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AIR
Vietnam Airlines has four flights weekly between HCMC and Duong Dong, Phu Quoc's main town for more de¬tails. Some flights make a stop en route at Rach Gia, on the mainland.
A popular round trip between HCMC. and Phu Quoc is to travel overland through the Mekong Delta, taking a ferry to the island from Rach Gia and, when you're finally tanned and rested, taking the short one-hour flight hack to HCMC.
BOAT
The fastest boats to Phu Quoc island are hydrofoils from Rach Gia/ An Thoi), travelling daily between Rach Gia and Phu Quoc. Tickets must be purchased in
advance. Fast boats between Ba Hon and Phu Quoc were being phased out a; the time of research.
All passenger ferries departing and arriving at Phu Quoc use the port of An Thoi on the southern tip of the island.
There are ferries to An Thoi. Departure time may vary depending on the tides and pas¬senger load. In any case, it's best to be there early, not only to be assured passage but also to stake out a good spot to sit or lie down on. On the smaller ferry boats, avoid the cozy-looking platform over the engine unless you fancy being slow-roasted during the trip! Be sure to stock up on snacks and water in town or at the docks.
None of the boats in the fleet - vintage steel vessels and wooden fishing boats - are very comfortable. They are usually packed with too many passengers (who string hammocks across every possible nook and cranny) and cargo (including noisy fighting cocks and other exotic animals). Although we haven't heard of any mishaps, it can be a rough ride and concerned parties might consider flying. Boats cannot dock at Rach Gia when the tide is low - passengers and cargo have to be fer¬ried offshore in a small shuttle boat.
The ride to An Thoi takes about eight hours and most travelers jump off here to catch a motorbike to Duong Dong. How-ever, if you're not in a rush to reach your hotel by sundown, it's possible to pay an extra 15,000d when you buy your ticket and stay on board right up to Duong Dong This extra leg adds another 21/2; hours to your trip, what with the stop in An Thoi and the (ideally, moonlit) cruise up the coast.
There are on-again, off-again rickety boats between Ham Tinh - on the east coast of Phu Quoc - and Ha Tien on the mainland, hut these are considered to be dangerous and not worth the risk