DISCOVER

BAI THOM

Bãi Thơm Phú Quốc

At the foot of Mount Chua, Phu Quoc's largest mountain, lies Bai Thom, the laid back coastal region located up in the far north east section of Phu Quoc island. The Bai Thom Commune is famous for its rugged beaches, mangrove forests, abundant wildlife, epic sunrises, and stunning mountain scenery.

Budget travelers may see their dollar go a bit further in Bai Thom than in other parts of Phu Quoc, enticing them to stick around longer than they’d planned – and they won’t be disappointed.

Press play and tour on Phu Quoc Island

ABOUT

Xã Bãi Thơm

LEARN

Days fly by differently up here in Bai Thom Commune than they do at the southern beach resort areas – maybe because of all the outdoor adventure activities to be had here. But there is no rush, and you can easily bop around the area for a few days without getting weary, unless you are the kind of person who gets bored by too many trees and picturesque coastal scenery.

Orientation

Begin in Bai Thom Beach and explore the rocky shoreline. Then explore nearby Hon Mot Island which sits just a few meters offshore from mainland Phu Quoc. After a quick walk through the island, grab a snack and the few restaurants in the area to refuel and then make your way up to Rach Tram Village to explore the coastal community and the stunning white sand beach before heading back. Bai Thom is close enough to all the other Phu Quoc regions and the trip up is worth it as you will pass by the heart of the Phu Quoc National Park where you will find several unmarked trails that offer you a chance to get a glimpse of the rain forest and wildlife to be found here.

Regions

Bãi Thom Village

The communes namesake village is stretched along Phu Quoc's north eastern coastline. Here you will find a few shops and local restaurants, hotels and guesthouses, and a petrolimix gas station.

Rach Tram Village

Exciting scenic contrasts of lowland and tropical rain forests with jeep trails, coastal paths through mangrove forests, and idyllic river estuaries with natural swimming holes. That gives you some idea of the attractions of the northern area of Rach Tram. The regions principle attraction, though, is its soft white sand beach and there is a good chance you will have this beach all to yourself.

Ấp Xóm Mới

A small hamlet in the south western section of Bai Thom that is slowly transforming into an ecotourism hub.

Mũi Đá Chồng

The region where Phu Quoc's northern ferry port is located. There are a few shops, guesthouses, and restaurants here.

Bai Thom Beach

Bai Thom Beach is located in Bai Thom Village, the main village in Bai Thom Comune. From the beach you can see Cambodia’s Rabbit Island, Kampot Province, and Kep. The vegetation around the beach consists of mainly poplar trees with a few scattered coconut palm trees. The beach, as well as the shoreline, is riddled with various types of different rocks. Some of the rocks appear to be of the volcanic type that have small sea snails living on top of them. The sand here at Thom Beach is granular in nature and the color of the sand resembles salt and pepper. Certain sections of the beach are nicer than others.

Rach Tram Beach

Rach Tram beach consists of white powdery sand, a paradise for sun-worshippers. It is an excellent beach to look for starfish and collect seashells. The bay here is one of the most beautiful places in the entire Phu Quoc district as its waters are clear and blue.

Hon Mot

Close to shore resides a small island known as Mot Island (Hon Mot). Mot Island is connected to Thom Beach at low tide and can be reached by foot by walking across a narrow bridge. During high tide, you can only access the island by boat or for the adventurous, you can just swim there. Some tour operators stop off at Mot Island as part of their “North Island” adventure tour where tourists can explore the small island and take pictures of the Cambodian coast. There isn’t much to do on the island itself apart from exploring the flora and fauna, especially the tidal creatures such as crabs.

Crocodile Farm

There is a small crocodile farm south of Ba Thom village near the Da Chong ferry terminal that you can visit. There are several crocodiles here which are all being raised for their meat and hide.

Rach Tram River

The Rach Tram river can offer wildly romantic and adventurous boat trip through the Phu Quoc National Park along the foothill of the Ham Rong mountain and has for years attracted nature-lovers.

Mangrove Forest Ecosystem

Within the northern sections of Bai Thom lies the mangrove forest, which is of utmost importance to coastal communities.

Where to eat

There are a few beach front restaurants that serve a variety of seafood dishes and traditional Vietnamese dishes. The portions are quite large and the price varies. In Bai Thom Village there are also numerous small local eateries serving beef noodle soup (pho bo), and a variety of broken rice dishes.

Hang Duong Quan Seafood Restaurant

A local Vietnamese restaurant found in Bai Thom Village.

WHERE TO STAY

Pepper Farm Home Stay

An off-the-beaten-track experience on Phu Quoc. Stay in the countryside and on an authentic Phu Quoc Pepper Farm.

Cay Vong Nem Resort

This is a nice Vietnamese run resort right on Bai Thom Beach. The resort has lounge chairs, a large restaurant, hammocks, and motorbike parking. You can rent snorkeling equipment and a boat here to explore the sea. Currently Cay Vong Nem Resort is the only accommodation on Bai Thom Beach at the moment.

Dự án Enclave Phú Quốc Resort

The Enclave Phu Quoc Resort is located in the remote Thom area adjacent to the Phu Quoc National Park. Situated on 350 hectares of beach front, this Thai managed resort is perfect for those who want to be away from it all. Featuring 350 rooms, 40 villas, a 20,000 square meter business center, upscale shops entertainment, cinemas, restaurants, and medical services. Recreational amenities include sports and road running / bike trails throughout the resort and tennis courts and a sports club.

Map

LOCATION

Getting to Bai Thom is quite easy and there are 2 main ways to get here. You can take the main Duong Dong – Bai Thom highway (DT973) all the way up or take the coastal and more adventurous route via Ham Ninh. Be prepared to stop multiple times along the way as the both routes are quite scenic. Once you arrive at Bai Thom, grab a few snacks from the many street side vendors and start exploring the area. There is also a ferry service to and from Ha Tien, Vietnam in this region as well. The port is called Da Chong and is located about 10 kilometers from Bai Thom village.

GET SOCIAL

#Baithom

Stay up-to-date with what is happening on Phu Quoc Island. Just click the “Like Page” button below and you are all set. Cảm ơn!