Getting around the Mekong Delta
Hubs · An Giang coast
Rach Gia and Ha Tien: the ports for the islands
Two coastal towns on the Gulf of Thailand handle almost all sea traffic to Phu Quoc and the smaller islands. Rach Gia has more boats, an airport and the provincial offices; Ha Tien has the shortest crossing and sits by the Cambodian border.
Contents
Two ports, one province
Both towns were in Kien Giang province until 1 July 2025, when Kien Giang merged into An Giang. The merged province's administrative seat is in Rach Gia, in the former Kien Giang. Phu Quoc, the island most travellers are heading for, became a special zone of the same province on the same day.
| Rach Gia | Ha Tien | |
|---|---|---|
| Fast boat to Phu Quoc | about 2 h 10 – 2 h 30 | about 1 h 10 – 1 h 30 |
| Other islands | Hon Son and Nam Du | — |
| Airport | Yes (VKG) | No; Rach Gia is about 90 km away |
| From Ho Chi Minh City by bus | 5.5–6.5 h listed | 6–7 h est. |
| Border gate nearby | No | Yes, Ha Tien international gate |
Sources: Dai bieu Nhan dan — Resolution 202/2025/QH15, 12 Jun 2025; VietNamNet — why the merged An Giang is seated in the former Kien Giang; Sai Gon Giai Phong — Phu Quoc becomes a special zone, 1 Jul 2025; VinWonders — ferries to Phu Quoc, 19 Jul 2025; redBus Vietnam — Saigon to Rach Gia listings; OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM demo server) · checked .
Rach Gia: boats, buses and the airport
Fast boats leave from the Rach Gia port on Nguyen Cong Tru road and arrive at Bai Vong port on Phu Quoc. Operators named in 2025 were Superdong, Phu Quoc Express, Ngoc Thanh and Hoa Binh, plus the Thanh Thoi car ferry. Rach Gia is also the port for the smaller islands: a 2024 report lists fast boats on the Rach Gia – Hon Son – Nam Du route, and Phu Quoc Express lists a Hon Son service. Check the operators' sites — Superdong and Phu Quoc Express — for current departures.
Coaches from Ho Chi Minh City were listed at about 5.5 to 6.5 hours on 12 October 2026, and at least one operator lists the fast-boat pier itself as a drop-off, which makes a same-day bus-and-boat connection possible if you take an overnight or very early coach.
Rach Gia airport has a 1,500 m runway and handles small aircraft. Route lists online are out of date, so confirm with the airline; see airports and flights.
Sources: VinWonders — ferries to Phu Quoc, 19 Jul 2025; Bao Van Hoa — more fast boats for Kien Giang, 3 Aug 2024; Phu Quoc Express — official site; Superdong — official site; redBus Vietnam — Saigon to Rach Gia listings; Wikipedia — Rach Gia Airport · checked .
Ha Tien: the short crossing
Ha Tien's pier is on Kim Du road in To Chau ward. Fast boats take about 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 30 to Bai Vong, roughly half the Rach Gia time, and the Thanh Thoi car ferry also runs from here. In July 2025 VinWonders reported Phu Quoc Express fares from Ha Tien of VND 250,000 (economy) and VND 350,000 (VIP) — a reference only.
Ha Tien is about 93 km from Chau Doc and about 90 km from Rach Gia by road. The Ha Tien international border gate, often called Xa Xia, is on Vietnam's e-visa port list, which makes Ha Tien a common route between the delta and the Cambodian coast.
Sources: VinWonders — ferries to Phu Quoc, 19 Jul 2025; Doanh nghiep Hoi nhap — sea routes to Phu Quoc, 22 Mar 2024; OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM demo server); Nghe An public-service portal — Resolution 127/NQ-CP e-visa ports, 14 Aug 2023 · checked .
Choosing between them
- Coming from Chau Doc: Ha Tien is closer and the sea crossing shorter.
- Coming from Can Tho or Ho Chi Minh City: Rach Gia is nearer by road and has more departures; some Ho Chi Minh City buses stop at the pier.
- Going to Hon Son or Nam Du: Rach Gia.
- Prone to seasickness: Ha Tien, for the shorter time on open water.
Either way, carry your passport — passengers need an identity document to board — and if you buy at the port, arrive about 30 minutes before departure.
Sources: VinWonders — ferries to Phu Quoc, 19 Jul 2025 · checked .
Roads ahead
A Ha Tien – Rach Gia – Bac Lieu expressway of about 175 km is planned, with construction expected from 2026 according to a 2025 report; we have not confirmed that work has started. For now the coast is reached on national highways, and the times in the route planner reflect that.
Sources: Sai Gon Giai Phong — expressways in the west, 10 Feb 2025 · checked .
When the coast route does not work
Sea crossings are suspended when the weather turns. On 27 July 2023 boats to Phu Quoc were halted for rough seas and high waves, and after a fatal speedboat accident in July 2026 the special zone ordered that boats must not leave in bad weather. If you have a fixed flight from Phu Quoc, arrive on the island at least a day early, or fly in from Can Tho or Ho Chi Minh City instead of crossing by sea in the windy months.
Sources: Tuoi Tre News — Phu Quoc fast boats suspended for rough seas, 27 Jul 2023; Tuoi Tre — Phu Quoc tightens waterway safety, 14 Jul 2026 · checked .
Rach Gia and Ha Tien in pictures
Common questions
Questions readers send
Which is quicker to Phu Quoc, Rach Gia or Ha Tien?
Ha Tien: about 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 30 by fast boat, against about 2 hours 10 to 2 hours 30 from Rach Gia.
Can I go from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc by bus and boat in one day?
It is possible with an overnight or very early coach to Rach Gia, where at least one operator stops at the fast-boat pier. It is a long day and leaves no buffer for weather.
Where do boats to Nam Du leave from?
From Rach Gia. Fast boats run on the Rach Gia – Hon Son – Nam Du route; check the operators for current departures.
Related
Read next
Ways to travel · Water
Boats and ferries
Chau Doc–Phnom Penh speedboat, fast boats to the islands, local ferries and life jackets.
Hubs · An Giang
Chau Doc
Buses, the Phnom Penh speedboat, Sam Mountain and the road to Ha Tien.
Ways to travel · Air
Airports and flights
Can Tho, Rach Gia, Ca Mau and Phu Quoc airports: routes, status and getting into town.
Plan · Legs and times
Route planner
Distances and usual journey times, leg by leg, with the basis for each figure.
Plan · Routes
Independent routes
Sample routes of three, five and eight days with transport and overnight stops.
Start planning
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