Buzz
Located approximately 70km from downtown Saigon, Thanh An Island in Can Gio district quickly becomes a favorite tourist destination for young people with its picturesque scenery, friendly locals, and notably affordable travel and dining expenses.
One-Day Itinerary Recommendation for Exploring Untouched Thanh An Island on a Weekend
Visitors to Thanh An Island will discover a pristine, peaceful natural area, warmly welcomed by the friendly fishermen, and enjoy the rich flavors of seafood specialties.
Getting to Thanh An Island
You can reach Thanh An Island by various means of transportation such as car, motorbike, and bus.
If traveling by motorcycle or car: Take Huynh Tan Phat Street to Binh Khanh ferry, cross the ferry (ticket 3,000 VND/motorbike/way). Then drive straight to Can Thanh market, turn left, pass Coopmart supermarket, and turn right to the ferry terminal.
If taking the bus: From Ben Thanh, take bus number 20, get off at the last stop which is Binh Khanh ferry, buy a ferry ticket for 1,000 VND/person/way. After crossing the ferry, take bus number 90 (the only bus route to Can Gio), inform the driver to stop at the ferry terminal.
From this ferry terminal, there are boats to Thanh An island and boats to Vung Tau beach, make sure to board the correct boat.
Boats from the mainland to the island: 6:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM
Boats from the island to the mainland: 6:30 AM, 7:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM
Especially, due to a surge in island visitors recently, the boats will often run additional trips on weekends.
Train tickets cost 10,000 dong per trip. However, train hours may vary depending on weather conditions, tides, and other factors.
At the ferry terminal, there are plenty of indoor motorcycle parking spots, or you can also park your motorcycle inside the supermarket next to the ferry terminal. Additionally, if you prefer, you can also park your motorcycle on the ferry to the island for easy exploration.
Detailed Itinerary
From downtown Saigon, you can start your journey at 6 a.m., following Huynh Tan Phat Street in District 7 to Binh Khanh Ferry. After crossing the ferry, continue on the 40km straight road through the only Rung Sac Forest Road; do not turn anywhere else. Along this road, you'll pass by several beautiful bridges. If you have time, take a moment to stop and capture some memorable photos. After finishing the Rung Sac Road, turn left and continue on Duyen Hai Road, then go straight until you reach Can Thanh Market, turn left, pass by Coopmart supermarket, and then turn right to reach the ferry terminal to Thanh An Island.
Here, you can park your motorcycle near the ferry terminal, board the ferry around 9 a.m., and after about 45 minutes, you'll arrive at Thanh An Island.
Since the island is still undeveloped for tourism, there are no guesthouses or hotels on the island. Visitors usually return on the same day. However, due to the increasing number of visitors to the island recently, many households on the island have started offering budget accommodation services. So, after stepping foot on the island, you can rent hourly accommodation to store your belongings and freshen up.
Upon arrival at the island, which is usually around noon, you can directly buy seafood from the fishermen as their boats dock, then either ask locals to cook it for you or the residents where you're staying may offer to prepare it for a small fee. Although the seafood selection here might not be as extensive as in Can Gio, it's all freshly caught and reasonably priced.
Additionally, there are many street food stalls on the island offering various snacks such as noodle soups, rice noodles, beef noodle soup, rice paper rolls, sandwiches, grilled rice paper, and more, all at very affordable prices for you to indulge in.
After dining, head to the coastal pathway along the shore, constructed with large connecting stone blocks. During high tide, the gently rolling waves create an incredibly fascinating experience as you stroll along the seaside path. With the water rising and the sea being quite clear, it's perfect for those who love swimming and capturing stunning beach-themed photos.
Moreover, during low tide, stone pathways emerge along the island's coastline, adding an alluring charm to the azure waters.
In the afternoon, you can relax on the Thanh An Island waterfront, enjoying the cool breeze, sipping on refreshing drinks, taking photos, and then heading back to the city from the ferry terminal. You don't need to worry too much about getting around the island because Thanh An Island is very small, making it ideal for exploration on foot.
San San
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Reference: Travel Guide by Mytour
MytourMarch 10, 2017
