Areas · The south

The south and An Thoi

The southern tip of Phu Quoc combines a working port town, An Thoi, with Sunset Town, the resort district built for evenings, and the two sheltered bays that stay calm in the rainy season. Here is how the area works from late afternoon on.

By Viva Phu Quoc editors · Last reviewed 2026-10-12 · Corrections

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Hon Thom cable car, a Guinness record: 7,899.9 m
gap between the Kiss Bridge spans: ≈30 cm
daily show at the Kiss Bridge: 17:00
Bai Khem's calm months: Jun–Sep

The south in one view

An Thoi is the old port at the island's southern tip, where fishing boats and island ferries leave for the An Thoi archipelago. Next to it, Sunset Town (Thi tran Hoang Hon) is a resort district of seafront streets, hotels and the departure station of the Hon Thom cable car. A few kilometres up the east side are the two bays that make the south the rainy-season base: Bai Khem and Bai Sao.

For evenings, the south has much of the island's staged activity: the Kiss Bridge, the shows run by the resort operator, and the Vui Phet market. For days, it has the sheltered sea from June to September.

Sunset Town and the Kiss Bridge

The Kiss Bridge (Cau Hon), by the Italian architect Marco Casamonti, opened in December 2023. Its two spans stop about 30 cm apart, and the operator says the sun sets in the gap each 1 January. The bridge is listed as open from about 07:00 to 23:00, with tickets of 50,000 VND by day, 100,000 VND from 16:00 to 19:00 and 50,000 VND from 20:30; children under 1 m go free. A 15-minute jet-ski and flyboard show, Awaken Sea, runs in front of the bridge at 17:00 daily.

After dark, Sunset Town stages Symphony of the Sea and Kiss of the Sea, both ending with fireworks. The operator does not publish their start times on the pages we could read, so confirm on the day. The Vui Phet market runs from 16:00 to midnight with more than 100 stalls; a buggy costs 15,000 VND a person and a free bus runs from Sunset Town to the market from 18:00 to 21:30. More on Evening shows and Night markets.

Sources: Sun World Hon Thom — Kiss Bridge; Sun World Hon Thom — introduction; Sun World Hon Thom — getting to Vui Phet market · checked 2026-10-12.

The Hon Thom cable car as a landmark

The cable car from An Thoi over Hon Roi and Hon Dua to Hon Thom opened on 4 February 2018. At 7,899.9 m it is listed by Guinness World Records as the longest non-stop three-rope cable car, and the crossing takes about 15 minutes. Its tallest tower, T4, is 174 m high, and the station sits beside Sunset Town.

We do not cover the island park at the far end; this page only notes when its traffic affects the evening.

Sources: Guinness World Records — longest non-stop three-rope cable car; VnEconomy — cable car opens, Feb 2018 · checked 2026-10-11.

Bai Khem and Bai Sao by season

Bai Khem is about 3.5 km long in a closed bay on the south-east, with a gentle slope and shallow water; local people quoted by VnExpress in 2024 recommend it from June to September, when the wind there is calm. It faces east: a sunrise beach, with beachfront restaurants and clubs open into the night.

Bai Sao, a longer crescent of fine white sand, is sheltered from the southwest wind. Vietnam Airlines recommends November to April, and VnExpress recommends staying around Bai Sao and Bai Khem in the rainy season. Sources put it about 25 km or about 30 km from Duong Dong. The full seasonal picture is on West coast or east coast.

Sources: VnExpress — Bai Kem in summer, Jun 2024; Vietnam Airlines travel guide — Bai Sao; VnExpress — where to stay in the rainy season · checked 2026-10-12.

An Thoi port and the islands

An Thoi is the gateway to the An Thoi archipelago, a cluster of small islands south of Phu Quoc known for snorkelling at Hon Mong Tay, Hon Gam Ghi and May Rut. On 11 July 2026 a canoe returning from Hon May Rut Ngoai capsized in strong wind and waves and 15 tourists died. The special zone has since required registration, inspection, life jackets and certified crew, and banned departures in bad weather. Check on the day whether boats are running and under which operator.

Sources: Vietnam Airlines travel guide — An Thoi; Viet Nam News — canoe capsized, Jul 2026; Tuoi Tre — waterway safety directive, Jul 2026 · checked 2026-10-12.

History and daytime: the prison relic

The Phu Quoc Prison relic (Coconut Tree Prison) in An Thoi was ranked a special national relic by Decision 2408/QD-TTg of 31 December 2014. Built by the French in 1949, it held tens of thousands of prisoners during the war; sources give about 40,000 in total and about 32,000 at the peak. Entry was free in the sources we read, which give opening hours of 07:30–11:00 and 13:30–17:00 (Vietnam Airlines) or 07:00–17:00 (VnExpress, 2021). It closes before the evening, so plan it for the afternoon.

Sources: Department of Cultural Heritage — Phu Quoc Prison; Vietnam Airlines travel guide — Phu Quoc Prison; SGGP — special national relic; VnExpress — prisons in the south, Apr 2021 · checked 2026-09-21.

Building work around the south-west

The south-west of the island is a building site for APEC 2027. The convention centre is going up on reclaimed land at Bai Dat Do, a project of over 16 ha started in June 2025, and road DT975, about 18 km and widened to ten lanes, is due in the first quarter of 2027. Expect detours and lorries on the roads between the airport and the south, especially in the daytime.

Sources: Tien Phong — APEC 2027 projects, May 2026 · checked 2026-10-12.

When the south is the wrong base

If your evenings are in Duong Dong or at Grand World. Every night becomes a long drive.
If you want sunsets from your beach. Bai Khem and Bai Sao face east.
If you dislike staged resort districts. Sunset Town is built for visitors; An Thoi port is the working town next door.
If building work bothers you. The APEC projects are concentrated in this part of the island until 2027.

The south in pictures

Two bridge spans reaching towards each other over the sea at sunset

Cable car cabins crossing the sea between small islands south of Phu Quoc

A shallow sheltered bay with white sand on the south-east coast

Fishing boats in the harbour at An Thoi in the late afternoon

Common questions

Questions readers send

Is the south of Phu Quoc good in the rainy season?

Yes for the sea: Bai Khem and Bai Sao are sheltered from the southwest wind. Expect rain showers, and check boat trips day by day.

What time is the show at the Kiss Bridge?

The operator lists a 15-minute show in front of the bridge at 17:00 daily. Times for the later evening shows were not published on the pages we read.

Can I see the sunset from Bai Khem?

No, the bay faces east; it is a sunrise beach. For sunset in the south, go to Sunset Town on the west side.

Fireworks over the sea beside a seafront resort town on Phu Quoc at night

Evenings · Shows

Evening shows

Sunset Town, the Kiss Bridge, Grand World's show times and free sunsets, with getting back.

Stalls with grilled seafood and lanterns at an evening market on Phu Quoc

Evenings · Markets

Night markets

Duong Dong, Long Beach, Sunset Town and Grand World after dark, with prices and checks.

A sheltered bay with calm turquoise water on the south-east coast of Phu Quoc

Plan your dates · The sea

West coast or east coast

Which beaches are calm in which months, the two monsoons, and safety on the water.

Areas · West coast

Duong Dong

The main town in the evening: Dinh Cau, the river, the market question and Long Beach.

A long empty beach with forest behind it on the north-west coast of Phu Quoc at sunset

Areas · The north

North island

Bai Dai, Ganh Dau, Grand World's show times and the northern sunset coast.

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