Private Snorkelling Trip on Phu Quoc: Is It Worth It Over a Shared Boat?
5 min read
A private snorkelling trip on Phu Quoc buys you the boat, the pace and the start time. It does not buy you a longer day, and the listing leaves two things to check before you pay. For most people: a shared small-group boat is the better value, such as the Pro Snorkeling Tour by speedboat (max 12), €56.65, 4.9 stars from 726 reviews. If you want the boat to yourselves: the 2-3 hours of Private Snorkeling Trip in South of Phu Quoc, €83.75, 4.5 stars from 76 reviews.
Private or shared, side by side
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-3 hours of Private Snorkeling Trip in South of Phu Quoc | 3 hours | €83.75 | 4.5 stars, 76 reviews | Non-swimmers, small children, anyone who wants the pace and start time to themselves |
| Pro Snorkeling Tour by speedboat (max 12) | 6 hours | €56.65 | 4.9 stars, 726 reviews | Most snorkellers: two reef sites, an island stop, an experienced guide |
| Real snorkel & island hopping by speedboat (max 12) | 6 hours | €49.89 | 4.3 stars, 677 reviews | Those who want a small boat and a choice of morning or afternoon start |
The private trip is €83.75 per person against €56.65 on the Pro Snorkeling boat, for roughly half the hours.
What the private trip actually is
You meet at the speedboat station in the An Thoi area (An Thoi Port, or 165 Ho Thi Nghiem), at 9:30 am or 2:30 pm. A private speedboat takes 20 to 30 minutes to reach the first site. The listing then describes:
- One snorkel spot at Gam Ghi, Roi or Buom Island, chosen on the day for the clearest water, with about an hour and a half in the water.
- A second, “advanced” spot at Kim Quy Island, deeper, which the operator recommends only with a life jacket or a diving licence. The itinerary also gives it an hour and a half.
- An optional third stop at May Rut Ngoai Island with beach, shower, drinks and a chance to book extras such as a sea walker, parasailing or a jet ski, all paid separately.
Life jackets, snorkels and fins are provided; whether the seasonal fruit and bottled water are included is on the booking page. The operator says you will not be rushed the way a big group is.
The two things the listing does not make plain
Is there a guide? The listing names a tour guide among the items it lists as included and not included. A note on the same page says the trip can run with a driver only, who does not speak English and simply follows the schedule, and that a surcharge applies for an English-speaking guide. If you are a nervous swimmer, that matters: ask what the surcharge is before you book.
Is it really three hours? The title says two to three hours, but the itinerary adds up to more: a speedboat ride, two snorkel stops of an hour and a half each, and an optional hour on May Rut Ngoai Island. Treat the duration on the page as the minimum, and ask what to expect if you have a flight or another booking afterwards.
Pick-up is also not included. The operator says you can text them to add it, at a rate similar to the Grab app. So the €83.75 can grow. When you compare it with a shared tour, check whether that tour collects you free from your area: the Pro Snorkeling boat does so in Duong Dong Center, Bai Truong and An Thoi town and charges a fee per group elsewhere.
What reviewers say
The good reviews are about the snorkelling and the people: close views of colourful fish, guides who were fantastic, and in one case a driver they were able to hire for the rest of the day to get around the island. The honest line is from the reviewer who found few fish but a nice variety of corals and a relaxed trip. A private boat gives you control of the day, not of what is under the water.
See availability for the private snorkelling trip
When private is worth it
- A non-swimmer or a young child in the party. On a shared boat the day follows the group; on a private boat it can follow the weakest swimmer.
- Someone the shared boat turns away. The Pro Snorkeling page lists children under 4, pregnant women, people over 65 and people over 125 kg among those it is not suitable for; for the private trip, check the booking page and ask the operator about your own case.
- A particular time of day. The 9:30 am and 2:30 pm starts are yours to pick.
- A short window. If you only have an afternoon, this fits where an all-day trip does not.
When it isn’t
- You want to see as much as possible. The shared six-hour boats cover more in a day, with fruit on board or on the beach and a stop on an island.
- You want a guide who talks. Without the English-speaking surcharge, you get a driver.
- You are watching the budget. The page prices it per person, and the pick-up and the guide surcharge come on top.
For how the shared boats work, which reefs they use and why group size matters, read Snorkelling in South Phu Quoc. If a whole-day boat with lunch is closer to what you want, which three-island boat tour to book compares four of them.
Our recommendation
For most people: the Pro Snorkeling Tour by speedboat (max 12) at €56.65. A group of at most twelve on a six-hour day, at €56.65 per person against €83.75 for the private trip, with 4.9 stars from 726 reviews.
For a party with a non-swimmer, small children or a fixed time window: the private trip at €83.75. Ask about the guide and the pick-up first.
Not worth it: the private trip as a way to “see more” than a shared boat. It is shorter. What you are buying is control, not coverage.
