Ha Tien travel guide: caves, Mui Nai beach and the boat to Phu Quoc

Why stop in Ha Tien instead of rushing to the boat

Ha Tien sits at the far western edge of the Mekong Delta, where the flat rice country meets the Gulf of Thailand and a scatter of limestone hills. Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) describes a coastline of about 22 kilometres and a town that grew from a near-empty frontier in the 17th century into a busy commercial port in the 18th, after Mac Cuu settled here and offered the land to the Nguyen lords. The mix of Chinese, Khmer and Vietnamese heritage is still visible in its temples, its food and the Cambodian-style dishes sold near the border.

The town is split in two by the Dong Ho lagoon. On one side are the old centre and the Mac family tombs on Binh San hill; across the water lies To Chau, where the passenger port for the Phu Quoc boats now is. Since the July 2025 reorganisation, the former Kien Giang province is part of An Giang, and the old centre is now Ha Tien ward — you may see both names on signs and maps.

A day trip does not work well here: Ha Tien is about two hours from Rach Gia by road, according to VNAT, and further from anywhere else. Arrive in the afternoon, walk the waterfront, and give the following morning to the tombs and caves before moving on. If you are heading to Phu Quoc, an overnight in Ha Tien also means an unhurried morning boat rather than a pre-dawn transfer.

The Mac family tombs, Chieu Anh Cac and the old town

Start at the Mac Cuu tombs at the foot of Binh San hill, a short walk from the centre. VNAT describes a temple to the Mac family and more than 60 old tombs of family members and loyal officials, laid out in four areas under tall trees. Mac Cuu's own tomb is the highest, set into the hillside and facing the sea, guarded by two stone generals. In front of the temple are lotus ponds that Mac Cuu built to store fresh water for the dry season. Come early, before the heat, when the grounds are at their quietest.

Under Mac Cuu (1655–1735) and seven generations of his family, VNAT writes, Ha Tien became one of the most important trading places in the country, and it also earned a name as a land of letters through the Chieu Anh Cac poetry society. A pavilion of that name stands by the tombs, and the square named after it is the centre of town today. VNAT notes that the anniversary of Mac Cuu's death is marked on the 27th day of the fifth lunar month, usually in May or June; in 2025 the town held a tourism and food festival on Chieu Anh Cac Square around the date. A ten-metre statue of Mac Cuu stands near the To Chau Bridge.

Nearby, Phu Dung pagoda is worth a look for its architecture, VNAT suggests, and Tam Bao pagoda is the setting of one of the "ten scenes of Ha Tien" celebrated by the Chieu Anh Cac poets — the dawn bell of the temple. These are active places of worship: dress modestly, take off your shoes where others do, and keep your voice down.

Thach Dong and Mui Nai

Thach Dong, a limestone outcrop a few kilometres from the centre, is another of the ten scenes — "Thach Dong swallowing the clouds". VNAT describes a hill with a Buddhist pagoda built into it, a shrine to Ba Chua Xu, stalactites, and views over Ha Tien from its flanks; one of its articles dates the wooden Tien Son pagoda inside to 1790. VNAT also warns that some of the small, dark side grottos should not be entered. Wear shoes with grip, carry water and a torch, and go in the morning or late afternoon rather than at midday.

Mui Nai, about five kilometres from the centre by VNAT's count, is Ha Tien's beach: a curve of sand under green headlands, which VNAT praises for its gentle waves. VNAT has called it the most beautiful beach in the former Kien Giang province, and the town has invested heavily in laying white sand at Mui Nai and the neighbouring Bai No. Most visitors are Vietnamese families, and national holidays bring big crowds.

Above the beach, VNAT describes a forest track up Ta Ban hill with a small mountain-coaster ride, and a lookout tower at the top from which you can see Phu Quoc and the nearby islands on a clear day. Check locally what is running before you go; fares and opening times were not published on any official page we could find. Sunset at Mui Nai, followed by grilled seafood, is the easiest good evening in Ha Tien.

The Dong Ho lagoon, the islands and Hon Phu Tu

The Dong Ho lagoon, which VNAT puts at nearly 1,400 hectares, lies between the old town and To Chau, framed by To Chau and Ngu Ho hills. "Dong Ho reflecting the moon" is one of the ten scenes, and the lagoon is at its most beautiful on a full-moon night.

Offshore, the Hai Tac (Pirate) archipelago of more than a dozen small islands is about 30 minutes from Ha Tien by speedboat, according to VNAT. It is still largely a fishing community, with cage fish farms, simple homestays and a few beaches; VNAT notes that tourism services are not yet fully developed. Treat it as a day trip unless you are happy with very basic lodging, and check the weather — the sea crossing is exposed in the rainy season.

Further along the coast in neighbouring Kien Luong, the cave pagoda of Chua Hang and the rock islet of Hon Phu Tu ("father and son") are a classic half-day trip. Go with the right expectation: the taller "father" column of Hon Phu Tu collapsed into the sea in August 2006, and only the "son" still stands.

Getting there: the Phu Quoc boat, the road and the border

The main reason many people come is the fast boat to Phu Quoc. VNAT puts the crossing at about an hour; other estimates are closer to 80–90 minutes depending on the sea. Phu Quoc Express, one of the operators, says its boats leave from the new Ha Tien passenger port on Kim Du Street in To Chau and arrive at Bai Vong port on the island's east coast, which it puts about 7 km from Phu Quoc airport and 12 km from Duong Dong. When we checked on 2026-10-03, the operator asked passengers to be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure, to carry ID (a passport for foreign travellers), and noted that the car ferry from Thanh Thoi uses a different pier. Departure times vary with the season and the weather, so check them on the operator's booking page the day before.

By road, VNAT puts Rach Gia about two hours away on National Highway 80, with onward roads to Chau Doc, Long Xuyen and Can Tho. Ha Tien is about 75 km from Chau Doc, which makes the two a natural pair on a western delta route: Chau Doc first, then Ha Tien, then the boat to Phu Quoc.

Ha Tien is also a border town. When we checked on 2026-10-03, VNAT's list of international border gates open to e-visa holders included the Ha Tien international border gate (listed under its former Kien Giang name). Border rules change; confirm the current list on Vietnam's official e-visa portal and the entry rules for Cambodia before planning a crossing. Even if you do not cross, VNAT suggests the area near Xa Xia border gate, nearly 10 km from town, for a bowl of Cambodian-style noodle soup.

A workable one- or two-night plan

This is an editorial suggestion, not a timetable. Confirm boat departures with the operator the day before.

• Day 1 — Arrive: check in near Chieu Anh Cac Square, walk the waterfront at sunset, seafood or bánh canh ghẹ for dinner.
• Day 2 — Tombs, caves and beach: Mac Cuu tombs early, Phu Dung pagoda, then Thach Dong before the midday heat; lunch, a rest, and Mui Nai for the late afternoon and sunset.
• Day 3 — Onward or offshore: a morning fast boat to Phu Quoc, a road trip to Chau Doc, or a speedboat day to the Hai Tac islands if you are staying a second night.