofing — and in high season the price gap narrows.
Is it noisy staying near An Thoi Port?
It can be. The harbour zone is the operational heart of the area — ferries, fishing boats and tourist speedboats all depart from the same spot, and engines start around 5:30–6 am. If you are a light sleeper and not catching the first boat yourself, choose a homestay two or three streets back from the port or on the quieter Sunset Town side.
Do An Thoi homestays take card payments?
Many small homestays are cash-preferred and settle in Vietnamese dong on arrival; ATMs cluster in An Thoi town. Villas and resorts accept cards, and online bookings via OTAs take cards at checkout. Bring cash for island tours, scooter rental and beach shacks — tour vendors at the pier often want cash only.
Planning to base yourself in An Thoi? Sabrina Rental is on the ground on Phu Quoc — we can set you up with a reliable scooter, an airport transfer, an island-hopping boat trip and honest, up-to-date local advice on where to stay. Just tell us your dates.
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