Sunset Sanato Phu Quoc: Elephants, Tickets & Sunset Guide
Sunset Sanato Phu Quoc is famous for its long-legged elephants standing in the sea, surreal beach sculptures and west-coast sunsets. I reached it the long way: on foot along the beach from the Phu Quoc Marina side. The walk, the art and the route home ended up being as memorable as the sunset itself.
I visited in 2025. The story below is from that trip; the ticket and transport information reflects the October 2026 update.
Getting There: My Walk From Phu Quoc Marina
My first outings from the Marina started with the so-called “airplane beach.” I found it on a map — right beside a pearl farm, one of those shops where tour groups are taken. The beach itself was fine, but nothing special. What I remember are the palm trees leaning almost horizontally toward the sea.
In 2025, Bus No. 19 was free and passed this part of the island, and I used the VinBus app to follow its route. Since 1 January 2026, public VinBus route 19 has charged fares: 20,000 VND for shorter zone journeys and 50,000 VND for full-route journeys. The route still connects InterContinental Phu Quoc, the airport and Grand World, with a Sunset Sanato stop. Check the VinBus app for your stop and return journey. If you are exploring the island without a motorbike, I have a separate Phu Quoc without a scooter guide.
From Airplane Beach I kept walking toward Sunset Sanato. It was hot, and I regretted forgetting my swimsuit. The walk took me around 40 minutes through the sand, past several beach bars and clubs. This is how I happened to discover the place; if your aim is sunset photography rather than a long walk, taking a taxi to the entrance is much simpler.
At the time, I saw admission prices of 100,000–150,000 VND and tour groups arriving by bus to pay at the entrance. I approached from the beach, did not see a ticket booth and ended up inside without paying. That was an accidental part of my 2025 visit, not a reliable or recommended way to enter.
Where the Elephants and Beach Art Came From
Sunset Sanato is one of the most unusual photo spots on Phu Quoc because the art is part of the shoreline. Giant sculptures stand on the sand and above the water, becoming silhouettes as the sun drops behind them.
The beach’s art story is linked to Epizode, the electronic-music festival that arrived on Phu Quoc in late 2016. Epizode had roots in the Kazantip festival, and its production brought large-scale installations to the island. The Phu Quoc editions ran through the 2019–2020 season. Some of the art remained long after the festival moved on.
The elephants on impossibly long legs are the most recognizable installation, with a look that recalls Salvador Dalí’s surrealist imagery. There are also the wooden gateway, human figures suspended as if in flight, sculptural sea creatures and other strange shapes along the beach. The resort credits architect Nikita Marshunok with the Beach Club’s design.
A wooden boardwalk stretches toward the sea between wire jellyfish sculptures. Back on the beach, the split-face arch makes another distinctive frame for photographs. The long-legged elephants may be on every Phu Quoc postcard, but they are not the only reason to explore the shoreline. Like Kiss Bridge, the elephants have become one of the island’s recognizable photo motifs.
Sunset Sanato Tickets: What You Pay For
Allow around 100,000 VND per adult for a standard Beach Club entry ticket. That buys access to the beach-club grounds and the art-installation photo spots. Food, drinks and optional services are extra; do not assume a sunbed or water-park entry is included in a basic Beach Club pass.
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Come for the elephants. Stay for the sunset.
Access the beachfront art installations and sunset photo spots at Sunset Sanato.
Extra: food, drinks & optional services
Ticket details appear on Trip.com. Choose your date and check inclusions before checkout.
Trip.com lists a dedicated Sunset Sanato Beach Pass. Check the selected date, inclusions and cancellation rules before paying. If you prefer to pay at the entrance, go to the designated ticket gate rather than trying to replicate my walk-in experience.
Best Time for Photos: Arrive Before the Sunset Crowd
Aim to arrive around 4:00–4:30 PM if you want photos of several installations. You will have time to explore the pier and sculptures, choose your angles and wait for the light to soften before the most popular sunset period.
As the sun lowers, the elephants become striking silhouettes against the water. Music comes from the bar, people gather along the beach and the art changes character with the light. Clouds can obscure the sun itself, but the shapes still make interesting photographs.
If you are coming only for a quiet, natural beach and a swim, this would not be my first choice. The art and the atmosphere are the reason I would pay to visit. For a broader selection of places to watch the sunset, see my best sunset spots in Phu Quoc.
After Sunset: Through Sonasea and Back to Marina
After the sunset, I continued walking along the tidy, lamp-lit promenade. The Sonasea area begins there, with restaurants, cafés, a night market and places to wander. From that part of the coast I walked roughly another 20 minutes back toward the Marina.
It was a long afternoon for a few photographs — especially without my swimsuit — but it turned into one of those little Phu Quoc walks I remember clearly. If you are staying in this area longer, I have written about life around Phu Quoc Marina, too.
