Ferries and sea transport: crossings, closures and safety

Two mainland routes carry most ferry passengers: Rach Gia to Phu Quoc and Ha Tien to Phu Quoc. A further route runs from Lai Son, and boats link Phu Quoc with the Nam Du islands. Most mainland ferries arrive at Bai Vong port on the island's east coast; An Thoi port, at the southern tip, handles cargo, passengers and boats to the southern islands.

A booking site lists two operators on Rach Gia–Phu Quoc, Phu Quoc Express and Superdong, with a crossing of about 2 hours 30 minutes and departures from Rach Gia between 07:10 and 13:10 on the day we checked. Those times come from a reseller, not an operator, and are unconfirmed. Superdong's own website, when we checked it on 25 October 2026, listed other routes but no Phu Quoc timetable. Treat any time on this page as a guide and confirm with the operator before you travel.

Two-year operating contract after an auction

7 August 2026. Tuổi Trẻ reported that operating rights for An Thoi port were handed to Mat Troi Ha Long Co., Ltd, which won an auction, at a ceremony in the special zone on 7 August 2026. The contract runs for two years. The facilities include a wharf for ships up to 3,000 DWT, a three-storey passenger terminal, warehouses and yards. The port's stated capacity is 500,000 to 700,000 tonnes of cargo and 360,000 passengers a year.

The port has a troubled record. It was completed in 2012 at a cost of about VND 157.9 billion. The Vietnam Maritime Administration ended one operating contract in January 2021 for violations, and another on 18 February 2024. Officials said the new arrangement should support tourism and the APEC events in 2027.

A new international port planned

21 September 2026. A VNA report on APEC works said An Thoi International Port and a 40-hectare mixed-use area beside it are estimated at VND 17 trillion, planned together with a coastal road to An Thoi seaport. No completion date was given.

• Check the weather and the operator's notices the day before and the morning of a crossing, particularly from June to September.
• Keep tickets that can be refunded or exchanged; on 25 August 2026 that was the remedy offered for cancelled sailings.
• For island boat trips from An Thoi, ask who the operator is, whether the boat is registered and whether life jackets are provided and worn. These are questions any passenger can ask; they are not a guarantee.
• If you need help with a problem on a trip, the special zone's response team for tourists, launched in February 2026, handles complaints and emergencies; see the openings brief.