An Thoi sits 25-27 km south of central Duong Dong at the southern tip of Phu Quoc, and the journey takes 40-50 minutes by taxi or private car, about one hour by motorbike, or 1-1.5 hours by local bus. A one-way taxi or Grab costs roughly 350,000-450,000 VND ($14-18), a rental motorbike runs 120,000-180,000 VND ($5-8) per day plus about 30,000 VND of fuel, and the bus is the cheapest choice at around 30,000-50,000 VND. One full day is enough to cover the Hon Thom cable car, a beach and Sunset Town; plan an overnight if you want the evening shows or a diving trip.
How far is An Thoi from Duong Dong, and which route should you take?
An Thoi is the main town of Phu Quoc's far south: a working fishing port, the departure pier for boats to the southern islands, and the gateway to Sunset Town, Bai Khem and the Hon Thom cable car. From central Duong Dong it is 25-27 km if you take the direct inland route, and closer to 30 km if you follow the full coastal run - yet the coastal route is the one almost everyone uses, because it is both prettier and the road the buses and taxis travel.
The classic ride is south along Tran Hung Dao, the beachfront road that runs the length of Long Beach past resorts, cafes and fish-sauce houses before bending east toward An Thoi. You have the sea on your side for most of the way, and the surface is good, freshly paved asphalt in nearly every section. A newer, more direct road shaves a few minutes off if you are in a hurry, but you give up the coastline.
Allow 40-50 minutes by car from Duong Dong town centre, and 60-75 minutes by motorbike at a relaxed pace with photo stops. Add 10-15 minutes in the late afternoon, when traffic around Long Beach and the turn-offs to the big resorts thickens up. Fill your tank (or charge nothing at all) before leaving, because petrol stations cluster on the edges of Duong Dong and in An Thoi itself, with little in between.
Taxi and Grab: the easy door-to-door option
A metered taxi (Mai Linh and Vinasun both operate island-wide) or a Grab car between Duong Dong and An Thoi typically lands at 350,000-450,000 VND ($14-18) one way, depending on your exact start and end points. The ride takes 40-50 minutes and drops you at your hotel, the cable car station or the pier with no transfers. Grab bikes, when drivers are online, cost noticeably less - often in the 150,000-200,000 VND range - and are a decent middle ground for solo travelers with one small bag.
One caveat: cars are plentiful in Duong Dong but thinner on the ground in An Thoi after dark. If you plan to stay for the evening show at Sunset Town, either agree a fixed return time with your driver (many will come back for a small extra fee) or budget extra time to hunt down a car. Coming from Phu Quoc International Airport, which sits mid-island between the two towns, a taxi to An Thoi runs about $15-20 and takes 30-40 minutes.
Who it is a poor fit for: solo travelers on a strict budget. A return taxi costs $28-36 - more than a full week of motorbike rental. If you are alone and your bags are light, the bus or a scooter makes far more sense.
By rental motorbike: the most flexible way south
A semi-automatic motorbike rents for 120,000-180,000 VND ($5-8) per day in Duong Dong, and the round trip to An Thoi plus detours around the south needs barely half a tank - figure 30,000-50,000 VND of fuel in total. The road is flat, well-paved and easy to follow, which makes this the best-value option for confident riders and the only one that lets you stop at beaches, roadside fruit stands and An Thoi Market whenever you like.
Ride south on Tran Hung Dao with the sea on your side, keep your helmet on at all times (checks do happen on this road), and watch for sandy patches near beach entrances, trucks parked outside the fish-sauce houses, and dogs. Rain is the real hazard: between roughly June and September, afternoon downpours can turn the ride home miserable, so carry a light poncho or plan to shelter in An Thoi until the worst passes.
Who it is a poor fit for: first-time riders and anyone traveling with young children. The 50-54 km round trip is not technically difficult, but the island has limited emergency services and no roadside assistance to speak of. If you have never ridden a scooter in Asia before, a long open highway is not the place to learn - take a taxi or a private car instead and practice on short routes around Duong Dong first.
Bus and private car: the budget and the group options
Phu Quoc's public buses link Duong Dong with An Thoi along the main coastal route several times a day. The fare is around 30,000-50,000 VND, the trip takes 1-1.5 hours with stops, and the buses are air-conditioned. Departures thin out sharply in the early evening, so treat the bus as a daytime tool: ride down in the morning, head back before dark, and do not rely on it if you are staying for the Sunset Town night market. You can flag buses down anywhere along the main road.
For families and groups, a private car with a driver costs roughly $30-45 for the round trip - split four ways, that beats taxis on price and the bus on comfort. Drivers will wait while you do the cable car, detour to Bai Sao on the east coast, and time the return around dinner. A private car is also the standard choice for airport-to-An Thoi transfers with luggage.
| Option | Typical cost | Travel time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grab bike | ~150,000-200,000 VND ($6-8) one way | 45-60 min | Solo travelers, light bags |
| Taxi or Grab car | 350,000-450,000 VND ($14-18) one way | 40-50 min | Couples, door-to-door ease |
| Rental motorbike | 120,000-180,000 VND/day + ~30,000 VND fuel | ~1 hour each way | Confident riders, explorers |
| Local bus | ~30,000-50,000 VND ($1.30-2) one way | 1-1.5 hours | Strict budgets, daytime only |
| Private car with driver | ~$30-45 round trip | 40-50 min each way | Families, groups of 4+ |
What the trip is for: highlights at the southern tip
The headline attraction is the Hon Thom cable car, which stretches 7,899 m over open water from the An Thoi side to Hon Thom island - one of the longest over-sea cable cars in the world - and takes about 25 minutes each way. A return ticket, which generally includes entry to the Aquatopia water park on Hon Thom, runs in the region of 350,000-500,000 VND. Go early: the cabins are calmest before 10:00 AM and the sea views are clearest in morning light.
Back on the main island, Sunset Town is the south's evening centrepiece - a Mediterranean-styled hillside village above a marina, crowned by the sunset-viewing Kiss Bridge and lively every night until around 10:30 PM. Bai Khem, the arc of pale sand near the JW Marriott, is the prettiest swim in the south, while Bai Sao on the east coast is a 15-20 minute drive from An Thoi town. The 15 or so islands of the An Thoi archipelago are also where the island's snorkeling and diving day-tours depart from An Thoi pier, with trips costing roughly 350,000-800,000 VND per person including lunch.
For supplies and local color, An Thoi Market opens from 5:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily and sells fresh produce, vegetables, seafood and everyday essentials. If you are an early riser, the wholesale fish market near An Thoi pier is at its liveliest between 5:00 AM and 8:00 AM, when the night's catch comes straight off the boats.
Where to eat in An Thoi, from $4 seafood plates to marina dining
The south has quietly built one of the island's better food scenes, spanning everything from street-side shellfish to resort dining rooms. Budget street stalls and local restaurants in An Thoi typically cost 100,000-200,000 VND per person per meal, and two spots in particular are worth the ride: Oc Dao An Thoi for well-loved budget seafood and snails at $3.8-7.6 per person, and Phuong Dong Quan for its herring salad (goi ca trich) and fresh seafood at the same $3.8-7.6 range. For a home-style rice-plate dinner, Com Gia Dinh at Ama 17, Amarine Street in Khu Pho 6 opens daily from 9:30 AM to 9:00 PM.
Ann Seafood at Bai Khem deserves special mention for one reason: it is open 24 hours a day, every day, with a full seafood menu priced at $9.5-22.8 per person - genuinely useful when a boat trip or a late cable-car run lands you hungry at odd hours.
Up in Sunset Town the options turn international. Sun Bavaria Gastropub pours German beer and serves hearty pub food, open from 12:00 PM to midnight on Thursdays and Fridays and from 4:00 PM to midnight on Saturday through Wednesday. SURA Korean Restaurant serves authentic Korean food on the Sunset Town dining street. Mare, at the La Festa Phu Quoc hotel (Curio Collection by Hilton) overlooking the marina, plates Italian-Mediterranean dishes daily from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
Down at Khem Beach, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay runs two reliable kitchens for non-guests who fancy a splurge: Tempus Fugit, the all-day restaurant serving breakfast from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM and lunch and dinner from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and Red Rum, the beachside spot that opens at 11:00 AM and splits service into a lunch block until about 4:30 PM and dinner from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Expect hotel-level bills at both.
If your timing is right, the evening market along the Sunset Town waterfront runs nightly from about 5:00 PM to 10:30 PM - the easiest place to graze your way through dinner between the cable car and the show.
A realistic day-trip schedule from Duong Dong
Leave Duong Dong at 7:30 AM and you can comfortably fit the classic loop. Aim to reach the cable car station by 8:30 AM, spend the late morning on Hon Thom, and be back on the mainland for a 1:30 PM lunch at Oc Dao An Thoi or Phuong Dong Quan - expect to pay under $8 a head at either. Spend the early afternoon at Bai Khem or Bai Sao when crowds are thin, then drift to Sunset Town from 4:00 PM as Mare opens for dinner service at 3:00 PM and the cafes fill up. Watch the sun go down near Kiss Bridge, graze the waterfront market from 5:00 PM, and either catch the evening show or start the 40-50 minute drive back around 7:30-8:00 PM.
- 7:30 AM - leave Duong Dong (taxi, private car or motorbike)
- 8:30 AM - Hon Thom cable car, about 25 minutes over the sea
- 10:00 AM-1:00 PM - Hon Thom island and Aquatopia water park
- 1:30 PM - lunch in An Thoi town ($3.8-7.6 per person)
- 2:30-4:30 PM - beach time at Bai Khem or Bai Sao
- 5:00 PM - Sunset Town: night market, Kiss Bridge, sunset
- 6:00-8:00 PM - dinner: Sun Bavaria (from 4:00 PM), Mare (until 11:00 PM) or market stalls
- 8:30 PM - return to Duong Dong by taxi or private car
Stay overnight instead if any of these apply: you want to watch the evening show without a stressful ride home, you have a 6:00-7:00 AM dive or fishing trip from An Thoi pier, or you want to catch the 5:00-8:00 AM wholesale fish market without a pre-dawn drive. If you only want the cable car and one beach, though, a day trip is the cheaper and simpler plan - hotels in the far south run noticeably pricier than comparable rooms in Duong Dong, and you lose nothing by sleeping in town.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a taxi cost from Duong Dong to An Thoi?
Expect roughly 350,000-450,000 VND ($14-18) one way for a metered taxi or Grab car, with the ride taking 40-50 minutes. Grab bikes cost less, around 150,000-200,000 VND, when drivers are available. From the airport to An Thoi, figure $15-20 for the 30-40 minute transfer.
Is there a bus from Duong Dong to An Thoi?
Yes. Public buses run the coastal route for about 30,000-50,000 VND and take 1-1.5 hours including stops. Frequencies drop off in the early evening, so use the bus for daytime trips and take a taxi back if you stay for the Sunset Town night market, which runs until about 10:30 PM.
Can I ride a motorbike to An Thoi as a beginner?
It is not recommended. The 50-54 km round trip is flat and well-paved, but it is a long ride on a road shared with trucks, and the island has limited medical and roadside support. Rental is cheap at 120,000-180,000 VND per day, so if you are unsure, take a car down and practice on shorter routes around Duong Dong first.
How much time should I allow for An Thoi?
A full day of 8-10 hours covers the cable car (25 minutes each way), a beach, An Thoi Market and Sunset Town. If you add a snorkeling or diving tour from An Thoi pier, or the 5:00-8:00 AM wholesale fish market, plan two days or an overnight stay.
What are the must-eat spots in An Thoi on a budget?
Oc Dao An Thoi and Phuong Dong Quan both serve generous seafood plates for $3.8-7.6 per person, and general street stalls cost 100,000-200,000 VND per meal. Ann Seafood at Bai Khem is the safety net: open 24 hours daily with a seafood menu priced at $9.5-22.8 per person.
What time do the markets in An Thoi open?
An Thoi Market opens at 5:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM daily, selling produce, seafood and essentials. The wholesale fish market near the pier is busiest between 5:00 AM and 8:00 AM, and the Sunset Town waterfront night market runs from about 5:00 PM to 10:30 PM nightly.
When is the best time of year to make the trip?
The dry season from roughly late October to April brings calm seas, clear cable-car views and reliable boat tours to the southern islands. Between June and September, afternoon downpours and choppier seas can interrupt the cable car and dive trips, so build in a plan B.
Is Grab available in An Thoi at night?
Coverage is patchy after dark, especially away from Sunset Town. Either pre-arrange a return pickup with your day driver (a small waiting fee is normal), book a private car, or ask restaurant staff - places like Sun Bavaria and Mare can usually call a car for you before they close at midnight and 11:00 PM respectively.
Planning the trip south? Sabrina Rental on Phu Quoc rents well-maintained motorbikes delivered to your hotel in Duong Dong, and can help arrange taxis, private cars and honest local advice on timing the cable car and Sunset Town. Message us and we will sort the logistics so you can just enjoy the ride.
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