Phu Quoc has no island-wide public bus network, so without your own motorbike you move around on a mix of ride-hailing apps and taxis: a typical Grab or Xanh SM trip on the island costs about 80,000–120,000 VND ($3–5), a metered taxi around 150,000 VND (~$6), and VinBus routes 17 and 19 from roughly 20,000–25,000 VND ($0.80–1). VinBus stopped being free in January 2026. Budget about $10–20 per day of transport for two people, and plan around Grab coverage that is solid in Duong Dong and along Long Beach but thin at the far north and south ends of the island.
What a day of transport on Phu Quoc actually costs without your own wheels
The single biggest planning mistake visitors make is assuming Phu Quoc has a cheap, island-wide bus they can lean on. It does not. Transport on the island effectively comes down to three things: ride-hailing, private charter, or renting a scooter yourself. If you have ruled out the scooter, that leaves apps and charter - and a small set of VinBus corridors that cover specific routes rather than the whole island.
The good news is that the numbers are predictable. A typical ride-hailing trip between Duong Dong, Long Beach and Ong Lang lands at 80,000–120,000 VND ($3–5). A metered taxi on a comparable route sits at around 150,000 VND (~$6). For a couple doing two app rides and one taxi in a day, that is roughly 300,000–420,000 VND, or $12–16 - still well under what two people would spend on a private driver, and comparable to what some resorts charge for a single airport transfer.
| Option | Typical fare | Roughly in USD | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| VinBus Route 17 (Airport to Grand World) | from 20,000 VND | from $0.80 | Airport runs to the north, 30–40 minutes |
| VinBus airport to Duong Dong Ward | 25,000 VND | ~$1 | The cheapest way into town with a bag |
| Grab Car / Xanh SM car | 80,000–120,000 VND | $3–5 | Duong Dong, Long Beach, Ong Lang hops |
| GrabBike (motorbike taxi) | Usually below the car fare | Check the app | Solo riders, short daytime hops |
| Metered taxi | ~150,000 VND | ~$6 | When no app car is available, or groups of 3–4 |
| Taxi, airport to Duong Dong Ward | 180,000–220,000 VND | $7–8.50 | Late arrivals and heavy luggage |
| Private charter (car with driver) | Quoted per half or full day | Varies | North loop or south loop where Grab fails |
| Motorbike rental (for comparison) | $4–8 per day plus fuel | $4–8 | Only if you are licensed and confident |
Notice what is missing from that table: a 10,000 VND local bus, a hop-on-hop-off loop, or a train. None of those exist here. Everything else is a negotiation between convenience and cost.
Grab and Xanh SM on Phu Quoc: where they work, and where they leave you stranded
Grab does operate on Phu Quoc, and so does Xanh SM, the Vietnamese electric-taxi app. Both are genuinely useful - but with a caveat that catches visitors out: availability is noticeably thinner than in mainland cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. You will not always get a car in 60 seconds.
In practice, coverage splits the island in two. In Duong Dong town and along the Long Beach resort strip, Grab is reliable at most hours, and you can usually get a car within a few minutes. Around Ong Lang and the busier northern resort pockets, it is workable during the day. Push further north toward Cua Can, Rach Vem and Ganh Dau, or south past An Thoi toward Sao Beach, Khem Beach and Sunset Town, and the app becomes unreliable - sometimes showing no cars at all, especially in the late afternoon when drivers are already committed to return trips.
Practical rule: treat Grab as a Duong Dong and Long Beach tool, not an island-wide one. If your destination is more than about 25 km from Duong Dong, arrange the return leg before you leave, or book a car with a driver for the day. A car that strands you at Bai Sao at sunset costs far more in stress than a half-day charter costs in money.
Two more things worth knowing. First, Grab Car and GrabBike are both available, so solo travellers can cut costs on short hops. Second, drivers sometimes cancel long or awkward pickups, so build in a 15-minute buffer before anything time-sensitive - a sunset cruise departure from An Thoi, a ferry check-in, or a flight.
VinBus routes 17 and 19 explained - and the end of free rides
VinBus is the closest thing Phu Quoc has to public transport, and for years it was one of the island's best-kept secrets: a free shuttle network connecting the airport, Bai Vong Harbour and the Long Beach resort strip to Grand World in the north. That changed in January 2026, when fares were introduced. The network still runs, and it is still cheap, but it is no longer free.
Two routes do most of the useful work for visitors:
- Route 17 links Phu Quoc Airport with Phu Quoc United Center, which covers the Vinpearl Phu Quoc and Grand World areas in the north. Fares start from around 20,000 VND ($0.80) and the ride takes roughly 30–40 minutes.
- Route 19 connects the InterContinental Hotel through the airport to Grand World, making it a genuinely practical option if you are staying on the Long Beach strip and heading north for the day.
A shorter airport-to-Duong Dong Ward bus trip is priced at 25,000 VND per person - roughly $1 - versus 180,000–220,000 VND for the same journey in a taxi. If you are travelling light and arriving in daylight, that is the single biggest saving available to you on day one.
What VinBus does not do is cover the whole island. There is no route that strings together Duong Dong, Ham Ninh, An Thoi, Sao Beach and the northern beaches in one pass. Schedules are fixed, evening service is limited, and luggage space is modest. Separately, free shuttle services continue for eligible Vinpearl ticket holders on qualifying routes - if you have booked VinWonders or the safari, check whether a shuttle is included before paying for a transfer at all.
Taxis on Phu Quoc: meters, airport fares and when a taxi beats the app
Taxis remain the safety net. A normal metered trip on Phu Quoc is quoted at around 150,000 VND, or about $6 - which makes them competitive with Grab for groups of three or four, and unbeatable when the app shows no cars at all.
The airport is where taxi pricing matters most. Airport to Duong Dong Ward is quoted at 180,000–220,000 VND ($7–8.50), and this is the one route where you should decide in advance: VinBus for 25,000 VND if your timing works, or a taxi if you land at night with bags. Established operators such as Mai Linh run on the island, and the airport taxi rank is straightforward - but always confirm the meter is running or agree a fixed fare before you get in, and have your hotel name and address written down. Many drivers know the big resorts by name but not small guesthouses.
Cash tip: carry small notes. Handing a driver a 500,000 VND note for a 60,000 VND ride is a guaranteed five-minute wait in low season, when nobody has change.
Where taxis genuinely beat the app: late nights after 10pm, early morning departures before 6am, and any trip into the far south around An Thoi or Sunset Town, where Grab supply collapses in the evening. Ask your hotel reception to call one - a locally summoned taxi will usually accept a pickup that an app driver ignores.
Who travelling Phu Quoc without a motorbike is a poor fit for
Being honest about this saves people from ruining a holiday. Riding a scooter is not a requirement for Phu Quoc - plenty of visitors have a great time using apps, buses and boats. But the no-bike approach suits some trips far better than others.
A good fit if you are...
- Staying in Duong Dong or along the Long Beach strip, where Grab is dependable and restaurants are walkable
- Travelling as a couple or small group of 2–4 people, splitting 80,000–120,000 VND fares between you
- Happy with two or three destinations per day rather than six
- Willing to spend $10–20 per day on transport and book a charter for the one or two long-distance days
- On an itinerary built around tours, which mostly include hotel pickup and drop-off
A poor fit if you are...
- Staying in Ganh Dau, Rach Vem, Cua Can or deep in the south near An Thoi, where Grab coverage thins out badly
- Planning to visit six beaches and viewpoints in a single day without pre-booking a driver
- Wanting to be out past midnight regularly - app supply drops sharply after about 10pm
- Four or more people with luggage, where a single Grab Car will not fit everyone
- On a very tight budget expecting a 10,000 VND island bus - it does not exist
- Intending to reach the northern fishing villages on a whim rather than on a booked schedule
If two or more of the second list apply to you, the honest answer is either to move your base to Duong Dong or Long Beach, or to book a car with a driver for your long excursion days. Changing accommodation is usually cheaper than fighting the geography every morning.
The practical playbook: building full days around a skeleton of booked rides
Without a bike, your days have to be designed rather than improvised. The trick is to treat rides as fixed infrastructure and pick your stops around them - not the other way around.
- Pick a base that works without wheels. Duong Dong and the Long Beach strip are the only areas where you can walk to a real choice of restaurants, cafés and the night market, then grab a car within minutes.
- Cluster by geography, not by wishlist. One day south (An Thoi, the Hon Thom cable car, Sao Beach, Khem Beach, Sunset Town), one day north (Grand World, VinWonders, the safari), one day in town. Crossing the island twice in a day burns 300,000–500,000 VND in fares for no extra sightseeing.
- Book the long days in advance. A private charter with a driver is the only reliable way to do a full north loop or south loop. Your accommodation or a local operator can arrange it, and it removes the return-trip risk entirely.
- Use VinBus for the airport. Route 17 or 19 at 20,000–25,000 VND versus 180,000–220,000 VND in a taxi is the easiest saving of the trip, as long as you are not arriving after dark with heavy bags.
- Lean on tours that include transfers. Island-hopping boat trips, cable car combos and diving day trips almost always include hotel pickup. That solves the hardest transport problem - getting to An Thoi port - for free.
- Keep a backup plan and 200,000 VND in cash. Save your hotel's phone number and one taxi company contact. When the app fails at 10pm, a phone call beats refreshing the screen.
A realistic three-day shape looks like this. Day one: stay local - walk Duong Dong, the night market and Long Beach, take one Grab home. Day two: head south with a booked driver or a tour with pickup, hitting the cable car, one beach and Sunset Town, and returning after dinner. Day three: take VinBus Route 17 north to Grand World, spend the day at VinWonders or the safari, and ride the bus back. Total spend on non-charter transport for that itinerary: well under $40 for two people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a public bus on Phu Quoc?
No. Phu Quoc has no island-wide public bus service connecting its towns, beaches and attractions. The only scheduled buses are the VinBus corridors, principally routes 17 and 19, plus dedicated shuttle services tied to Vinpearl resorts and ticket holders. Everything else is a ride-hailing car, a taxi, or a pre-booked charter.
How much is a Grab from Phu Quoc Airport to Duong Dong?
A Grab or Xanh SM car on a typical in-island trip runs about 80,000–120,000 VND ($3–5). A metered taxi from the airport to Duong Dong Ward is quoted at 180,000–220,000 VND ($7–8.50), while the VinBus airport-to-Duong Dong route costs 25,000 VND - about $1 - per person.
Is the VinBus still free on Phu Quoc?
No. VinBus introduced fares in January 2026, so the routes that used to be free now cost from about 20,000 VND. Free shuttle services do still run for eligible Vinpearl ticket holders on qualifying routes, so check what your resort or attraction ticket includes before paying for a transfer.
Can I get a Grab at 5am or 11pm on Phu Quoc?
It is unreliable. Grab coverage on the island is thinner than in mainland Vietnamese cities, and supply drops sharply after about 10pm and before roughly 6am. For early flights or late nights, ask your hotel to call a taxi in advance - a locally dispatched car is far more dependable than refreshing the app.
How much does transport cost per day without renting a bike?
For two people, budget roughly $10–20 per day, which covers two or three app rides or one taxi plus a short hop. Add a private charter for any full north or south loop day. Three days of app-and-bus transport for a couple typically totals under $40, excluding charter days.
Does Grab work in An Thoi, Sunset Town or Sao Beach?
Poorly. Grab works well in Duong Dong and along Long Beach, but coverage thins toward the northern and southern ends of the island - including An Thoi, Sunset Town and the southern beaches. For these areas, book a return ride with a driver or choose a tour that includes hotel pickup and drop-off.
What is the cheapest way from Phu Quoc Airport to Grand World?
VinBus Route 17, which links the airport to Phu Quoc United Center covering the Vinpearl Phu Quoc and Grand World areas. Fares start from about 20,000 VND ($0.80) and the journey takes roughly 30–40 minutes. Route 19 also reaches Grand World via the airport and the InterContinental Hotel on Long Beach.
Do I need a motorbike to see the north or south of Phu Quoc?
No, but you need to plan. A rented scooter costs $4–8 per day, which is why it is popular. Without one, a car with a driver for a half or full day is the practical answer for remote spots such as Rach Vem in the north or the Sao Beach and Khem Beach stretch in the south.
Not sure how to string together Duong Dong, Grand World and the southern beaches without a scooter? Sabrina Rental arranges cars with drivers, airport transfers, boat trips and rooms on Phu Quoc - tell us your dates and where you are staying, and we will build the transport plan around your itinerary.
Ask Sabrina Rental for a transport plan