Bai Sao Beach Guide for Bungalow Stays on Phu Quoc
By Phu Quoc Bungalow Owners · Updated August 2026 · 7 min read
- Bai Sao is on the south coast, ~25 km by road from Long Beach bungalows — a 35–45 min motorbike ride.
- White sand, shallow water, calm even in monsoon season — but facing east, so sunrise not sunset.
- Best on a weekday in dry season (Nov–Apr); gets packed on weekends and public holidays.
- Go early — before 9 AM the beach is nearly empty and the water is clearest.
- Very few affordable bungalows near Bai Sao; west coast (Long Beach) stays make the most sense for budget guests.
- Free motorbike included with 3+ night stays — covers the round trip easily.
What Does Bai Sao Beach Actually Look Like?
Bai Sao sits on Phu Quoc's south coast, roughly opposite the direction you look when you're standing at your Long Beach bungalow watching the sun set. It faces east — southeast, technically — which is the first thing that changes everything about it. The water is a different colour from Long Beach. Lighter. Greener-blue in the shallows, shifting to cobalt further out. That's partly the seabed (fine white sand, not the darker patches you get further north) and partly the angle of light in the morning.
The beach itself runs about 3 km. The main section — where the restaurants and loungers cluster — is maybe 700 m of it. Walk 10 minutes south and it thins out considerably, fewer people, just sand and a treeline. The water is shallow for a long way: waist-deep at 50 metres from shore. No rocks, no sea urchins, no surf. If you've been swimming at Long Beach in dry season and thought "this is fine," Bai Sao is noticeably better. Calmer, clearer, warmer-feeling because it's sheltered from the open sea.
The tradeoff: no sunset. It's an east-facing beach. You'll get morning light. If you're staying at our place and want both — good swimming and good sunsets — Long Beach already has the sunsets. Bai Sao is the swimming upgrade, not a replacement. Full area overview here.
When Is Bai Sao at Its Best?
The dry season — November through April — is the obvious answer, and it's right. Flat water, clear sky, low humidity in December and January. We send most guests in this window and they come back with good photos and no complaints.
What surprises people is that Bai Sao holds up reasonably well even in the wet season (May–October). The southwest monsoon hits Long Beach directly because it's a west-facing coast; Bai Sao faces away from it. When we're looking at 0.5–1 m swells on Long Beach in July, Bai Sao can still be glassy. This makes it worth the trip if you're here in low season and want a proper swim. The catch: the ride south is less fun in afternoon rain. Go in the morning, be back before noon.
Timing within the day matters as much as the season. Most visitors arrive between 9 and 11 AM and leave by 3 PM. If you arrive before 8:30 AM, the vendors haven't opened, the car park is empty, and the light is different — lower angle, longer shadows, the water more translucent. I drove out there on a Tuesday in February last year and counted four other people on the main beach section at 8 AM. By 11 AM there were probably 80. Same beach, different experience.
Weekends and Vietnamese public holidays are in a different category entirely. The road fills up, the restaurants max out their loungers, and the south end of the beach becomes the only quiet part. If you have any flexibility on timing, go midweek.
How Do You Get to Bai Sao from Long Beach Bungalows?
The distance is roughly 25 km by road. That's not a quick ride — plan 35–45 minutes each way on a motorbike, depending on where along Long Beach you're starting. The route goes south on the main island road, through An Thoi town, then takes a left turn onto a smaller road that winds through rubber-tree plantation before dropping down to the coast. The road is paved and well-maintained. A couple of small hills, nothing steep.
We include a free motorbike with all stays of 3 nights or more. If you're staying 2 nights or don't want to ride, rentals are available within walking distance of the bungalows for roughly 120,000–150,000 VND per day (check current rates; fuel costs shift the number). That covers the trip to Bai Sao and back with plenty of fuel to spare.
Without a bike: Grab runs on Phu Quoc and a car from Long Beach to Bai Sao runs roughly 150,000–200,000 VND each way (check the app for current rates). Mai Linh taxis also cover the island. We can also put together a half-day driver arrangement for guests who want to combine Bai Sao with An Thoi market — ask at check-in and we'll sort the rate directly.
| Option | Approx cost (2026) | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free motorbike (3+ night guests) | Included | 35–45 min | Most flexible; fuel ~30,000 VND round trip |
| Rented motorbike | 120,000–150,000 VND/day | 35–45 min | Shops near bungalows; check current rates |
| Grab car (each way) | 150,000–200,000 VND | ~35 min | Book return in advance or use app again |
| Mai Linh taxi | ~200,000–250,000 VND | ~35–40 min | Metered; ask driver to wait or arrange return |
One note on the airport: Phu Quoc Airport sits southeast of Duong Dong, and if you're arriving mid-morning and want to visit Bai Sao on the way from the airport to us, the geography works. Bai Sao is roughly between the airport and Long Beach — a reasonable detour if you land before noon and have energy for it.
Day Trip from Long Beach or Staying Near Bai Sao — Which Makes More Sense?
For most bungalow guests, the answer is day trip. The south coast around Bai Sao has very little affordable accommodation. What's there skews toward large resort developments — the JW Marriott at Bai Khem is the anchor, and a handful of mid-range hotels have opened nearby. Budget bungalow-style stays in the $25–55 range are concentrated on the west coast. That's where you find sunset views, the night market within reach, and lodgings built at a human scale.
If your main reason for coming to Phu Quoc is specifically that white-sand south coast swimming, and you're willing to pay resort rates, staying near Bai Sao makes sense. But for guests choosing a bungalow, the practical math is: stay on Long Beach, make the 25 km trip to Bai Sao once or twice during your stay. You get both beaches, both experiences, without the south coast price tag.
We suggest guests go on day 3 or 4 of a week-long trip — after they've already had Long Beach mornings and settled in. First-day Bai Sao trips sometimes end in frustration when people come back and realise the beach right outside the bungalow door was fine too. How all the main beaches compare.
What Is There to Eat and Do at Bai Sao?
The main section of the beach has four or five restaurants. They're small, open-air, with plastic tables on the sand. The food is the same at all of them: grilled whole fish, clams, squid, cold Saigon beer. The quality is consistent because the boats come in at An Thoi market nearby and the supply chain is short. Order the grilled squid. It comes with a lime-pepper dipping salt and rice. Two people, two beers, a whole fish, squid, clams: expect to pay 350,000–500,000 VND depending on size (check current rates).
Sun loungers and an umbrella rent for roughly 50,000–70,000 VND per set per day (check current rates — they go up in peak season). Some restaurants include a basic lounger if you order food. No pressure to buy anything at the quieter south end.
Kayak rentals appear at a couple of spots — single kayaks, nothing elaborate, roughly 100,000–150,000 VND per hour. Paddling south along the beach, away from the restaurant cluster, is the best way to see the full length of it. The water is clear enough to look straight down at the sand.
Snorkelling from the beach isn't the draw here. The bottom is flat white sand — clean and lovely to swim over, but no coral. If you want reefs, the An Thoi archipelago boat trips leave from An Thoi town, about 4 km from Bai Sao. You can add that on if you want a full south coast day.
Bai Sao vs Bai Khem — What Is the Actual Difference?
Bai Khem is immediately north of Bai Sao and shares the same geography: fine white sand, shallow turquoise water, sheltered southeast exposure. In terms of what the beach looks like, they're nearly identical. The difference is who can use it.
Bai Khem sits inside the JW Marriott resort complex. Access for non-guests is not reliable — the resort has occasionally allowed day visitors, but this is not guaranteed, changes without notice, and is not something to plan around. Most day-trippers from Long Beach end up at Bai Sao because it's a public beach with no access question.
If you're staying at the JW Marriott, Bai Khem is your beach and it is genuinely exceptional — quieter than Bai Sao, no vendors, better-maintained. But as a bungalow guest driving south for the day, go to Bai Sao. Same water, no uncertainty. Explore all Phu Quoc areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Bai Sao from Long Beach bungalows?
Bai Sao is roughly 25 km by road from the central Long Beach bungalow strip. On a motorbike the ride takes 35–45 minutes — south through An Thoi town, then left on the smaller road through rubber-tree forest. Plan for a half-day, not a quick beach hop.
What is the best time to visit Bai Sao Beach?
The dry season from November to April is when Bai Sao is at its best — clear water, no rain until late afternoon if at all, and lighter crowds on weekdays. That said, Bai Sao faces southeast, so it stays swimmable even during the May–October monsoon when Long Beach gets rough. If you visit in wet season, go in the morning before afternoon showers arrive.
Is Bai Sao Beach crowded?
It depends on the day. On weekdays during the dry season, Bai Sao is genuinely quiet — a few dozen people spread across 3 km of beach. Weekends and Vietnamese public holidays are different: the car park fills, beach vendors set up in rows, and finding a quiet spot requires walking 10–15 minutes south from the main entrance. Go Tuesday or Wednesday if it matters.
Are there bungalows near Bai Sao Beach?
Very few. The south coast around Bai Sao is dominated by large resort developments. Budget bungalow-style accommodation ($25–55 per night) is concentrated on the west coast — Long Beach and Ong Lang — where you also get sunset views. For guests wanting the white sand of Bai Sao without the resort price tag, the practical answer is to base yourself on Long Beach and make the 25 km day trip.
How do I get to Bai Sao without a motorbike?
Grab (the ride-hailing app) covers Phu Quoc and a car from Long Beach to Bai Sao costs roughly 150,000–200,000 VND each way. Mai Linh taxis also operate on the island. We can arrange a half-day driver for guests who want to combine Bai Sao with a stop at the An Thoi fishing market — ask at check-in.
What is there to eat and do at Bai Sao?
A handful of beach restaurants line the main section selling grilled seafood, cold drinks, and com tam (broken rice). Sun loungers rent for roughly 50,000–70,000 VND per day (check current rates). There is no snorkelling directly from the beach — the bottom is sandy and shallow — but kayak rentals are available at a couple of the restaurants. The water is calm enough for kids.
Does Bai Sao have good swimming?
Yes. The water at Bai Sao is shallow for a long way out — waist-deep at 50 metres — with a sandy bottom and no rocks. Because it faces southeast away from the southwest monsoon, it stays calm when Long Beach is choppy. There are no strong currents at the main beach section. It is one of the more family-friendly swimming spots on the island.
What time does Bai Sao Beach get busy?
Most visitors arrive between 9 and 11 AM and leave by 3 PM. Arriving before 8:30 AM gives you the beach almost to yourself — sunrise here is around 5:40–5:50 AM in summer, 6:05–6:15 AM in winter, so by 7 AM it is light and the vendors have not opened yet. The hour after opening is the best light for photos too.
Is Bai Sao worth the trip from Long Beach bungalows?
For most guests, yes — once. The white sand and colour of the water are genuinely different from Long Beach. Two or three days into a week-long stay, when you've already had your Long Beach mornings, the half-day ride south is worth it. We wouldn't make it your first full day, though — there's a lot closer to the bungalows to see first.
How does Bai Sao compare to Bai Khem?
Bai Khem is immediately north of Bai Sao and looks almost identical — same fine white sand, same calm water. The difference is access: Bai Khem sits inside the JW Marriott resort and is effectively off-limits to non-guests. Bai Sao is a public beach. For bungalow guests on a day trip, Bai Sao is the only practical choice between the two.
About the Authors
We've run bungalows on Long Beach since 2018. Bai Sao comes up at almost every check-in — guests want to know if it's worth the ride, whether to go on their first day, and where to eat when they get there. This is the answer we give in person, written down. If anything here has changed on the ground — prices, access, a new restaurant — message us and we'll update it.
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