Sunset Town is about 30 km from central Duong Dong, and the journey takes 45–60 minutes in normal traffic. A metered taxi or Grab car runs roughly 350,000–500,000 VND ($14–20) one way, a rented motorbike covers the whole round trip for under 200,000 VND including fuel, and the local bus is cheapest at 20,000–40,000 VND but finishes too early for a post-sunset return. For most travelers the best plan is simple: ride or Grab down in the late afternoon, then pre-arrange your ride back after the evening show.
How far is Sunset Town from Duong Dong?
Sunset Town sits at the island's southern tip in the An Thoi commune. From the center of Duong Dong — around the market and the 30/4 Street area — it is 28–32 km depending on your exact starting point, which translates to 45–60 minutes by car or scooter in normal traffic. Add 10–15 minutes on weekend evenings, when day-trippers from all over the island funnel into the same final stretch of road.
You have two realistic routes. The coastal road (Tran Hung Dao heading south past the end of Long Beach) is the one most visitors should take: it hugs the shore, passes resorts, fishing hamlets and roadside coconut stalls, and is genuinely one of the nicer drives on the island. The inland alternative through the center shaves maybe five minutes but offers far less to look at. Roads are newly paved and in good condition along both routes; the main hazards are loose sand at junctions, dogs, and scooters pulling out of resort driveways without signaling.
The last stretch, from the An Thoi roundabout up the hill into Sunset Town, gets congested between roughly 17:00 and 19:00. Arrive before 16:30 and you will usually park without circling.
All the ways to get there, compared
Here is the full picture. One-way costs are for the roughly 30 km trip; the motorbike figure covers a full rental day, not just the journey.
| Option | Time | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorbike rental | 45–60 min | 120,000–180,000 VND/day plus 25,000–40,000 VND fuel | Confident riders who want to stop at beaches along the way |
| Grab bike | 45–60 min | 200,000–280,000 VND one way | Solo travelers on a budget who do not want to ride |
| Grab car | 45–60 min | 300,000–450,000 VND one way | Couples who want air-con and door-to-door comfort |
| Metered taxi | 45–60 min | 350,000–500,000 VND one way | Families, late nights, anyone without the Grab app working |
| Private car with driver | Half or full day | 700,000–1,000,000 VND | Day trips combining Sao Beach, pepper farms and the cable car |
| Local bus | 60–75 min | 20,000–40,000 VND one way | Daytime budget travel only — not for evening returns |
For a straightforward afternoon-and-evening trip, the real contest is motorbike versus Grab or taxi. If even one person in your group plans to drink at a place like Sun Bavaria GastroPub — a beachfront beer restaurant that pours until midnight — take the car and do not compromise on that. Renting a scooter you cannot legally or safely operate, or riding back after drinks, are the two most common mistakes people make on this route.
By motorbike: the flexible, best-value option
A scooter is how most long-stay travelers do this trip, and the economics are hard to beat. Rentals run 120,000–180,000 VND per day for a reliable semi-automatic (a Honda Vision or similar), with delivery to hotels in Duong Dong usually free. A full tank costs around 60,000–80,000 VND and covers the 60 km round trip more than twice, so budget roughly 25,000–40,000 VND of fuel for the day. Add 5,000–10,000 VND for motorbike parking near the main lots at Sunset Town and your total transport bill stays under 200,000 VND — a fraction of what two people would spend on taxis.
The drive itself is the argument. Heading south on the coastal road you pass the southern end of Long Beach, fishing boats drying their nets, stalls selling fresh coconut for around 20,000 VND, and turnoffs for Sao Beach and the Hon Thom cable car station if you want to build a full southern-loop day. Leave Duong Dong by 15:30–16:00, stop for a swim or a coffee on the way, and you will roll into Sunset Town with time to claim a sunset-facing spot before the roughly 18:00 sundown.
Who should skip this option: if you have never ridden a scooter, this is not the road to learn on — the last 10 km into An Thoi has hills, blind curves and evening traffic. It is also a poor fit for families with small children, anyone without a licence or passport deposit, and any group whose evening plan involves beer. Police checks on the main road are not rare, and riding without a licence usually voids your rental insurance.
Riding back after dark is doable — the road is lit in most sections — but allow a full 60 minutes, watch for sand blown across the lanes near construction sites, and if it rained that afternoon, expect slick painted lines at junctions.
By taxi or Grab: easy there, plan the way back
Grab works across Phu Quoc and is the default for many visitors. A Grab car from central Duong Dong to Sunset Town typically lands between 300,000–450,000 VND, with Grab bikes at roughly 200,000–280,000 VND. Metered taxis (Mai Linh in green, Vinasun in white) charge around 15,000–17,000 VND per kilometer on this route, which works out to 350,000–500,000 VND for the trip — predictable, and available even when your phone signal is not.
The trap is the return leg. After the evening multimedia show finishes around 21:00–21:30, hundreds of visitors try to leave An Thoi at the same time; Grab surge pricing can double the fare and available cars thin out fast. Three fixes work: book your return Grab 10–15 minutes before the show ends and walk a few hundred meters toward the main road away from the densest crowds; ask your dinner restaurant to call a taxi company directly; or do what many families do and agree a round-trip price with a taxi driver on arrival — 700,000–900,000 VND including the driver waiting two to four hours is a fair, commonly accepted deal for the 60 km round trip.
Private cars with drivers booked through hotels or rental agencies (700,000–1,000,000 VND for a half or full day) make sense if you want to combine Sunset Town with Sao Beach or the cable car in one itinerary — the driver waits while you sightsee, and there is nothing to negotiate at 21:00.
By bus: the cheapest way, with one big catch
Phu Quoc's local bus network links Duong Dong with An Thoi along the west coast. The fare is 20,000–40,000 VND depending on where you board, the ride takes 60–75 minutes, and buses pass roughly every 20–30 minutes through the day. You can flag one down anywhere along the route — the stops near Cho Duong Dong market and along 30/4 Street are the easiest starting points.
The catch is the schedule. Services wind down in the early evening, with the last useful departures back north before sunset — meaning the bus gets you there but not home after dark. Budget travelers work around this by taking the bus down in the morning (often to reach the Hon Thom cable car early), spending the afternoon in the south, then Grabbing or taxiing back. If your plan is strictly a sunset evening, the bus is the wrong tool; if you are doing a full-day southern loop on a tight budget, it is excellent value.
Timing your trip: sunset, the show and the night market
Sunset Town itself never closes — the district is open 24/7 year-round and entry is free — so the real question is what time the things you came for actually start. Sunset falls at around 18:00 (between roughly 17:45 and 18:15 across the seasons), and the west-facing waterfront fills up 30–45 minutes before that. The evening show near the Kiss Bridge runs after dark, generally starting around 19:30–20:00; arrive at least 30 minutes early if you want a good vantage spot, and note that show tickets are charged separately from entry.
The Vui Fest Bazaar food street and the An Thoi market along the waterfront are evening institutions: the bazaar opens from about 17:00 and runs to midnight, while the seafood market operates roughly 17:00–22:30 nightly. Weekend nights (Friday and Saturday) are noticeably busier. One practical scheduling quirk: Sun Bavaria GastroPub opens at noon on Friday and Saturday but only from 16:00 on weekdays, so if you want an early dinner before the crowds, a weekend arrival gives you more options than a weekday one.
If you are driving yourself, time the return for either before 20:00 or after 21:30. The window in between is peak leave-the-show traffic, and the last kilometers back into Duong Dong crawl.
Once you are there: what food and drinks actually cost
Set your budget expectations before the 30 km ride: Sunset Town's gastropubs and food street run about 20–40% pricier than central Duong Dong, because you are paying for the setting as much as the plate. That premium buys the best showtime atmosphere on the island, and there are ways to spend at every level.
At the cheaper end, the Vui Fest Bazaar and the An Thoi seafood market along the waterfront are the value plays: simple rice dishes start from 60,000 VND, grilled sausage from 15,000 VND and beer from 20,000 VND, and a full seafood dinner for two typically lands between 300,000–600,000 VND. For context, ordinary street stalls and local restaurants back in Duong Dong cost 100,000–200,000 VND per person per meal — so a market dinner in Sunset Town is only mildly more expensive, while the sit-down venues are where the gap widens.
A few specific spots worth knowing for the trip:
RuNam Sunset Town (Sunset Town, An Thoi, open 07:00–22:00) — outdoor seating with sea views and a Vietnamese cafe menu: soft-shell crab pho, beef rice and egg coffee. This is the smart stop if you arrive before the night market opens, since it serves from morning onward.
Lemon Queen (Sunset Bazaar, open about 10:00–20:00) — desserts and drinks at 50,000–90,000 VND per order, a good cool-down stop in the late-afternoon heat before dinner.
Sun Bavaria GastroPub — a beachfront beer restaurant in the center of Sunset Town with a direct view of the Kiss Bridge and the Southwest Sea, a buffet of nearly 100 dishes, open 16:00–24:00 on weekdays and 12:00–24:00 on Friday and Saturday.
At the top end, upscale waterfront restaurants in Sunset Town typically charge 600,000–1,500,000 VND per person — spectacular settings, but if that is beyond your budget, the better move is a market dinner at the water's edge, then a drink somewhere elevated to watch the lights come on over the harbor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a taxi from Duong Dong to Sunset Town?
Expect 350,000–500,000 VND one way on the meter for the roughly 30 km trip, at about 15,000–17,000 VND per kilometer. A Grab car usually comes in slightly cheaper at 300,000–450,000 VND. For a return trip, agreeing 700,000–900,000 VND with a driver who waits 2–4 hours is a fair deal and removes the post-show scramble entirely.
Is there a bus from Duong Dong to Sunset Town?
Yes. The local bus runs the west coast route from Duong Dong to An Thoi for 20,000–40,000 VND, taking 60–75 minutes with departures roughly every 20–30 minutes. Services end in the early evening, so the bus works for daytime trips but not for returning after sunset or the evening show — plan a Grab or taxi for the way back.
Can I ride a motorbike to Sunset Town without a Vietnamese licence?
Legally you need a Vietnamese licence or an International Driving Permit with an A category for motorcycles. Police checks do occur on the main road, and riding unlicensed typically voids your rental insurance. Most rental shops ask for a passport or cash deposit of 1,000,000–3,000,000 VND. If you cannot ride legally, Grab or a taxi is the responsible choice.
What time should I leave Duong Dong to catch the sunset?
Leave by 16:00–16:30. The trip takes 45–60 minutes, sunset falls around 18:00, and you will want time to park (5,000–10,000 VND for motorbikes) and claim a waterfront spot 30–45 minutes before sundown. On Friday and Saturday, add 10–15 minutes for traffic on the final stretch into An Thoi.
Is Sunset Town free to enter?
Yes — the district is open 24/7 year-round and walking in costs nothing. You pay for what you consume: street food from 15,000–60,000 VND, seafood dinner for two at the An Thoi market around 300,000–600,000 VND, and tickets for the evening show near the Kiss Bridge, which are separate from entry.
Is Grab available at night in An Thoi for the ride back?
Partly. After the show finishes around 21:00–21:30, demand spikes and cars become scarce, with surge fares sometimes reaching 1.5–2 times the normal rate. Book 10–15 minutes before the crowd disperses, walk toward the main road, or have your restaurant call a taxi — Mai Linh and Vinasun both operate island-wide.
Is food in Sunset Town more expensive than in Duong Dong?
Yes, by roughly 20–40% for gastropubs and the food street compared to the town center. The affordable workaround is the night market: rice dishes from 60,000 VND, grilled sausage from 15,000 VND and beer from 20,000 VND. Upscale waterfront restaurants are the priciest tier at 600,000–1,500,000 VND per person.
Can I do Sunset Town and the Hon Thom cable car in one day?
Comfortably. The cable car station at An Thoi is about 10 minutes from Sunset Town; take a private car with driver (700,000–1,000,000 VND for the day) or a scooter, ride the cable car in the morning, hit a beach at midday, then settle into Sunset Town by 16:30 for sunset and the night market. The bus also covers the route for 20,000–40,000 VND if you are flexible on timing.
Staying in Duong Dong and planning a sunset run to the south? Sabrina Rental can deliver a scooter to your hotel, arrange a private car with driver for the evening, or help you build the full southern-loop day trip — just tell us your plan.
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