Hon Thom Cable Car

The cable car from An Thoi crosses roughly eight kilometres of sea to Hon Thom, one of the islands in the An Thoi group off southern Phu Quoc, and is among the longest over-water lines anywhere. The ride takes about fifteen minutes each way and passes low over a working fishing harbour, then out across the shallows and two intermediate islands, with wooden boats and fish rafts directly below. The water changes from brown near the harbour to clear turquoise further out. The far terminal serves a beach and amusement park complex, and tickets are sold as a bundle with it, but the view from the cabin is the part most people remember.

What you actually see

• The harbour crossing - the first span directly over An Thoi's fishing boats and rafts.
• Island hops - the two small islands the line crosses on the way out.
• Shallow water colour - the turquoise flats and reef patches visible from the cabin.
• Hon Thom beach - the sand and swimming area at the far terminal.

When to go

November to March is the dry season on Phu Quoc, with a calm sea and the clearest water; the southwest monsoon from June to September brings rain, wind and occasional suspension of the line. Ride early or late for softer light and shorter queues. Vietnamese holiday weeks fill both the cabins and the island park.

Honest expectations

The bundled ticket is expensive and the island park is most of what you are paying for, whether or not you want it. Cabins are hot and can hold ten or more people. The line stops in strong wind, sometimes leaving cabins hanging for several minutes. The far end is a built resort rather than a quiet island, with further charges for rides and loungers once you land.

Nearby

An Thoi harbour, the southern beaches of Phu Quoc and boat trips out to the An Thoi islands.