Amazing private snorkeling tour in An Thoi islands by speed boat

Island time starts early. This private Phu Quoc tour combines boat travel, snorkeling, beaches, and a barbecue lunch across four An Thoi islands, with hotel pickup from Duong Dong included. I like the private boat and guide, since your group can avoid a fixed public-tour schedule, and I also like that snorkeling gear, water, lunch, transport, and taxes are included. The main concern is value: at $168 per person, this is not a cheap half-day outing, and the boat may not always be the fast, small speedboat you expect.

The route takes you to Fingernail Island, Gam Ghi Island, May Rut Island, and a snorkeling area near Hon Thom. The trip lasts roughly four to six hours, although the stated schedule adds up to about five and a half hours with transfers. Sea conditions and crowd levels matter, so your guide may adjust the snorkeling spot around Hon Thom or choose less crowded areas instead of following the plan rigidly.

Key points to know before booking

• Four An Thoi stops: You visit Fingernail, Gam Ghi, May Rut, and Hon Thom in one morning and early afternoon.
• Private from hotel to boat: Pickup, the air-conditioned van, guide, and speed boat are reserved for your group.
• Snorkeling gear and lunch included: Equipment, bottled water, taxes, and a barbecue lunch are part of the price.
• Crowds can change the experience: The islands are popular, and one poor account described busy beaches and large group boats.
• The boat description needs care: At least one account found the vessel more like a large passenger craft than a small speedboat.
• Weather can cancel the outing: Poor sea conditions bring a refund, a new date, or another option.

Why this tour works for a private island day

I like the basic idea here. Phu Quoc’s An Thoi archipelago is made up of 17 small islands, and this tour gives you a practical way to reach several of them without arranging separate boat transfers. You spend the day moving between short beach stops and snorkeling areas rather than sitting on one crowded shore.

The private format is the biggest advantage. Your group has its own car, boat, and English-speaking guide. That gives you a better chance to ask for a quieter beach, spend more time swimming, or move on when a stop feels too busy. It does not guarantee an empty island, since these are popular places, but it gives you more control than a standard shared excursion.

The price includes nearly everything you need for the day: hotel transfer from Duong Dong, boat transport, snorkeling equipment, bottled water, taxes, guide service, and lunch. If you value simple planning, that bundle has real merit. You are not left arranging a taxi to An Thoi Pier, renting a mask, or searching for food between islands.

Still, $168 per person is a serious price for a four to six hour outing. It makes more sense for a small group that wants privacy and convenience than for a solo visitor focused only on the cheapest snorkeling. If your main aim is to spend hours in the water, a less expensive shared boat may offer better value.

Leaving Duong Dong at 8:30 in the morning

Pickup begins at 8:30 a.m. from your hotel in Duong Dong town. An air-conditioned van takes you toward An Thoi Pier, with the transfer listed at about 45 minutes each way. Pickup from another area may be possible by request, but Duong Dong is the standard starting point.

That road transfer is useful because it removes one of the day’s minor headaches. You do not need to find the pier yourself or negotiate a separate ride before breakfast. It also means the outing is not a full-day commitment, leaving some time later for Phu Quoc.

The schedule is compact. Each island stop is listed at about one hour, followed by a return transfer from An Thoi. That gives you enough time to swim, snorkel, and sit on the beach, but not enough for a slow, unhurried stay at every island. I would think of this as a highlights tour, not a relaxed island stay.

Fingernail Island and the first swim

Fingernail Island, also called Hon Mong Tay, is one of the best-known stops in the An Thoi archipelago. It is part of Phu Quoc Marine Park and is known for a small beach, clear water, and a postcard-style island setting.

The one-hour stop gives you time to swim, snorkel, and sunbathe. The name refers to the island’s small size and shape, and the appeal is simple: a short boat ride brings you to a compact tropical shore with water close at hand.

The drawback is popularity. Famous islands rarely remain quiet for long, especially when several boat tours follow similar routes. If you want photographs or a calm swim, tell your guide early that avoiding the busiest areas is important to you. The tour information specifically notes that there is no private beach, though the guide aims to choose good times and reduce crowd pressure.

Do not expect the same conditions every day. Water clarity, wind, and boat traffic can affect the quality of a snorkeling stop. Fingernail may be your most scenic pause, but it may not be your best underwater stop.

Gam Ghi Island’s coral-lined water

Gam Ghi is another small island in the An Thoi group, with several beaches and coral around its shores. The stop lasts about an hour, making it a natural place for the main snorkeling portion of the morning.

I like this part of the route because Gam Ghi offers more than a quick photo stop. Its appeal comes from the combination of beach time and coral-lined water. You can use the supplied equipment to look for marine life, then return to shore for a swim or a rest.

The word coral should not make you expect a perfect reef every time. Snorkeling quality changes with weather, visibility, and the condition of the water. You may find good underwater views, but the experience is not presented as a specialist reef expedition. It is a general island trip with snorkeling built into the day.

The private setup helps here. If one person in your group wants to swim while another prefers to stay on the beach, the guide can make the hour work for both. On a shared boat, that kind of flexibility is harder to get.

May Rut Island for beach time and lunch

May Rut Island lies about 10 kilometers south of An Thoi Town. It is privately owned by a local family, and the stop is described as an all-around island visit, with time for beach relaxation, swimming, and food.

This is likely the easiest stop for slowing down. After the first two island visits, you can use the hour to dry off, sit on the sand, or enjoy the barbecue lunch. A vegetarian meal can be requested, but you should make that request in advance rather than assume it will be arranged on the day.

Lunch is an important part of the value here. The tour includes a barbecue meal, and bottled water is also supplied. That saves you from buying food at each stop, though personal expenses are not included. Bring money if you want anything beyond the provided meal and water.

The private ownership also means this is not the same as visiting an untouched beach. You are stopping at a managed island area, not a deserted strip of sand. That is not necessarily a flaw, but it helps set realistic expectations.

Hon Thom and the second snorkeling stop

The final island section takes place around Hon Thom, also known as Pineapple Island. The exact snorkeling location depends on the waves and sea conditions, with the guide choosing a suitable area before returning to the pier.

This flexible planning is sensible. A fixed snorkeling point can be a poor choice when wind or currents change. A guide who can select another location around Hon Thom may give you safer and clearer water than a rigid route would.

The plan calls for a second snorkeling stop of about one hour. By this stage, you will have already visited three islands, so this may be the most useful time to focus on the water. If snorkeling is your priority, tell the guide at the beginning of the trip. That makes it easier to protect enough time for this stop.

The tour is not designed for advanced snorkelers or dedicated marine-life photographers. It offers general access to the An Thoi waters, with equipment supplied and stops chosen for ordinary swimming and snorkeling. That suits families and mixed-interest groups better than people seeking a specialist underwater trip.

The boat question: private speedboat or larger craft

The title promises a private speed boat, and the package includes a private speed boat trip. However, one poor account described the vessel as a large passenger craft rather than a small speedboat and said it could only moor in deeper water.

That difference matters. A smaller boat usually feels more nimble and may get closer to shallow beaches. A larger craft can feel steadier, but it may require you to transfer through deeper water or use a more formal landing arrangement. The actual boat may vary, so I would confirm the vessel type with Truly Vietnam Travel if boat size is central to your decision.

The private booking still has value even if the craft is larger than expected. You are sharing the boat only with your own group, not with a full public tour. But do not pay the premium expecting a tiny racing boat unless the operator confirms that detail.

Crowds, timing, and the real island experience

The biggest practical warning is crowding. An Thoi’s islands are popular, and the route includes famous stops that appear on many boat schedules. One especially negative account described every island as busy, with large Chinese group boats filling the beaches and snorkeling areas.

That does not mean every departure will be crowded. Timing, weather, season, and the guide’s choices can change the day. The operator says it tries to select suitable times and avoid crowded groups, but there is no private beach and no promise of empty water.

This is another reason the private format helps, but it does not solve everything. A private guide can choose a better time or location, yet the boat still operates in a popular archipelago. If solitude is your main goal, this route may disappoint. If you mainly want to see several islands with your own group, it remains a sensible option.

The 4.8 rating from 49 ratings and 94 percent recommendation indicate that the overall experience works well for most bookings. I would treat those figures as evidence of strong general satisfaction, not a guarantee that every boat, sea condition, or crowd level will be ideal.

What the $168 price really buys

At $168 per person, you are paying for privacy, organization, and convenience more than for a rare or exclusive beach experience. The cost covers the private vehicle, private boat, English-speaking guide, equipment, water, lunch, and taxes. Those inclusions reduce the number of extra decisions you need to make.

The value improves if you are traveling with family or friends and can share the private arrangement among several people. It also suits visitors staying in Duong Dong who want hotel pickup rather than arranging transport to the southern pier.

The value is weaker for a budget-minded solo visitor or someone who does not care about private service. The route is short, and each island receives about one hour. You may find a shared excursion that costs less and follows a similar path.

I would also compare the price with your priorities. Pay for this tour if you want a controlled day with your own group, an English-speaking guide, and lunch already handled. Skip it if you want a small craft guaranteed to reach shallow beaches, long snorkeling sessions, or a quiet private island.

Who should book this An Thoi outing

This tour fits you best if:

• You want a private day rather than a shared boat.
• You are staying in Duong Dong and value hotel pickup.
• Your group includes swimmers, beach loungers, and casual snorkelers.
• You want several An Thoi islands in one compact outing.
• You prefer a package with lunch, water, gear, and transport included.

Families may appreciate the private vehicle and the ability to keep the schedule within their own group. Couples and small groups may also find the private format more comfortable than sitting with strangers all day.

I would be cautious if you need guaranteed calm water, a deserted beach, or a very small speedboat. The tour depends on the weather, and the islands can be busy. Good swimming ability is not listed as a requirement, and most people can participate, but you should still be comfortable around open water.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Poor weather can cancel the trip, in which case you are offered another date or a full refund. The same type of alternative or refund applies if the minimum number needed to operate is not met.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if privacy and easy planning are worth paying for. The combination of Duong Dong pickup, a private guide, four island stops, snorkeling equipment, barbecue lunch, and a flexible Hon Thom stop makes it a well-rounded Phu Quoc outing.

I would not book it blindly if the words speed boat and private beach are the main reasons you are interested. There is no private beach, and one account raised concerns about a larger-than-expected boat and crowded stops. Confirm the boat type, ask how the guide handles busy areas, and request a vegetarian lunch in advance if needed.

For most small groups, this is a convenient way to sample the An Thoi islands without arranging every detail yourself. Just treat it as a popular island-hopping day, not a deserted-island escape.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

Pickup begins at 8:30 a.m. from hotels in Duong Dong town. Pickup from another location may be possible upon request.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately four to six hours. The listed schedule includes about 45 minutes for each transfer and about one hour at each island stop.

Which islands does the tour visit?

The route includes Fingernail Island, Gam Ghi Island, May Rut Island, and Hon Thom Island.

Is hotel transportation included?

Yes. An air-conditioned van is included for the round trip from Duong Dong town to An Thoi Pier.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment is included in the tour price.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A barbecue lunch and bottled water are included. A vegetarian lunch can be requested.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. The car, guide, and boat are private for your group only.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The trip may be canceled in poor weather. You will be offered another date, another option, or a full refund.