Getting to NovaWorld Phan Thiet from Ho Chi Minh City: Route & Cost Guide (2026)

Getting there · Travel guide

Under two hours from Ho Chi Minh City — but picking the right time is what matters

The expressway cuts the drive down to about two hours, so a weekend trip is now perfectly ordinary. The real question isn't how you travel, but when — the same route can take an extra hour if you leave at the wrong time.

Friday afternoon and Sunday midday are the two busiest windows, and that's exactly when everyone leaves. Shift by an hour or two and the whole trip feels lighter.

Four ways to travel, based on your group

Your own car

The most flexible option, and you have a vehicle once you arrive. Good for families with young kids or groups who want to detour to a fishing village or Ke Ga. Downside: you need to time your departure to avoid traffic.

A bus

Cheap, frequent, no driving required. But once you arrive you'll need transport — the internal shuttle inside the resort covers most of what visitors need.

Train

Smooth, no traffic to worry about, good for anyone prone to motion sickness. The trade-off is an extra leg from the station to the resort.

Chartering a vehicle for the group

For groups of seven or more, splitting the cost is usually cheaper than traveling separately, and it drops you right at the door. Also the simplest option for corporate groups.

Map of the expressway route from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet — The expressway cuts the drive down to about two hours — making a weekend trip perfectly ordinary. Photo: MH Travel image library

The best times to travel

Friday morning

The easiest window

Light traffic, you arrive in time to check in with the whole afternoon still ahead. An extra half day of vacation for the cost of one morning at work.

Friday afternoon

The busiest window

Everyone leaves at this time. If you have no choice, depart before 3pm or after 8pm.

Saturday morning

Workable, but you lose half a day

You arrive around midday, and by the time you check in the morning is already gone. A two-night trip starting this late really only gives you a day and a half.

Sunday midday, heading back

The busiest return window

Leaving early in the morning or late after dinner is both lighter. Leaving late means you get half a day of extra vacation time.

🕐

The most valuable tip for a two-night trip: leave Friday morning and return Sunday evening. Same number of nights, but you gain almost a full extra day compared to leaving Friday afternoon and returning Sunday midday — and traffic is lighter both ways.

Getting around once you've arrived

Inside the resort: a shuttle service connects the villa clusters to the amusement parks. Ask about the last run on the day you check in.
Heading to a fishing village or Ke Ga: you'll need your own transport. Ride-hailing apps often can't find a driver at the far end of the coast.
Renting a motorbike by the day: what many guests do — rent only for the day you plan to go further out, and use the shuttle the rest of the time.
Bring cash: most local eateries and the fish market don't take card or transfer.

Comparing the four options

Ranked by how much independence you have once you arrive.
Method	Best for	Trade-off
Your own car	Families with young kids, groups wanting to visit Ke Ga	Need to time departure around traffic, and the driver gets tired
Chartering a vehicle	Groups of seven or more, corporate groups	Needs to be booked well ahead
Bus	Smaller groups who won't need a vehicle on arrival	Need to plan the final leg into the resort
Train	Anyone prone to motion sickness, wanting a smoother ride	An extra leg from the station, and fewer departures

Three costs people often forget to budget

Theme park tickets. Usually the second-biggest expense after accommodation, yet many people only budget for the room and fuel.
Getting around inside the resort. Motorbike rental over several days adds up more than you'd expect.
Breakfast. In a villa with a kitchen this cost is nearly zero; at a hotel without breakfast included, it multiplies by headcount and number of days.

How long does it take from Ho Chi Minh City?

About two hours on the expressway if you travel at a light-traffic time. Friday afternoon and Sunday midday add significantly more.

What's the best time to leave?

Leaving Friday morning and returning Sunday evening is the easiest window, and it also gives you almost a full extra day compared to leaving Friday afternoon and returning Sunday midday.

Can I get around without my own vehicle?

Yes, if you're only staying inside the resort — the internal shuttle covers that. To visit a fishing village or Ke Ga, you'll need to rent transport.

What's the best way for a large group to travel?

For groups of seven or more, chartering a vehicle is usually cheaper per person than traveling separately, and it takes you straight to the door with no transfers.

Stay right inside the resort — no need to plan the trip back

MH Travel operates rental villas at NovaWorld Phan Thiet — whole-villa rentals with a kitchen, rates and availability exactly as shown in our booking system. We handle cleaning and check-in ourselves.

See available villas

Two ways to be part of NovaWorld Rent a villa by the night right inside the resort — a good fit for families and groups of friends: view villas for rent. Looking to own a villa outright? Our sister real-estate team Ai Van Real Estate (Vietnamese-language site) handles resale and transfers. Book directly, no middlemen.

💰 What driving costs — figured for a private car

The distance from Ho Chi Minh City to NovaWorld is about 200 km. By private car, a 400 km round trip:

Item	Calculation	Cost
HCMC – Long Thanh – Dau Giay toll	112,126 VND × round trip	224,252 VND
Dau Giay – Phan Thiet toll	128,700 VND × round trip	257,400 VND
Fuel	400 km × 8 L/100 km × 22,668 VND	725,376 VND
Total	—	≈ 1.21 million VND

The Dau Giay – Phan Thiet stretch started charging tolls on March 2, 2026: that alone adds more than 257,000 VND per round trip that wasn't there before.

That 1.21 million VND figure doesn't change whether there are four people in the car or seven — split four ways it's over 300,000 VND per person, split eight ways it's 151,000 VND. Traveling by bus, each person pays roughly 680,000 VND round trip.

Toll rates as currently posted; E10 RON 95 fuel priced at 22,668 VND/liter for the pricing period starting August 20, 2026. Fuel prices are revised every ten days.

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