Rach Gia

Rach Gia is the capital of the province of Kien Giang, in the Mekong delta region of Vietnam. For most tourists it is mainly of interest as a jumping-off point for trips to Phu Quoc island.

Get in

By bus

Buses and minibuses connect Rach Gia and Ha Tien (2½ hr, 50,000 dong), Hon Chong (2½ hr, 50,000 dong), Can Tho (3 hr), Long Xuyen (1½ hr), and Ho Chi Minh City (6 hr).

If you are taking a bus operated by FUTA bus, you also get an included shuttle bus to your hotel. Ask any bus staff with your hotel info for such arrangement.

From the Cambodian border, motos can be hired to Ha Tien, from where buses connect to Rach Gia. The green mini-buses of Mai Linh company are faster as they do not stop to collect passengers along the way. If these are full, the marginally-cheaper local bus also plies the route. It is best to wait for the bus in one of the cafes on the road leading out of the bus station, since the bus will crawl out of the bus station at the scheduled departure time, but take 10-15 minutes to reach the main road as it tries to drum up more passengers.

By plane

• 1 Rach Gia Airport (VKG  ^IATA). There are flights on Vietnam Airlines from Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh City (both under 1 hr).  

By boat

There are many hydrofoils or fast ferries operated by at least 3 companies to Phu Quoc.

Hydrofoils to Phu Quoc leave at as early as 7:00 in a frequency of about once an hour (different operators combined) till 15:00. The journey takes 2½-3 hours. There are lots of ticket offices near the port, or you may buy tickets from your hotel or online.

Hydrofoils to Ca Mau leave at 14:00 (110,000 dong) from the Rach Meo ferry terminal 2 km south of the town center.

Get around

There are motorbike taxis which will take you from the hotel to the bus station etc. There are some taxis as well. Most of them waiting in front of the market 300 m east from the bus station.

See

• Nguyễn Trung Trực temple- Visit the final resting place of Nguyễn Trung Trực, the fisherman who fought French colonial forces in the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam in the 1860s.

Nguyễn Trung Trực temple

• Tam Quan Gate
• Tam Bao Pagoda
• Phat Lon Pagoda - Khmer pagoda
• Kien Giang Museum

Eat

There are lots off street stalls, small restaurants and many cafés all over the town.

Sleep

• 1 Khach San Phuc Hung, 44-45 Lạc Hồng, Vĩnh Lạc, Rạch Giá, tỉnh Kiên Giang, Vietnam, ☏ +84 297 3943 356, khachsanphuchungkg2017@gmail.com. A nice place near the ocean. No views. Free WiFi with a free computer in the lobby as well. Rooms are nice, brand new and have a flat panel TV. Map is on the website. 350,000 dong for standard aircon double, 550,000 dong for VIP double. 
• Phuong Hong, 05 Tu Do - P. Vinh Thanh, +84 77 3878 777. Near Phu Quoc harbour. Rooms from US$12. New building but the rooms are rather hot. Free wifi with a free computer in the lobby. Rooms are clean, with fridge and TV.
• Lang Du Inn, 36 Nguyen Cong Tru Vinh Thanh, ☏ +84 77-863672. Check-out: 12:00. double room with own bathroom. 200,000 dong. (updated Feb 2017)

Go next

• Phu Quoc - is the obvious next stop, if that's not where you are coming from.

If you are likely taking a bus from Phuong Trang (FUTA bus), ask your hotel to call for a shuttle bus to the bus station. Otherwise just grab a motortaxi.

• Can Tho - Phuong Trang bus company (phone +84 77 3 691 691) connects Rach Gia to Can Tho (~every hour between 03:00 and 18:00, 125,000 dong, ~3 hr)
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - (Phuong Trang bus company; 9 a day between 07:30 and 12:00). Several bus companies make the journey with the option of a seated or sleeper bus.
• Ha Tien - Mai Linh Express provides regular buses to Ha Tien for 65,000 Dldong (ph: +84 77 392 92 92).