Hon Thom Cable Car: Phu Quoc's Panoramic Sea Crossing

The Scale of the Crossing

The Hon Thom cable car spans nearly 8 kilometres of open water between the An Thoi area at the southern tip of Phu Quoc and Hon Thom island in the An Thoi archipelago. On its opening, it was certified by Guinness World Records as the world's longest non-stop three-cable gondola system. The cable car is operated by Sun Group and manufactured by Doppelmayr, an Austrian company that builds most of the world's technically demanding cable car installations. The crossing takes approximately 15 minutes, passes over or near two smaller islands — Hon Dua and Hon Roi — and reaches a maximum height over the water that gives a genuinely sweeping perspective on the archipelago.

To put the distance in context: 8 kilometres of cable over open sea means the mainland shore is visibly small behind you before you've reached the midpoint of the crossing. The islands below the cable are forested and uninhabited, and the water between them shifts color depending on depth — deep navy in the channels, pale turquoise over the sandbanks. On a clear morning, the view extends to the mainland coast of the Kien Giang province.

The Ride: What to Expect Inside the Cabin

The fleet consists of 69 cabins, each designed to carry up to 30 passengers with glazed panels on all four sides. The interior is functional rather than luxurious — bench seating along the sides, sufficient standing room, WiFi connectivity, and basic climate control. The experience is defined by the view rather than the cabin itself. Position yourself at the front or back of the cabin (aligned with the direction of travel) to get the clearest forward view of the approaching island or the receding Phu Quoc coastline. The sides offer sea views but miss the strongest compositional moments of the crossing.

Hon Thom Island: What's at the Other End

Hon Thom island is a small, largely forested island with a beach on its sheltered eastern side and a developed visitor area at the cable car terminus. The beach on Hon Thom is quieter than anything on the main island — it's accessible only by cable car or private boat, so the crowds are structurally limited. The water is calm and clear, and the setting is attractive: a small bay with forest on three sides and the cable car cables visible overhead.

Aquatopia Water Park occupies the developed section of the island near the cable car station. It's a large water park with a range of slides, pools, and wave features aimed primarily at families and groups. A separate admission ticket is required in addition to the cable car ticket. The combination of the cable car crossing, a few hours at the water park, and an afternoon on the island beach makes a full day without rushing.

Practical Notes

The cable car is operated by Sun Group and departs from Sunset Town in the An Thoi area, roughly 30–40 minutes south of Duong Dong by taxi or Grab. Operating hours run approximately 8am to 6:30pm with a midday break; check the current schedule on the official Sun World website before visiting as hours can change seasonally. Tickets are purchased at the station or online. The cable car occasionally suspends service in strong wind conditions, which is more frequent during the wet season — check before making a long drive south on weather-sensitive days. The Phu Quoc Prison and Sao Beach are both in the same southern zone and can be combined into a full southern day-trip from Duong Dong.

Worth the Trip from Duong Dong?

Yes, with the right expectations. The cable car crossing is the best view available of the An Thoi archipelago, and the combination of a 15-minute sea crossing with beach time on a genuinely quieter island is a strong day out. Visitors who drive 35 minutes south purely for the cable car and immediately return, without time at the beach or water park, tend to feel it was a long way for a short experience. Build a full southern day around it and it becomes one of the stronger dedicated excursions on the island.