Rạch Vẹm, North Phú Quốc
Starfish Beach by boat
Ten minutes across the bay from our floating restaurant. Shallow, calm water with hundreds of red starfish in the water — and lunch waiting when you come back.
10 min by boat
8:00–18:30 daily
Nov–Apr clearest water
Waist-deep water
Life jackets included
Covered speedboat
What Starfish Beach actually is
A shallow sandbar on the north tip of Phú Quốc, off Rạch Vẹm fishing village. The water stays knee-deep a long way out and there are almost no waves. On a clear morning you can stand still and count twenty or thirty red starfish around your feet.
A normal morning in February. Nobody arranged these.
The water is clear and flat, which makes it one of the easier places on the island to actually swim — no waves, no drop-off, sand the whole way. There are sunbeds along the shore if you want to stay a while. Most people swim, walk the sandbar, take their photos, then come back to us for food.
Please leave the starfish in the water. A starfish lifted out for a photo usually dies. They breathe through their skin. Look at them, take your photo with your hands empty, and let them stay where they are.
Two ways to reach the beach
You cannot drive to Starfish Beach. The road ends at Rạch Vẹm fishing village — from there it is either our boat, or a walk along the sandy coastline.
By boat from us
By boat 10 minutes across the bay
- We drop you straight onto the sandbar
- Covered boat with shade, life jackets in all sizes
- You choose when to come back — no fixed time
- Toilets, cold drinks and food waiting before and after
- 200,000₫ per person, round trip. (if 4 or more)
Best if you have children, if you are going in the middle of the day, or if you plan to eat with us.
On foot from the village
3–4 km along the sand
- Free, and a nice walk early in the morning
- Allow 45–60 minutes each way, with no shade
- People will approach you the whole way trying to sell you a boat ride
- Nowhere to leave your bags, so you carry everything both ways
- Same walk back, usually in the midday heat
Fine if you are traveling light and going early.
Either way, you are welcome at the restaurant with
no obligation to buy anything. Come over the bridge,
sit down, enjoy the view, ask us about the beach.
The boat trip
Boat to Starfish Beach
Round trip from our floating house to the beach and back, whenever you are ready to come home just call us on WhatsApp. Boats run continuously from 8:00 to 17:45.
300,000₫
per person · round trip · about 12 USD
Most people pay 200,000₫ from December to April
That is the price for a boat with just the 2 or 3 of you. In high season there are usually other people going at the same time, so we can put you together and everyone pays the lower rate. Ask at the counter or over WhatsApp — we will tell you what is happening that morning.
200,000₫
per person · round trip · about 8 USD
This price is for 4 or more people travelling out and back in the same boat. You can also reach 4 by sharing with another group. If you come back with fewer than 4, it is 50,000₫ more each — we will tell you before you go.
Children do not count towards the group of 4. Life jackets in children’s sizes are included.
What is included?
- Round-trip boat, about 10 minutes each way.
- Life jackets for adults and children.
- A wristband with our phone number — call us any time to come back. No signal on the beach? Show the wristband to any vendor and they will call us for you.
- As long as you want at the beach. Most people stay 1–2 hours.
Not included
- Food and drinks — order at the restaurant before you go
- Towels and beach chairs — rentable on the beach
- Transport to us. Ask and we will put you in touch with a driver.
10 minutes
Each way
8:00–17:45
Boats run all day, no fixed times
Starfish
Always there
Message us on WhatsApp or Zalo, or just turn up. You pay once, at the counter, before you get on the boat. Cash or card. The price is on the board and it does not change when you are out on the water.
Fishing Village Combo
The same boat to the beach, plus five seafood dishes and a drink at the floating restaurant. Most people who take the boat eat with us anyway, so if you were going to order food, this is the cheaper way to do it — and you know the number before you sit down.
750,000₫ per person · 4–5 hours
Private fishing trip
A whole day out with Dad and cousin Ân, who have fished these waters for thirty years. Nearshore fishing, snorkelling for scallops, and a meal cooked on the beach. Your group has the boat to itself.
from 9,750,000₫ for the boat · 4–8 people
4.7
★★★★★ from 570+ reviews on Google
These are the reviews about the boat, not the food.
This lunch and boat road to star fish beach was exceptional. The restaurant owner was very helpful with helping us arrange a driver to pick us up from our hotel. Made it very easy and comfortable to take us and our two young kids. Communication was via watsapp too. The beach is beautiful and star fish are amazing!
Kathryn Thompson · Feb 2026
We booked a boat ride for a family of 4 to Starfish Beach through the Whatsapp number available on their website. It was very straightforward and easy. The price was also reasonable. We also had our dinner at their fishing village restaurant after we came back from Starfish Beach, which made it very convenient for us.
Yang Changhan · Jan 2026
Excellent pricing for a boat to see the Starfish Beach. 200vnd per adult and children were free. The staff spoke English well and kindly guided our family.
Family Lee · May 2025
Before you come
Opening hours
Boats run 8:00 to 17:45 every day. The restaurant is open 8:00 to 18:30. Walk-ins are welcome. Booking ahead is a good idea in high season.
Best time of day
Morning, 8:00 to 10:00, for the calmest water and the best light. Afternoons from 14:00 are cooler than midday and the beach will be less crowded
Weather
From May to November, our main spot gets too rough for the boat, so we take you to a smaller, more sheltered beach instead — it’s a fixed rule by season, not a day-to-day guess. Use the month picker on this page to check exactly what to expect before you come. And if you’ve read conflicting things online about which beach actually has starfish, our guide to that confusion → clears it up.
What to bring to the beach
Sunscreen, a hat, a towel and cash. Chairs can be rented on the beach.
How to pay
You pay once, at the counter, before you go. Cash or by card.
Suitable for children
Yes. The water is shallow, and we have life jackets in children’s sizes. Under 6 travel free.
Finding us
Nhà Trên Biển – Joy Adventures, Rạch Vẹm, Gành Dầu, Phú Quốc. About 30 minutes north of Dương Đông. Free parking, then walk the 100 m bridge out to the house.
Read this before you get in a taxi. Some taxi and Grab drivers get a commission for bringing tourists to a different restaurant, and will tell you we are closed, full, or hard to reach. It is not true. Tell your driver firmly: Nhà Trên Biển – Joy Adventures, Rạch Vẹm. As you come into the village, people may wave you down and try to take you to their own boat. Keep going until you see our sign. If a driver will not take you, call +84 703 397 404 and we will sort it out.
Come over the bridge
Tell us the day and how many of you there are. We will tell you what the weather is like and whether you are likely to share a boat
Boats 8:00–17:45 · 200,000₫ per person return (if 4 or more)