Day Trip to Can Gio: Worth it or Skip it?

You have a day free and are wondering where to spend your precious day? Why not try a day trip to Can Gio? Although Can Gio is not a famous destination when mentioning Ho Chi Minh City travel, it is still worth it to have a day trip to Can Gio. In this guide, we will tell you why.

How to Get to Can Gio for a Day Trip

Can Gio is just about 50 km away from Ho Chi Minh City's center, so it is a good idea to have a day trip to Can Gio if you want a short trip to stuff in your busy schedule. There are many transportations to go to Can Gio since it is relatively near. The two popular ways are by bus and by motorbike.

By bus

From the city center, you can get bus no. 20 or 75 to get to Binh Khanh Ferry. Then you take the ferry to Can Gio District and continue to get another bus to Can Gio Beach.

By motorbike

the journey of going by motorbike is very simple. You go straight on Huynh Tan Phat Street to Binh Khanh Ferry. Then, you take the ferry to reach Can Gio and continue your journey to Sac Forest (Rung Sac). The road is about 40 km long. Finally, you will reach Can Thanh Town, which is the center of Can Gio District, and Can Gio beach. But you will have to know the precautions for driving a motorbike in Vietnam.

What to Do in a Day Trip to Can Gio

Vam Sat Ecopark

Location: Tieu khu 15A, Ly Nhon Ward, Can Gio District
Touring price:
VND 310,000 - VND 925,000/stream package (depends on group size)
VND 75,000 - VND 280,000/on-land package (depends on group size)

Vam Sat Ecopark was established in 1979 thanks to a campaign to re-grow the trees. Until 1999, Vam Sat Ecopark was under the management of Phu Tho Tourist to do tourism activities. Since then, Vam Sat Ecopark has attracted thousands of tourists every year. In Vam Sat Ecopark, you will have a chance to explore the forest on a boat. The guide will take you through the forest and introduce you to different species of trees and animals living there. This will definitely engage nature lovers who are interested in ecotourism.

Vam Sat Ecopark

Monkey Island

Location: Rung Sac, Long Hoa Ward, Can Gio District
Entrance fee: VND 35,000/person

Monkey Island is the habitat of more than 2,000 monkeys that are wild but quite familiar with human beings. When visiting Monkey Island, you will have a chance to witness the daily life of monkeys including how they eat, how they sleep and how they beg you for food and gifts as well. Some monkeys there are very nice while some are very naughty. You should mind your belongings when playing with the monkeys. Otherwise, they will get your stuff right away.

Monkey Island

30/4 Beach

Location: Long Hoa Ward, Can Gio District

30/4 beach is the only beach located in Ho Chi Minh City. It is recognized as a green oasis of the city which attracts many citizens coming there for vacation on the weekend. Since it is not so far from the city, it is the ideal place for escaping the noise and the busy of the city to have a picnic. What special at 30/4 beach is that the sand here is black. This color is because of the particular geographical condition there, not because it is polluted. Therefore, you needn’t worry about this when playing on the beach.

30/4 beach in Can Gio

Hang Duong Market

Location: Thanh Thoi, Long Hoa, Can Gio

Hang Duong Market is where the locals gather all the seafood they fish and sell them super fresh and cheap. You can have a walk around the market to see all the ingredients you could find and then pick some of your favorite ones and ask the seller to cook them for you. 30/4 beach located nearby will wait for you with a sandy and breezy beach to enjoy delicious seafood with your friends and family. The price is about VND 100,000/kg (depends on the types of seafood and the season).

Hang Duong Market

Hon Ngoc Phuong Nam Resort

Location: 1227/65 Duyen Hai, Long Hoa Ward, Can Gio District
Room price: From VND 340,000/room (depends on room types and inclusions)

If you want to spend more time in Can Gio and are looking for accommodation and a place for a relaxed weekend, Hon Ngoc Phuong Nam Resort would be a good choice. This is a 3-star resort with multiple services and aims at delivering to customers the spirit of Vietnam via decorations, furniture as well as cuisine. You will have a great time here with activities like swimming and cycling.

A view from the bridge in Hon Ngoc Phuong Nam Resort

Why You Should and Should Not Take a Day Trip to Can Gio

Although there is a huge potential of ecotourism in Can Gio, it is not exploited in an appropriate way. The tourism service there is not well-developed and well-maintained which may cause many inconveniences and disappointment for some visitors. Besides, the color of the sand on the beach sometimes hampers people from fully enjoy the sea.

Look for quality hotels below:

However, Can Gio is actually a part of Ho Chi Minh City and not far away from the city center. Therefore, you can always have a day trip to Can Gio whenever you are free. It is also very easy to reach Can Gio by bus or by motorbike as mentioned above. Moreover, Can Gio offers you various places to visit. Besides the destinations has been mentioned, there are still many other cultural sites, such as Ca Ong Temple (temple to worship big fish like the whale, who is believed to be a god of the sea).

Some Thoughts on Day Trip to Can Gio: Worth it or Skip it?

A day trip to Can Gio can be as enjoyable as any trip to other well-known tourist attractions for a picnic or outing, off the city center. There are beaches, cultural sight, ecotourism and also delicious seafood there. Even though the tourism services is not well-developed, if you haven't visited the place, give it a try if you look for something unconventional in a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Don't expect too much though, as you might be disappointed.