Best Beaches Near Bungalows on Phu Quoc Island
By Phu Quoc Bungalow Owners · Updated July 2026 · 7 min read
- Long Beach (Bai Truong) — at your door. 20 km of west-coast sand, best Nov-Apr. This is where the bungalows are.
- Ong Lang — 8 km north, 15 min by motorbike. Quieter bay, good for sunsets and snorkelling in dry season.
- Bai Sao — 25 km south, 35-45 min ride. White sand, shallow clear water, worth a half-day trip once or twice.
- Bai Khem — adjacent to Bai Sao but inside a resort; access is restricted for non-guests.
- Motorbike included free with 3+ night stays — covers all of these trips.
Which Beach Is Right Outside Your Bungalow Door?
Long Beach — or Bai Truong in Vietnamese — runs for roughly 20 km along Phu Quoc's west coast, from Duong Dong town down to the south of the island. Our bungalows sit directly on this beach, meaning the sea is 10 to 50 metres from your door depending on the unit type. No transfers required.
The water here is warm year-round — 27-30°C depending on season — and during the dry season (November through April) the surface stays calm enough for comfortable swimming and light snorkelling. There are coral patches 200-400 metres offshore that you can reach on the small wooden boats that operate from the beach. Visibility is decent in December and January; less so in March when plankton blooms can cloud things up for a week or two.
One thing worth knowing: the southern half of Long Beach is considerably quieter than the northern stretch near Duong Dong. Our properties sit in the middle section — still within 6 km of the night market but away from the jet-ski operators who cluster around the northern bars. Most guests appreciate this. A few who wanted the lively northern stretch asked if we could recommend those hotels instead. We did, honestly. Full Long Beach area guide here.
Is Ong Lang Worth the Ride North?
About 8 km north of the central Long Beach strip, Ong Lang is a different kind of beach. The bay curves slightly, keeping things calmer than exposed Long Beach in a light northwest swell. The sand is coarser and the beach narrower, but the setting — fishing boats anchored just offshore, forest behind you, no large hotel towers — is the reason guests keep mentioning it when they write their reviews.
The sea floor is a mix of sand and rock in patches, so water shoes are genuinely useful rather than just cautious advice. We keep a few pairs at the bungalows. Swimming is good from November to April; outside that window the monsoon occasionally pushes floating debris into the bay.
My personal favourite time at Ong Lang is 5:00-5:30 PM on a clear day in January. The sun drops behind the Cambodian horizon in about 20 minutes and the light goes orange-red very quickly. Long Beach also faces west but you're looking past anchored party boats; here you get open water. Fifteen minutes on a motorbike from our gate, so easy to make it a late-afternoon ride and be back for dinner. Ong Lang beach guide with map.
What Makes Bai Sao Different — and Is It Worth 45 Minutes?
Bai Sao sits on the southeast coast, roughly 25 km by road from our Long Beach bungalows. The ride on a motorbike takes 35-45 minutes — first south on the main road through An Thoi, then left on a smaller road through rubber-tree forest. The payoff is real: powder-white sand, shallow clear water with a sandy bottom, and far fewer boats offshore than anywhere on the west coast.
The southeast coast faces east, which means two things. You get sunrise here, not sunset. And because the southwest monsoon blows in from the opposite side, Bai Sao stays calm even in May-September when Long Beach gets rough. This makes it one of the few places to swim comfortably in wet season — though the ride from our bungalows in monsoon rain is not exactly fun.
There are a handful of beach restaurants at Bai Sao selling grilled seafood, cold drinks, and sun loungers for rent (roughly 50,000-70,000 VND per lounger per day in 2026, but check current rates). It gets busy at weekends and during Vietnamese national holidays — if that matters to you, go on a Tuesday. More on the Bai Sao area.
Bai Khem — Beautiful but Complicated
Bai Khem sits immediately north of Bai Sao and shares the same fine white sand and sheltered water. For most visitors it is effectively off-limits: the beach is enclosed within the JW Marriott resort property, and access for day visitors is not guaranteed. The resort has occasionally allowed non-guests to access the beach via its facilities, but this changes and is not something to rely on when planning your day.
The practical answer: plan your south coast day trip around Bai Sao. Same water quality, no access uncertainty, local food available. If you happen to be staying at the JW Marriott, then Bai Khem is obviously your beach — and it is genuinely exceptional. But as a bungalow guest based on the west coast, Bai Sao is the logical choice.
Beach Comparison at a Glance
All distances are by road from our Long Beach bungalow cluster (central section):
| Beach | Distance | Best season | Best for | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach (Bai Truong) | 0 — at the bungalow | Nov–Apr | Swimming, sunsets, convenience | Walk out the door |
| Ong Lang | ~8 km, 15 min motorbike | Nov–Apr | Quiet bay, best sunsets, snorkelling | Public beach |
| Bai Sao | ~25 km, 35-45 min motorbike | All year (calmer in wet season) | White sand, family swimming, day trip | Public beach |
| Bai Khem | ~27 km, ~40 min motorbike | All year | Scenery (resort guests only) | Restricted — JW Marriott resort |
When Can You Actually Swim at Each Beach?
The dry season runs from November to April. This is when all four beaches perform at their best — flat water, good visibility, no rain for days at a stretch. Long Beach and Ong Lang both face west, so the southwest monsoon (May-October) hits them directly. From June through September in particular, Long Beach can have 0.5-1 m swells that aren't dangerous but aren't relaxing either. Jellyfish appear irregularly; we've had weeks with none and weeks where they're thick from August onward.
Bai Sao is the exception. Facing southeast, it stays calm while the west coast gets its monsoon. If you're visiting in May-September and swimming is non-negotiable, budget a day trip to Bai Sao into your plans. The road is good and dry-ish even in the wet months (rain usually comes in the afternoon, not the morning).
December and January are the peak months for snorkelling on Long Beach — water clear, no jellyfish, the offshore boats running daily. This is also when bungalow availability is tightest. We typically fill up 6-7 weeks ahead for Christmas and New Year. Seasonal pricing and availability here.
How Do You Get from the Bungalow to Each Beach?
Long Beach requires no transport — your bungalow is on it. For Ong Lang and the south coast beaches, a motorbike is the practical answer. We include a free motorbike with all stays of 3 nights or more. If you're only here for 2 nights or don't want to ride, there are rental shops within walking distance charging roughly 120,000-150,000 VND per day (check current rates; prices shift with fuel costs).
For Bai Sao without a bike, Grab is the most straightforward option — the app works on Phu Quoc and a car from our location to Bai Sao runs roughly 150,000-200,000 VND each way. Mai Linh taxis also cover the island. We can arrange a driver for a full south coast half-day (Bai Sao plus optional An Thoi market stop) — ask at check-in and we'll sort the rate.
A note on the airport: Phu Quoc Airport is in the southeast of the island, roughly 9-10 km from our bungalows. If you land and want to visit Bai Sao on the way to us, you can do it — Bai Sao is between the airport and Long Beach. Logical sequence if you arrive mid-morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which beach is closest to most Phu Quoc bungalows?
Long Beach (Bai Truong) runs along the entire west coast for about 20 km and is the beach closest to the majority of bungalows on Phu Quoc. Most bungalow properties on Long Beach are within 10-50 metres of the waterline, so you can be in the sea in under two minutes from your door.
How far is Bai Sao from Long Beach bungalows?
Bai Sao (Sao Beach) is roughly 25 km by road from the central Long Beach bungalow strip. On a rented motorbike the ride takes about 35-45 minutes, depending on how far south along Long Beach you start. It is a half-day trip, not a quick dip.
When is the best time to swim at Long Beach?
The dry season from November to April gives Long Beach its calmest water. Waves stay small and visibility for snorkelling is good. From May through October the southwest monsoon pushes swells onto the west coast, making Long Beach choppier and sometimes stirring up seagrass and jellyfish.
Is Ong Lang Beach good for swimming?
Ong Lang is calm and swimmable during the dry season (November to April), and the bay's enclosed shape actually keeps it slightly calmer than open Long Beach in light swell. The sea floor is a mix of sand and rock, so water shoes are useful. It is quieter than Long Beach — fewer sun-lounger vendors and no jet skis.
How do I get from my bungalow to Bai Sao without a motorbike?
The most practical option is Grab (the ride-hailing app that covers Phu Quoc). A Grab 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 also arrange a return transfer for guests — just ask when you check in.
What is the difference between Bai Sao and Bai Khem?
Both Bai Sao and Bai Khem are white-sand beaches in the southeast of Phu Quoc with clear, shallow water ideal for swimming. Bai Sao has more food stalls and beach bars and is easier to visit independently. Bai Khem sits within a resort complex (JW Marriott) and has restricted access for non-guests, so most day-trippers go to Bai Sao instead.
Can I snorkel directly from Long Beach?
There are coral patches roughly 200-400 metres offshore from the central Long Beach strip, reachable by the small wooden boats that operate from the beach. The snorkelling is decent in the dry season but not remarkable — visibility depends heavily on recent weather. The serious reef diving happens on the southern islands (An Thoi archipelago), which is a full-day boat trip.
Which Phu Quoc beach has the best sunsets?
All four beaches in this guide face west or southwest, so all of them catch the sunset. Ong Lang is our personal pick because the bay curves slightly north, giving you the sun setting over open water without any piers or buildings in the frame. Long Beach is livelier at sunset with restaurants right on the sand.
Are bungalows near Bai Sao or Bai Khem affordable?
The southeast coast near Bai Sao and Bai Khem is dominated by large resorts. Budget bungalow stays ($25-55 per night) are concentrated on the west coast — Long Beach and Ong Lang — where you also get the sunset. If you want white-sand swimming, the practical answer is to stay on Long Beach and make a day trip to Bai Sao.
Do bungalow guests need a motorbike to reach the beach?
If you stay in a beachfront or Long Beach bungalow, no — the sea is right there. For excursions to Ong Lang (about 8 km north of central Long Beach) or Bai Sao (about 25 km south), a motorbike is the most flexible option. We include a free motorbike with stays of 3 nights or more, which covers all these trips comfortably.
About the Authors
We've owned and run bungalows on Long Beach since 2018. Over those years we've watched guests arrive confused about which beach to prioritise, spend their first day on the wrong end of the island, and run out of days before reaching Bai Sao. This guide is the conversation we now have at check-in — written down so you can read it before you land. If something here doesn't match what you find on the ground, send us a message and we'll update it.
Related Guides
Ong Lang Beach — Bungalow Area Guide
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Long Beach Bungalow Guide
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Phu Quoc Dry Season Guide for Bungalow Guests
November to April on Phu Quoc — what the weather is actually like week by week, which activities work, and how early to book for peak months. Read the guide →
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