Hon May Rut (Hòn Mây Rút) is a pair of small islands in the An Thoi archipelago, about 10 km south of An Thoi port: May Rut Trong (inner) and May Rut Ngoai (outer). With white-sand beaches, palm trees, clear water and beach restaurants, they are the lunch and swimming stop on most of the island-hopping and snorkelling tours from An Thoi, usually combined with Hon Mong Tay and Hon Gam Ghi. On Google Maps the islands score 4.4 from 351 reviews (October 2026), and the photos explain why.
The names are muddled: Google Maps also marks a “Vong island” just north-east of May Rut, which some Vietnamese sources treat as May Rut Trong — see Hon Vong.
Boat safety
On 11 July 2026 the tourist speedboat Ocean Pearl Island, returning from May Rut Ngoai to An Thoi with 36 people on board, capsized in rough seas a few hundred metres off the island. Fifteen tourists died. The captain was detained and a criminal case opened; investigators were also checking whether passengers had been wearing life jackets.
In the days that followed, several tour companies suspended their island trips, and the Phu Quoc authorities tightened the rules (Tiền Phong, 14–16 July 2026):
- boats must be registered, inspected and carry no more than their legal number of passengers, with life jackets and rescue equipment;
- no departures in bad weather or under strong-wind or storm warnings;
- border guards check passengers against the list before departure, and life jackets must be worn for the whole trip;
- of the island’s 100-plus tourist speedboats, only about 70 met the standard required to carry passengers; the rest were barred.
Tour operators reported island trips restarting in late July 2026. What this means for you: book with an established operator, wear your life jacket for the whole crossing, and if the sea looks rough, do not go — see safety on the water.
What is on the islands
- Beaches: soft white sand, palms and swings for photos, and turquoise water that is calm in the dry season. Expect crowds in the middle of the day, when the tour boats arrive (roughly 11:30–15:30).
- Lunch: tours eat at the beach restaurants, usually a seafood barbecue; reviewers generally liked the food, and some found hammocks and loungers included with lunch.
- Sea walking and water sports: a sea-walking operator on May Rut Ngoai (Ocean Explorer, 4.1 from 61 reviews) and jet skis, kayaks and paddleboards. One visitor paid 600,000 dong for sea walking in January 2026; reviews of the sea walking are mixed, especially for young children (see water sports).
- Snorkelling: there are reefs around both islands, but several reviewers found the coral faded and the water less clear than they hoped; the better reefs are at Hon Gam Ghi. See snorkeling.
- Paid extras: sun loungers, toilets and showers often cost extra; carry small notes.
- Camping: some operators run overnight camping trips on May Rut.
Getting there
There is no public ferry. Join an island-hopping tour from An Thoi — operators advertise speedboat tours from about 400,000–600,000 dong per person, and the crossing takes about 20 minutes by speedboat or an hour on a slower wooden boat (operator figures, 2025–2026) — or charter a boat from An Thoi port with an operator you trust. Go between November and April, when the sea is calmest; see our weather guide.
Photo: Hoàng Tuấn Ngô, via Google Maps
Ratings, prices and visitor comments: Google Maps and operator websites, 2025–2026. Capsize and rules: Vietnamese press (see sources).
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