Thanh An Island, the only island belonging to Ho Chi Minh City, is a hidden gem far from the city’s hustle and bustle. If you’re seeking a peaceful escape from the smog and daily grind, Thanh An is the ideal destination. It lacks luxurious resorts or professional tourist services, but it possesses the rustic, simple beauty of a coastal fishing village, along with the sincerity and hospitality of the local people. Let’s explore this special island with Discovery To Wonders and take note of the most detailed Thanh An Island travel tips!
Introducing Thanh An Island: Can Gio’s Hidden Gem
Thanh An Island, also known as Thanh An Commune, belongs to Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City. The island is located about 80km southeast of the city center, completely separated from the bustling urban pace. To reach here, you’ll embark on an exciting journey by both road and waterway, traversing the lush green Can Gio mangrove forest roads and river ferries.
What makes Thanh An Island special is its unspoiled, serene beauty, which is rare among islands near Saigon. It may not boast long stretches of white sand or turquoise waters, but it captivates visitors with its quiet village roads, shady green trees, and especially the peaceful life of the fishing villagers. Coming to Thanh An, you’ll immerse yourself in a tranquil space, enjoy the fresh air, and temporarily forget your daily worries.
Motorbike travel guide to Thanh An Island
Discovering Thanh An Island: Experiences and Activities
Thanh An Island doesn’t have many famous tourist attractions or bustling entertainment activities. However, it’s precisely this simplicity and rusticity that create the island’s unique appeal. When you come to Thanh An, you can enjoy these interesting experiences:
Strolling and exploring the island: Thanh An Island is quite small, and you can easily explore every corner of the island on foot. Take a leisurely walk along the village roads, admire the simple houses, lush green gardens, and feel the slow pace of life here.
Sea view from the stone embankment: One of the distinctive features of Thanh An Island is the long stone embankment surrounding the island. This is an ideal place for you to stroll, admire the vast sea, breathe in the fresh air, and take unique “check-in” photos.
Visiting Thanh An Market: Thanh An Market is the center of daily life and trading for the islanders. Coming to the market, you’ll immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere, discover local products, and enjoy rustic dishes.
Visiting Thanh An Church: Thanh An Church is a classic architectural structure, deeply imbued with the history and culture of the island. The church is not only a place of religious activity for the locals but also an attractive sightseeing spot for tourists.
Enjoying sunrise and sunset: Thanh An Island is one of the best places to watch sunrise and sunset in Can Gio. Wake up early to welcome the brilliant sunrise over the sea or find an ideal spot to watch the romantic sunset as dusk falls.
Thanh An Island Cuisine: Fresh and Delicious Seafood Flavors
When you come to Thanh An Island, you can’t miss the opportunity to enjoy fresh and delicious seafood, imbued with the flavors of the sea. Seafood here is caught directly from the sea, so it’s always fresh and reasonably priced. Some specialties you should try when visiting Thanh An:
Blood cockle porridge (Cháo sò huyết): A signature dish of Thanh An Island, blood cockle porridge is cooked with fresh blood cockles, fragrant rice, and spices, creating a rich, appealing flavor.
Grilled seafood: Grilled seafood dishes such as grilled shrimp, grilled squid, grilled octopus, grilled fish… are always top choices for visitors to coastal areas. Seafood in Thanh An is incredibly fresh, grilled to fragrant perfection, and delicious when dipped in salt, pepper, and lime.
Salted egg yolk roasted baby crab (Ghẹ sữa rang muối): Baby crab is a famous specialty of Can Gio. Salted egg yolk roasted baby crab is crispy, salty, and fragrant, a popular snack enjoyed by many.
Snacks: In addition to seafood, Thanh An Island also has many attractive snacks such as grilled rice paper, grilled eggs, skewers, ice cream, sweet soup (chè)… You can easily find these dishes at the market or roadside eateries.
Fresh seafood in Thanh An Island
You can enjoy seafood at local eateries on the island, or buy fresh seafood directly from fishermen and prepare it yourself or have eateries prepare it for you. Thanh An Market is also an ideal place for you to find delicious food and local specialties.
Getting to Thanh An Island
To get to Thanh An Island, you can choose to travel by motorbike or bus combined with a boat:
Traveling by motorbike:
- Starting from the center of Ho Chi Minh City: Follow Huynh Tan Phat Street (District 7) to Binh Khanh Ferry. The ferry ticket price is about VND 5,500/person and motorbike. The ferry operates from 5:00 AM.
- Across Binh Khanh Ferry: Continue along Rung Sac Street for about 50km to Can Thanh. Rung Sac Street has now been upgraded and repaired to be quite beautiful and easy to travel.
- Arrive at Can Thanh Wharf: Park your motorbike at parking lots near the wharf (daily parking fee is about VND 5,000, overnight parking is about VND 10,000).
- Take a boat to the island: From Can Thanh Wharf, buy a boat ticket to Thanh An Island. The boat trip takes about 30-45 minutes. The boat ticket price is about VND 20,000/person.
Traveling by bus:
- Bus route number 20: From Ben Thanh, take bus number 20 to Binh Khanh Ferry.
- Bus route number 90: After crossing Binh Khanh Ferry, continue taking bus number 90 to Can Thanh. You should tell the driver to stop at Thanh An Wharf.
- Bus route number 75: Alternatively, you can take bus number 75 from Ben Thanh directly to Can Thanh. However, this bus route has fewer trips and no subsidies.
Boat schedule to Thanh An Island (for reference):
- From Can Thanh to Thanh An: 6:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM.
- From Thanh An to Can Thanh: 6:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM.
Note that the boat schedule may change depending on the day and weather. You should arrive at the wharf about 20 minutes before departure time to ensure you catch the boat. If you are prone to motion sickness, you should take motion sickness medication before boarding the boat.
Thanh An Island Travel Itinerary
You can choose a 1-day or 2-day 1-night Thanh An Island travel itinerary depending on your time and preferences:
1-day itinerary:
- Morning:
- Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Thanh by motorbike or bus.
- Take a boat to Thanh An Island.
- Explore the island: stroll around, visit the market, church, and admire the sea view from the stone embankment.
- Noon:
- Have lunch and enjoy seafood at eateries on the island.
- Afternoon:
- Continue exploring the island or relax.
- Take a boat back to Can Thanh.
- Travel back to Ho Chi Minh City.
2-day 1-night itinerary:
- Day 1:
- Morning: travel to Thanh An Island as in the 1-day itinerary.
- Check into accommodation (if you need to stay overnight).
- Afternoon: free time to explore the island, watch the sunset over the sea.
- Evening: enjoy grilled seafood and local dishes.
- Day 2:
- Wake up early to watch the sunrise over the sea.
- Have breakfast and continue exploring the island or shop for souvenirs.
- Check out and take a boat back to Can Thanh.
- Visit Hang Duong Market to buy Can Gio seafood.
- Travel back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Discover the unspoiled beauty of Thanh An Island
Thanh An Island Travel Costs (for reference)
Travel costs to Thanh An Island are quite economical, suitable for many types of travelers. Below are some reference costs for a 2-day 1-night trip:
- Transportation:
- Gasoline, ferry, parking: Approximately VND 120,000/2 people.
- Round-trip boat tickets: Approximately VND 40,000/2 people.
- Food:
- Seafood: Approximately VND 330,000 (depending on your choices and number of dishes).
- Other food on the island: Approximately VND 250,000 (dinner, breakfast, snacks).
- Accommodation:
- Guesthouse on the island: Approximately VND 150,000/room/night (if staying overnight).
- Incidental expenses:
- Drinks, beach chairs, souvenirs…: Approximately VND 100,000.
Total: Approximately VND 500,000/person for a 2-day 1-night trip.
Note: The above costs are for reference only and may vary depending on individual needs and spending habits.
Important Notes When Traveling to Thanh An Island
To make your trip to Thanh An Island complete and meaningful, you should note a few things below:
- Ideal time to visit: You can visit Thanh An Island at any time of the year. However, the best weather is during the dry season (December to April), when it’s sunny and less prone to storms.
- Packing: You should bring comfortable clothes, easy-to-walk shoes, hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, motion sickness medication (if needed).
- Transportation on the island: Thanh An Island is quite small, you can walk or rent a bicycle to explore the island.
- Prices: Prices of services and goods on the island are quite affordable. You should ask for prices before buying or using services.
- Local culture: The people of Thanh An Island are very gentle and hospitable. Please respect the culture and customs of the local people.
- Environmental protection: Please maintain general hygiene, do not litter indiscriminately, and limit the use of plastic bags to protect the island’s marine environment.
Watching sunrise on Thanh An Island
Conclusion: Thanh An Island – An Ideal Weekend Getaway
Thanh An Island is a unique and interesting tourist destination, especially suitable for those who want to find peace and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. With its unspoiled beauty, fresh cuisine, and affordable costs, Thanh An Island promises to bring you memorable experiences during your weekends or short getaways. Pack your bags and explore this beautiful island right away!