Delta journeys built around the stay
Destinations · Combining
Saigon and Phu Quoc, either side of a delta stay
Most delta journeys start in Ho Chi Minh City, and many end on Phu Quoc. This page covers how the delta joins each of them: the roads out of Saigon, the fast boats and flights to the island, and what each route costs in time.
At a glance
Sources: OSRM road routing on OpenStreetMap; VinWonders, boats to Phu Quoc, 19 Jul 2025; FlightsFrom, Can Tho–Phu Quoc (schedule aggregator); FlightsFrom, Phu Quoc–Ho Chi Minh City (schedule aggregator) · checked .
What this combination is
Saigon and Phu Quoc are not delta destinations, but they decide how a delta stay begins and ends. Ho Chi Minh City is where almost every journey starts, because its airport has the international flights. Phu Quoc, an island in the Gulf of Thailand that is now a special zone of An Giang province, is where many travellers want to finish.
The usual pattern is a return to Saigon from the delta, then a flight out to the island. That costs a day. There are two ways to avoid it: a fast boat from Ha Tien or Rach Gia on the delta coast, or the direct flight from Can Tho. Both let the delta stay flow straight into the island stay. We do not name or rate hotels in Saigon or on Phu Quoc on this site; we quote the ones you choose and arrange the delta part and the connections.
Sources: Wikipedia, An Giang province · checked .
The Saigon end
Your car collects you from your Saigon hotel. The expressway leaves the city toward Trung Luong (62 km), continues to My Thuan (51.5 km), crosses the Tien River on the My Thuan 2 bridge and runs 23 km on to Can Tho. In normal traffic Can Tho is three to three and a half hours from the city centre, Cai Be two to two and a half, Chau Doc four and a half to five and a half.
We suggest leaving Saigon at about 08:00 to clear the city before the heaviest traffic and arrive in time for lunch. The airline route lists we checked show no scheduled flight from Saigon to Can Tho, so from Saigon the delta starts by road; if you arrive from another Vietnamese city, a flight into Can Tho may save the drive.
Sources: Sai Gon Giai Phong, delta expressways, 20 Jan 2026; OSRM road routing on OpenStreetMap · checked .
The Phu Quoc end
By fast boat
Fast boats run from two delta ports to Bai Vong port on Phu Quoc. From Ha Tien the crossing takes about 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30; from Rach Gia about 2 hours 10 to 2 hours 30. Operators include Superdong, Phu Quoc Express, Hoa Binh Seabus and Ngoc Thanh, and the Thanh Thoi car ferry also crosses. You need a passport or national ID to board and should be at the terminal about thirty minutes before departure. Ha Tien is about 93 km from Chau Doc; Rach Gia about 110 km from Can Tho.
By air
Vietnam Airlines flies non-stop from Can Tho to Phu Quoc in about an hour. In the schedule we checked for late October 2026 it ran six days a week, departing at 16:10 or 17:10, with no Sunday flight. From Phu Quoc, VietJet Air and Vietnam Airlines both fly non-stop to Ho Chi Minh City several times a day, about an hour to an hour and ten minutes, which is how most travellers leave the island.
Sources: VinWonders, boats to Phu Quoc, 19 Jul 2025; OSRM road routing on OpenStreetMap; FlightsFrom, Can Tho–Phu Quoc (schedule aggregator); FlightsFrom, Phu Quoc–Ho Chi Minh City (schedule aggregator) · checked .
How many nights, and why
Saigon: at least one night before the delta if you arrive on a long-haul flight; the first delta day starts at 08:00.
The delta: four or five nights if you want both Can Tho and Chau Doc before the island. With three, go only to Chau Doc and take the boat from Ha Tien; with two, stay in Can Tho and take the flight.
Phu Quoc: as many as you like; we would not plan fewer than two, since the transfer from the delta takes most of a day.
When to go
For the delta part, December to April is the easiest season, and September to November is the time for Chau Doc and Tra Su; the when-to-go page has the detail. For the crossing to the island, we look at the sea forecast for your dates before you choose between the boat and the flight. If the sea looks rough, the flight is the calmer option.
Costs on the ground
| Item | Published or typical cost | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Fast boat Ha Tien–Phu Quoc | About 160,000–230,000 VND (2024 press); a 2025 guide gives 200,000–540,000 VND across operators, routes and classes | Doanh nghiep Hoi nhap 2024; VinWonders 2025 |
| Fast boat Rach Gia–Phu Quoc | About 230,000–340,000 VND (2024 press); see the 2025 range above | Doanh nghiep Hoi nhap 2024; VinWonders 2025 |
| Flights Can Tho–Phu Quoc and Phu Quoc–Saigon | Vary by date; quoted at the fare on the day | — |
The fast-boat fares above come from 2024 and 2025 publications and differ between sources. Confirm the current fare before booking; your quote uses the fare on the day.
Sources: Doanh nghiep Hoi nhap, 22 Mar 2024; VinWonders, boats to Phu Quoc, 19 Jul 2025 · checked .
Pictures
When to skip the combination
- You have fewer than two nights for Phu Quoc: the transfer takes most of a day.
- Anyone in your party is prone to seasickness and the flight days do not fit: return via Saigon instead.
- Your international flight leaves from Saigon the morning after the delta; finish the delta in Can Tho and drive back.
Journeys that use these routes
Saigon, the delta and Phu Quoc uses both endings and lets you choose. Can Tho and Chau Doc can end with the flight from Can Tho, and Chau Doc, hills and river with the road to Ha Tien.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Is the boat or the flight better for Phu Quoc?
From Chau Doc, the boat from Ha Tien is the shorter road day. From Can Tho, the flight is simpler. Check the sea forecast and the flight days for your dates.
Do we need to go back to Saigon before Phu Quoc?
No. That is the point of these routes: the delta leads straight to the island by boat or by air.
Can you book our Phu Quoc hotel?
Yes, at the hotel you choose. We do not recommend or rate hotels on the island on this site.
Can we start on Phu Quoc and end in Saigon?
Yes. The same routes work in reverse, ending with the drive into Saigon.
Related
Read next
Example journey
Saigon, the delta and Phu Quoc
Five delta nights from Saigon to the Gulf of Thailand, ending on Phu Quoc.
View this journey
Destinations · Mekong Delta
Chau Doc and Sam Mountain
Border town on the Hau River: riverfront hotel, hill lodge, Tra Su and Cham villages.
View this journey
Destinations · Mekong Delta
Can Tho
The delta's main river city: three high-end stays and Cai Rang at dawn.
View this journey
Destinations · Mekong Delta
Cai Be
Tien River town near Saigon: one lodge to check first, canals and workshops.
View this journey
Planning · Seasons
When to go
Month-by-month guide matching dry and flood seasons to each delta stay.
View this journey
Tours · Pricing
Pricing
How quotes are built, published supplier rates, and what moves the price.
View this journeyStart planning
Tell us about the delta trip you have in mind
A month, how many are travelling and the nights you have are enough to start. We reply by email with questions or a first draft that names every hotel and room category.