With children, the useful question on Phu Quoc is not which trip is prettiest but which one will actually take them, and at what price. The operators here are unusually precise about it: they publish a minimum age, a height threshold, a swimming requirement and a child fare — and the four do not always point the same way.
Four is the youngest published age for snorkelling; ten is the youngest for a dive. Between those two numbers a child is a snorkeller, and the price depends on age and height together.
From what age do they take children snorkelling?
OnBird's small-group snorkelling in the south takes guests from four years old and says so in the equipment list: anti-fog masks, soft-mouthpiece snorkels and open-heel fins are stocked for guests of all ages starting from four.
The adult price is 1,380,000 VND (about $53) per person; children from 4 to 14 who can swim and are under 155 cm are charged 75 per cent of it, and from 15 years or from 155 cm a child pays as an adult. The group is capped at eight to ten guests.
Flipper Diving Club states there is no age limit on its snorkelling and that even non-swimmers can take part, with a life vest provided; the trip is 900,000 VND (about $35) per person to the north or the south. Phu Quoc Diving Club describes its $40 snorkelling day as safe, easy and fun for all ages and perfect for non-divers and families, without publishing a numeric threshold.
The opposite case exists as well, and it is worth knowing before you book: Kimie's group snorkelling in the south requires every member of the group to know how to swim. That is a requirement about the whole group, not just the child.
The private family boat
OnBird's kid-friendly family snorkelling runs on a private speedboat from 6,600,000 VND (about $254) for two guests, with the grid at 7,200,000 VND (about $277) for three, 8,100,000 VND (about $312) for four and 8,900,000 VND (about $342) for five — a per-boat price, so the second adult adds far less than the first pays.
The trip lasts five to six hours and includes hotel pick-up and drop-off, the private boat, an English-speaking underwater instructor, snorkelling gear and flotation devices for parents and for children from four years old, and an icebox with water, drinks and fruit. Children aged 10 to 14 under 155 cm are charged 800,000 VND (about $31) per child; from 15 years, or above 155 cm, they count as adults.
Two things make the private format worth its money with small children: the boat leaves when your family is ready rather than when eight strangers are, and the instructor is in the water with the group rather than watching from the deck.
What the child fares look like
| Operator | Adult | Child | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| OnBird, small group | 1,380,000 VND (about $53) | 75% of adult | 4–14, able to swim, under 155 cm |
| OnBird, picnic and sunset BBQ | 1,380,000 VND (about $53) | 80% of adult | 4–12, able to swim, under 155 cm |
| OnBird, private family boat | from 6,600,000 VND (about $254) per boat | 800,000 VND (about $31) per child | 10–14, under 155 cm |
| John's Tours, three islands | 32 USD/pax | 22 USD/pax · free under 4 | child fare 4–9; adult from 10 |
| Les Rives, catamaran speedboat | 3,799,000 VND (about $146) | 2,799,000 VND (about $108) · infant 0–3 free | child 4–12; under 12 must be accompanied |
John's Tours prices its three-island snorkelling day at 32 USD per pax for adults from ten years, 22 USD for children aged 4 to 9 and free for under-fours, with one caveat that matters in the water: fins are not available in children's sizes. Les Rives charges 3,799,000 VND (about $146) for an adult and 2,799,000 VND (about $108) for a child aged 4 to 12, free for infants under three, and states that children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
When can a child dive?
Not before ten, anywhere that publishes a rule. Flipper Diving Club quotes the requirement in full: to sign up for a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience you must be at least 10 years old, no prior experience is needed but you should be in reasonable physical health. OnBird states it plainly on its Discovery Scuba page: children under 10 are not permitted to participate.
For a ten-year-old who is ready, the first dive costs the same as for an adult — $100 per person for two dives at Vietnam Active, at Phu Quoc Diving Club and at Ecodive, 2,150,000 VND (about $83) per person in OnBird's small group. There is no children's discount on diving on this island.
What is not published
One programme leaves the family question open. Red River Tours sells its seawalk at 1,350,000 VND (about $52) for an adult ticket, and for children the price table says only that the physical requirements are specific and that you should contact them. If your plan depends on a child walking the seabed, settle that before you build the day around it.
Frequently asked
Does the child have to be able to swim?
It depends on the operator.
- OnBird's child fares apply to children who can swim.
- Flipper Diving Club takes non-swimmers with a vest.
- Kimie's requires the whole group to swim.
- Phu Quoc Diving Club describes its trip as suitable for non-divers and families without setting a swimming test.
Is there gear in children's sizes?
At OnBird, yes — it lists masks, snorkels and open-heel fins for children from four, sanitised between uses, on both the small-group and the private family trips. John's Tours states the opposite for its island boats: fins are not available in children's sizes.
Which month is easiest with children?
The dry season, November to April, with the peak from December to February. That is when both sides of the island are open and the sea is calmest — and OnBird's picnic and sunset BBQ trip, one of the family-friendly formats, is itself only available from October to May.
Who should not go?
OnBird advises against participation for guests with high blood pressure, heart conditions, epilepsy or severe asthma, as well as pregnant women and guests over 65. That applies to the adults in the party as much as to the children.
Updated 4 September 2026. Ages, height thresholds and child fares are quoted from the operators' own published pages.
