South of the fishing port of An Thoi, at the bottom tip of Phu Quoc, lies the An Thoi archipelago: a cluster of small islands commonly counted at around fifteen to twenty, most of them hilly, forested and fringed with sand. The best known are Hon Thom, the largest, reached by the cable car; Hon May Rut, two small islands with a white beach that most boat tours use as their lunch and swimming stop; Hon Mong Tay, a tiny island with a famously photogenic beach; and Hon Gam Ghi, whose rocky shores are one of the most popular snorkelling spots.
The water here is the clearest around Phu Quoc, and the reefs — while not on the scale of the world’s great diving destinations, and damaged in places by fishing and heavy visitor numbers — still have soft and hard corals, sea urchins, parrotfish and plenty of smaller reef fish. A day among these islands is the single most-booked experience on Phu Quoc, and it is the reason this site exists: our island-hopping guide compares the ways to do it.
What to see and do: An Thoi Islands
Snorkel at Hon Gam Ghi and Hon Mong Tay
Most tours stop at two or three reef sites. Masks and fins are normally supplied; bring your own mask if you have one that fits well. Visibility is best on calm, sunny days in the dry season.
Lunch and a swim at Hon May Rut
The white beach of Hon May Rut Trong is the classic lunch stop, with shallow water and shade. It gets busy around midday, when several boats arrive at once — small-group speedboats often time their visit to avoid the peak.
Combine the islands with the cable car
Several tours add a ride on the Hon Thom cable car to the boat day, either flying out over the islands first or returning by cable car in the afternoon.
Try a dive
Dive centres on Phu Quoc run introductory dives for beginners and fun dives for certified divers around the southern islands, mostly in the calm months from about November to May.
Choose your boat
Big wooden boats are cheaper, roomier and slower; speedboats reach more islands and usually carry smaller groups. See our ranking for the best-reviewed options of each kind.
How to get to An Thoi Islands
- On a tour: the easy way. Almost every island tour includes hotel pickup from Duong Dong, Long Beach and the south, the boat, snorkel gear and usually lunch.
- To the harbour yourself: boats leave from An Thoi, about 25–30 km south of Duong Dong — roughly 40 minutes by car, taxi or scooter.
- By cable car: the cable car only goes to Hon Thom, not to the smaller islands. From Hon Thom you can see the others, but you need a boat to reach them.
- Private boat: private speedboats can be chartered in An Thoi or through agencies; agree the route, the time on each island and whether park and island fees are included before you pay.
Insider tips
- Go in the dry season if you can. From roughly May to October the southwest monsoon brings rougher seas and lower visibility, and trips are sometimes cancelled at short notice.
- Use reef-safe sunscreen, or better a rash guard, and never stand on coral.
- Some islands charge a small landing or entry fee that may not be included in a cheap tour price — check what is covered.
- If you are prone to seasickness, take tablets before boarding; speedboats bounce hard in any swell.
- Bring a dry bag, a towel, cash for drinks and a hat. Shade on the islands is limited at midday.
Best tours & tickets for An Thoi Islands
These bookable experiences are the easiest way to include An Thoi Islands in your trip:
Small-group snorkelling trip from €56 South Phu Quoc: Pro Snorkeling by Speedboat – Max 11 Pax
A six-hour speedboat trip through the An Thoi islands with a strong focus on snorkelling and a small group size. With several hundred reviews averaging close to five stars, it is the best-rated island trip on the island in GetYourGuide’s feed.
- Speedboat around the southern islands
- Snorkelling stops on the reefs
- Group capped at 11 guests
Speedboat island hopping from €56 Phu Quoc: 4 Island & 2 Reefs Snorkeling Tour by Speedboat
A six-hour speedboat loop that packs four islands and two reef stops into one day in the southern archipelago. Highly rated by several hundred travellers; a good choice if you want more islands than the slower wooden-boat tours manage.
- Four islands in one day
- Two separate snorkelling reefs
- Fast speedboat transfers between stops
Classic wooden-boat island tour from €33 Phu Quoc: 3-Island Adventure Guided Boat Tour
The classic budget island day: a guided boat trip to three islands south of An Thoi with swimming and snorkelling stops. It has the most reviews of any Phu Quoc product we list, with a solid four-star average — larger groups, but very good value.
- Three islands of the southern archipelago
- Slower, roomier boat with time to swim
- Lowest price of the island day trips
