If you are looking for that perfect beach, one with white powdery sand, turquoise clear water, swaying palm trees, jungle backdrop, and maybe a few bars to enjoy a cocktail or two while gazing out at the open ocean then Bãi Sao (Sao Beach) is your beach.
Bãi Sao Phú Quốc
Bai Sao is on the south-east coast, about 25 km south of Duong Dong and a few minutes north of Bai Khem, at the end of a road that looks like it is heading into the jungle. A small car park, a row of beach restaurants, and then the sand. Most people come for a day trip; the island’s south end — An Thoi, Sunset Town and the cable car — is close by.
On a calm, clean day Bai Sao is the postcard beach people come to Phu Quoc for. Whether you get that day is less certain than it used to be — read the next section before you go.
Take a journey… Press play and experience the magic of Sao Beach
Sao Beach in 2026: what to expect
Google rates Sao Beach 3.9 from 8,217 reviews — low for a beach this famous — and the reviews from 2026 explain why:
- Rubbish. Most negative reviews this year are about litter on the sand and plastic in the water, especially after rough weather when the current brings it in. Some sections in front of the restaurants are cleaned; others are not.
- Paying to get on the beach. Access is mostly through the beach restaurants, and reviewers in early 2026 were charged about 60,000 VND per person to enter, with sunbeds, hammocks and swings extra. Some places let you put the entry fee towards food and drink — ask before you sit down.
- Quieter than it was. Much of the crowd has moved a few minutes south to Bai Khem and the new resorts there, so on weekdays Sao can feel almost rustic.
The sand is still white and soft and the water turquoise when the sea is calm. Go on a calm day, go early, and set up in front of a place that keeps its stretch clean.
Why we love Bai Sao
White Sand
Soft silky powdery white sand beach — one of the few found on the island.
Star Beach
In the ocean you will find schools of small fish, needle nose fish, and sometimes even a small squid. There are a few shell fish here as well. At the very north and south end of the beach there are a few areas where you will find corals and it makes for a good spot to snorkel. In October and September you will find a lot of starfish near the shore. Occasionally you will see a sea urchin, but they are very rare here.
Kite Surfing
One of the few spots on Phu Quoc where you can actually kite surf.
Tips & Tricks
- During the summer months (May to October), the sea at Bai Sao is more calm as the winds have shifted to the western side of the island. During the winter months (Late October to early May), the winds return and the sea in this area will have more waves, especially during mid-day.
- Some of the guesthouses and resorts rent beach loungers, kayaks, jet skis, sailboards, masks and snorkel. Showers are also available.
- Bai Sao is a very popular beach and can get crowded at times. If you seek solitude and peace, arrive early in the morning, before the tour buses arrive, or late in the afternoon. Bai Sao faces east, so the show here is the sunrise, not the sunset — worth an early start:
Where to eat and drink
The beach restaurants are the reason you can sit on the sand, so pick one with care (Google rating and reviews, October 2026). Chez Dugong (4.3 from 850) is the liveliest — a beach bar with water sports and an inflatable obstacle course in the shallows, but loud music. Sao Beach Club (3.9 from 209) is a simple drinks-and-snacks bar. For a proper meal, the restaurants a few minutes south at Bai Khem score far higher — see our Khem Beach guide.
The few beachfront bungalows on Bai Sao get poor recent reviews for cleanliness. Most people stay at Bai Khem, An Thoi or Long Beach and visit for the day — see where to stay on Phu Quoc.
Ratings and reviews: Google Maps, October 2026.
