South Phu Quoc by Land: Which Day Tour Is Worth It?
6 min read
Three day tours cover the south of Phu Quoc by road, and they visit largely the same places: a pearl farm, a pepper garden, a fish sauce factory, Ho Quoc Pagoda, a prison museum (which two of the three list as temporarily closed for maintenance), lunch at Sao Beach. For most people: the Phu Quoc Land 1: Southern Tour & Sao Beach, €24.95, 4.3 stars from 213 reviews, 7.5 hours. If you want the cable car and a water park added: the Southern Phu Quoc Tour and Cable Car Ride, €65.04, 4.4 stars from 95 reviews.
The three days side by side
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phu Quoc Land 1: Southern Tour & Sao Beach | 7.5 hours | €24.95 | 4.3 stars, 213 reviews | First-timers on a budget who want an overview and Sunset Town at the end |
| From Duong Dong Town: South Phu Quoc Island Tour with Lunch | 7.5 hours | €34.68 | 4.4 stars, 149 reviews | Those who want an audio guide; check the lunch option and which entry fees are covered |
| Phu Quoc Land 4: Southern Phu Quoc Tour and Cable Car Ride | 8 hours | €65.04 | 4.4 stars, 95 reviews | Families and anyone who wants the long cable car and the water park in the same day |
What the standard day looks like
All three are guided in English or Vietnamese, with pick-up from the hotel in central Duong Dong. On the Land 1 tour, pick-up is between 8:45 am and 9 am and the route runs through a pearl farm, a sim wine factory, a pepper garden, a fish sauce factory and Ho Quoc Pagoda. Then comes lunch at Sao Beach, the Coconut Tree Prison war museum (see below), and at about 3:30 pm a walk around Kiss Bridge and the Clock Tower at Sunset Town. You are back at the hotel at about 4:30 pm.
Two practical notes from the booking page. The Coconut Tree Prison and the Phu Quoc Prison are one site under two names, and the Land tours list it as temporarily closed for maintenance, so the history stop may not happen; the Duong Dong tour still lists the prison, so ask its operator whether it is open on your date. And the tour is not for pregnant women or people with mobility impairments; luggage and large bags are not allowed on board.
The thing to know about the Land 1 tour is that lunch depends on the option you choose. The booking page ties it to the “with meals” option, for which it gives a rate of USD 28 per adult and USD 14 per child, so look at what you are actually selecting before you compare the €24.95 against anything else. There is also a 10 per cent surcharge, paid on site, for New Year and Lunar New Year.
See availability for the Land 1 southern tour
The shopping question
Almost every review that is not five stars says the same thing: too many stops are demonstrations that end in a shop. One traveller called the silk stop “like a real life infomercial”; another, who rated four stars, said there were a few too many shops and that pick-up costs extra outside the central pick-up area. The pearl farm and the silk workshop were singled out as the best of them. The travellers’ summary for the Duong Dong tour makes the same observation: factory stops feel sales-focused, and people want deeper explanations at each site.
Read the price accordingly: you are paying for a car, a guide and a route, and the demonstration stops are part of that route. You can watch a demonstration and leave without buying. If shopping stops sound unbearable, a boat day is a better use of a day: see which three-island boat tour to book.
Sao Beach itself divides opinion. One visitor from Australia called it a bit overrated; others loved the warm, shallow water and the beach bar. Treat it as a lunch stop with a swim.
The Duong Dong alternative with an audio guide
The South Phu Quoc Island Tour with Lunch from Duong Dong Town follows the same itinerary and adds an audio guide in English. The booking page lists entrance fees and a Kiss Bridge ticket, and which of them is included is on the booking page; lunch comes only if you choose the option “with lunch”. Wheelchair users are not accepted. Hotel pick-up is from Duong Dong town; elsewhere an extra fee applies.
Its rating of 4.4 stars from 149 reviews compares with 4.3 stars for the Land 1 tour; it costs €34.68 against €24.95, and the route is almost identical. It is worth it if the audio guide matters to you.
See availability for the Duong Dong southern tour
The cable car version
The Southern Phu Quoc Tour and Cable Car Ride takes the same first half, with the pearl farm, Ho Quoc Pagoda, the Coconut Tree Prison (listed as temporarily closed for maintenance) and Sao Beach, then adds the Sun World cable car to Hon Thom, a ride the booking page puts at 25 minutes, followed by the Aquatopia water park. The cable car ticket and the water park entrance are included in the price. It runs eight hours and returns at about 4:30 pm.
It costs €65.04, against €24.95 for the Land 1 tour. The page says lunch is included for bookings made after 7 January 2026; check this when you choose the option. For children, the cable car ticket depends on height: under 1 metre is free, 1 to under 1.4 metres is a child ticket, and 1.4 metres or more is an adult ticket. A child under four who needs a ticket may be charged an extra fee at the time of the tour.
This is a long day with a lot packed into it: shop stops in the morning, a temple, a beach, and a water park in the afternoon. Bring swimwear, a towel and sunscreen. For what the cable car and Hon Thom are actually like, see the Hon Thom cable car and the three-island day, and for the water park and other family options, Phu Quoc with kids.
See availability for the southern tour with the cable car
When not to book any of them
If you do not like being on a coach, if you want to be on the water, or if you want a quiet beach, a land tour is the wrong day. The route is a sequence of timed stops with a group, and Sunset Town, which the Land 1 tour reaches at 3:30 pm, is better in the evening: see Sunset Town after dark. The culture and pepper farms category lists what else is on offer.
Our recommendation
For most people: the Phu Quoc Land 1: Southern Tour & Sao Beach at €24.95. It costs €24.95, has 213 reviews behind it, and ends at Sunset Town. Choose the option with lunch.
With children who want a water park: the cable car version at €65.04. The price is high, but the cable car and the water park are in it.
If you hate shopping stops: none of these. Book a boat day instead.
