Long Beach (Bai Truong) is the roughly 20 km run of sand down Phu Quoc’s west coast, from the Dinh Cau rock in Duong Dong to the An Thoi end of the island. The northern few kilometres beside Duong Dong are the busiest and cheapest, lined with bars, dive shops and street food; the middle and south belong mostly to big resorts with wider, quieter sand. Sunset Beach Resort sits on the sand at the north end, about 2.3 km by road from Dinh Cau.
Swim from November to April, when the sea is usually flat. Between May and October, monsoon winds from the south-west push in waves, cloudy water and washed-up debris.
Where Long Beach starts and ends
Vietnamese sources put Bai Truong at just under 20 km, from Dinh Cau, the shrine-topped rock guarding the Duong Dong river mouth, south to Khoe Tau Ru near An Thoi. It is not one unbroken beach: rocky reefs, stands of trees, small river mouths and fishing settlements cut it into sections, and Tran Hung Dao road runs behind most of it. Vinpearl’s guide splits it into North Long Beach, about the first 5 km below Dinh Cau, and South Long Beach, the remaining 15 km or so.
Every stretch looks out west over the Gulf of Thailand and gets its sunset over open water, and entry to the sand is free. Sunset Beach Resort sits on the north stretch, a lane’s length back from Tran Hung Dao road, so the town, the night market and the Dinh Cau rock are all within 2.5 km.
The stretches of Long Beach compared
Distances are by road from Sunset Beach Resort, measured on a routing map in October 2026; allow extra time in evening traffic.
| Stretch | From the hotel | What it is like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinh Cau to the hotel (Duong Dong end) | Up to 2.3 km; walk or a short Grab | Town beach by the river mouth and fishing boats; more litter after rain | Sunset at the rock, then dinner in town |
| North strip (first 5 km or so) | On the doorstep | Beach bars, guesthouses, massage and dive shops; narrow sand at high tide | Walk-out swims, bars, cheap eats |
| Central, below the airport | About 7–8 km, 15–20 min by car | Resorts and beach clubs, including the Sunset Sanato art installations | A sunset outing, water sports |
| South, Sonasea area to An Thoi | Roughly 10–20 km, 20–40 min by car | Newer large resorts, wider sand, more controlled access | Quiet sand if you stay there |
The north end, where the hotel is
This is the original tourist strip: budget and mid-range hotels, beach bars, massage huts and fruit sellers, with cafes and spas a few minutes’ walk away on Tran Hung Dao. The sand is narrower than further south and can almost disappear in front of some properties at high tide. It is the most convenient stretch, not the prettiest. Our guide to Duong Dong and the north end covers what is within walking distance.
The middle and the south
Below the airport the beach widens and the buildings step back. Large resorts take long frontages, beach clubs run sunset sessions, and in the Sonasea area there are walking streets and a night market. Travellers staying in the north usually come down for an afternoon rather than a full day: the far south is a 20 to 40-minute drive, and access to the sand is often through a resort or a paid beach club.
When the sea on Long Beach is good for swimming
The west coast is sheltered in the north-east monsoon and exposed in the south-west monsoon, so the swimming calendar is close to the reverse of the east coast’s. The hotel’s own guidance puts the calmest sea in January and February. Sunset times below are for the 15th of each month, calculated for Duong Dong.
| Month | Typical sea on Long Beach | Sunset (15th) |
|---|---|---|
| November | Settling; good swimming most days | 5.39 pm |
| December | Usually flat and clear | 5.45 pm |
| January | Flat; among the calmest weeks | 6.00 pm |
| February | Flat; among the calmest weeks | 6.12 pm |
| March | Calm mornings, some afternoon chop | 6.15 pm |
| April | Good; first swell late in the month | 6.15 pm |
| May | Swell building, showers | 6.18 pm |
| June | Rough days, cloudy water, debris | 6.26 pm |
| July | Rough days, cloudy water, debris | 6.30 pm |
| August | Rough days, cloudy water, debris | 6.23 pm |
| September | Rough and wet | 6.05 pm |
| October | Mixed; flattening late in the month | 5.47 pm |
Waves, currents and debris
From roughly June to September the south-west wind pushes swell straight onto this coast. Travel guides warn of rip currents in the monsoon months, and we found no published lifeguard cover on the public sand, so swim only on calm days and stay in your depth. The same wind brings rubbish: a Tuoi Tre report described refuse swept onto Truong Beach in the south-west monsoon and one resort clearing 20 to 30 sacks every morning. Rivers add plastic and water hyacinth after heavy rain, worst near the Duong Dong river mouth.
Jellyfish and sand flies
Jellyfish turn up mainly in the monsoon months, June to September, and guides describe the local stings as mild; children and anyone with allergies should take care. Sand flies are reported in some spots, not constantly, and less on the built-up stretches. Lie on a lounger rather than a towel on the sand, and pack repellent.
Public sand, private loungers
Vietnam’s 2015 Law on Natural Resources and Environment of Sea and Islands builds the public’s access to the sea into how coastal corridors are planned, and in November 2021 Phu Quoc broke ground on a 10.7 km coastal road along central Bai Truong with a 50 m public beach corridor. In practice you can walk along the waterline, but loungers, umbrellas and shade belong to whoever set them up.
Public access lanes exist between properties, though they are not always obvious. Beach bars rent a lounger and umbrella for about VND 50,000–80,000 a day (March 2026 prices), and massage and fruit sellers walk the north end. Sunset Beach Resort calls its frontage a private beach and gives guests free loungers and towels, but guests report only about 30 loungers, claimed early on busy mornings.
Water sports and diving
Jet skis and kayaks operate on some stretches, and the organised water sports cluster at beach clubs below the airport. As a guide to price, an April 2026 review of Sunset Sanato quoted VND 600,000 for 10 minutes on a jet ski and VND 750,000 a head for parasailing. Long Beach itself has little reef, so snorkelling from the shore is poor. Dive shops about 800 m from the hotel sell boat trips instead.
To move along the beach, use Grab. With VAT added, Grab’s July 2026 prices for a standard car on Phu Quoc work out at about VND 27,000 to cover 2 km and about VND 13,000 for each extra km, so Dinh Cau is roughly VND 30,000 away and the central stretch roughly VND 90,000, before surcharges.
Sunset on Long Beach
Sunset is earliest in mid-November, at about 5.39 pm, and latest in early July, at about 6.30 pm. Where the sun meets the sea also moves: in December it sets well to the south-west, in June well to the north-west, roughly 50 degrees apart on the horizon, so a spot that frames it in one season may miss it in another.
On the north stretch, take a drink on the sand an hour before sunset, then a short Grab into Duong Dong for dinner.
Questions about Long Beach, Phu Quoc
How long is Long Beach in Phu Quoc?
About 20 km. Vietnamese sources measure Bai Truong from the Dinh Cau rock in Duong Dong south to Khoe Tau Ru near An Thoi. Rocky reefs, river mouths and fishing settlements break it into sections, so you cannot walk the full length as one continuous stretch of sand.
Is Long Beach safe for swimming?
In the dry season, usually yes: from November to April the sea is generally flat and shallow near the shore. From roughly June to September, monsoon swell, rip currents and debris arrive with the south-west wind. We found no published lifeguard cover on the public sand, so swim on calm days only, stay in your depth and keep children close.
Which part of Long Beach is best?
It depends on what you want. The north end beside Duong Dong is best for restaurants, bars and walking to town. The central and southern stretches have wider, quieter sand but fewer places to eat outside the resorts. Many visitors stay in the north and drive south for an afternoon.
Can you use the beach in front of a resort on Long Beach?
You can walk along the waterline and swim; Vietnamese law treats access to the sea as a public right. The loungers, umbrellas and towels in front of a resort are for its guests, and beach bars charge for theirs, about VND 50,000–80,000 a day in March 2026.
What time is sunset on Long Beach?
Between about 5.39 pm and 6.30 pm: earliest in mid-November, latest in early July. On 15 October 2026 it is 5.47 pm. Arrive an hour before for the light and a spot on the sand.
Sea conditions vary from year to year. Distances, sunset times, lounger, water sports and Grab prices checked October 2026.