01
Barefoot Luxury Islands
Private islands where the style is relaxed rather than formal. Wood, sand, linen and no shoes needed.
Explore Barefoot Luxury →Collection · Private Islands
Private Islands in Vietnam & Cambodia
Islands of their own in the Gulf of Thailand, the Gulf of Tonkin and off the southern coast, where the resort is the only thing on the shoreline.
Browse Private Islands by Destination
An Island of Your Own
The furthest you can get from anywhere else.
A private island is more than a quiet resort. It is a whole stretch of coast with nobody else on it. No other hotels, no public beach, no boats going past except your own. The resort is the only thing on the island, and the sea around it belongs to the guests.
This collection covers the private islands of Vietnam and Cambodia, where the resort genuinely occupies the greater part of an island of its own. Song Saa in Cambodia is the best known. Vietnam has fewer true private islands, but a handful of resorts on the quieter islands off the coast come very close. These are places for travellers who want privacy, distance and a sense of being far from everything.
Best For
Couples, honeymooners and travellers who want total privacy. Also for small groups, exclusive-use trips and anyone wanting to disappear for a few days.
What Makes a Private Island Stay?
Solitude, on every side.
These are the qualities shared by the best private island resorts in the region.
A Whole Island
The resort occupies the island itself. There is no other development on the shoreline.
No Other Guests
Even at full occupancy, the number of guests is small. You rarely see anyone outside meals.
Boat Only
Reached by boat from the mainland. There is no road, no bridge and no airport on the island itself.
Villas, Not Rooms
Accommodation is usually in detached villas, often with a private pool and a stretch of beach.
Reefs and Marine Life
The water around the island is usually protected, with coral reefs and good snorkelling close by.
Sunset Views
With open water on every side, the island gets the sunset and the sunrise. Every evening is dramatic.
Quiet Nights
No traffic, no bars, no music from another resort. The only sounds are the sea and the birds.
A Real Sense of Distance
Even from the nearest mainland town, a private island feels removed. That separation is the whole point.
Explore by Style
Private islands come in a few different forms.
Barefoot luxury, honeymoon hideaways, wellness-focused retreats and conservation-minded resorts each give a different kind of stay.
02
Honeymoon Islands
Private islands that suit couples on a honeymoon or a romantic escape. Villas, privacy and unforgettable sunsets.
Explore Honeymoon Islands →03
Wellness Island Retreats
Private islands with a strong wellness programme. Yoga, spa, light menus and plenty of quiet.
Explore Wellness Retreats →04
Conservation-Minded Islands
Private islands that are also marine or wildlife sanctuaries, with active reef and forest protection work.
Explore Conservation Islands →05
Diving & Marine Retreats
Private islands with house reefs, dive centres and easy access to some of the best underwater life in the region.
Explore Diving Retreats →06
Exclusive-Use Islands
Islands that can be booked in their entirety for a family group, a small wedding or a private celebration.
Explore Exclusive-Use Islands →Two Coasts
Where the private islands are.
Cambodia has the best-known private island in the region. Vietnam has quieter options on its own islands off the coast.
Cambodia
The Gulf of Thailand off Cambodia’s southern coast holds the region’s most celebrated private island resort. Warm water, coral reefs and easy boat access from Sihanoukville.
Explore Cambodian Islands →Vietnam
Vietnam has fewer true private islands, but a handful of quieter island resorts off Phu Quoc, Con Dao and the south-central coast come close to the same level of privacy.
Explore Vietnam Island Resorts →Featured Private Islands
A few we know well.
Islands where the resort is the only thing on the coastline. Each links through to the full hotel profile.
Song Saa Private Island
Koh Rong Archipelago · Cambodia
A small private island resort in the Gulf of Thailand, with villas over the water and on the beach. The reef around the island is protected as a marine reserve, and the resort runs its own conservation programme.
View Resort →Six Senses Con Dao
Con Dao · Vietnam
On a quiet island off the southern coast, with a long private beach and villas set between the sand and the forest. Not a private island in the strict sense, but the resort’s stretch of coast is entirely its own.
View Resort →Nam Nghi Resort
Phu Quoc · Vietnam
A quiet resort on the less developed eastern shore of Phu Quoc, with a private bay, coral reefs just offshore and no passing boat traffic. A gentler side of the island.
View Resort →An Lam Retreats Ninh Van Bay
Ninh Van Bay · Vietnam
A small bay retreat on a sheltered stretch of coast, with private pool villas set into the hillside. Reached only by boat, with no road access and no other hotels in view.
View Retreat →Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
Ninh Van Bay · Vietnam
Reached only by boat, on a bay north of Nha Trang. Villas on the sand and up among the rocks. No traffic, no noise, just the sea and the hills. One of the quietest coastal stays in Vietnam.
View Retreat →Related Collections
Private islands sit alongside other coastal collections.
Every sibling collection of Beach & Island Resorts is listed here, alongside the parent.
Beach & Island Resorts
All coastal resorts across Vietnam and Cambodia, including long beach, bay, island and boutique beach stays.
View Parent Collection →Long Beach Resorts
Big, well-run resorts on long stretches of sand at Phu Quoc, Nha Trang and Da Nang.
View Collection →Bay & Cove Retreats
Smaller resorts tucked into sheltered bays and rocky coves, where the sea is close and the hills come down to meet it.
View Collection →Boutique Beach Hotels
Small places with real character, where the design and the service matter as much as the sand.
View Collection →Wellness & Spa Retreats
Coastal resorts built around rest, with yoga, spa treatments and quiet pools.
View Collection →Family Beach Resorts
Beach resorts made for families, with kids’ clubs, shallow pools and space for everyone.
View Collection →More Than a Quiet Island
Notes that explain what the island is really like.
Private islands are not all the same. One might be a barefoot beach retreat, another a wellness sanctuary. Some have house reefs, others a working farm. Our notes make the difference clear before you book.
Explore Hotel ProfilesWhat we look at in private islands
- How much of the island the resort actually occupies
- How far the island is from the mainland, and how you arrive
- Number of villas, and how spread out they are
- Whether the island has a house reef, and how good the snorkelling is
- Where the water villas sit, and what they overlook
- Restaurant and bar options, and how much variety there is
- Spa, yoga and quiet spaces
- How the resort handles the wet season and boat transfers
- Whether the island suits couples, honeymooners or families
- How the stay fits the pace of the wider journey
For Travel Advisors & Agencies
Private islands are for a specific kind of trip.
Asia Travel Mates works with travel advisors, tour operators and agencies looking for reliable local knowledge on private island resorts in Vietnam and Cambodia.
We can help match your clients with the right island as part of a wider journey, and be honest about which properties suit couples, honeymooners, or families with older children.
Work With Asia Travel Mates
Local Knowledge
We know how private each island really is, and how you reach it.
Right Fit
Couples, honeymooners and small groups each suit a different island.
Private Journeys
Island stays woven into complete Vietnam and Cambodia itineraries.
Local Support
Our own team on the ground across the region.
For Hotels
Do you run a private island resort?
Asia Travel Mates works with private island resorts across Vietnam and Cambodia. If your property occupies an island of its own, with the shoreline entirely in the resort’s hands, we would like to hear about it.
We are especially interested in islands with a strong sense of place, whether that is barefoot luxury, wellness, conservation or total privacy.
Good to Know
Private islands. A few questions, answered.
What is a private island resort?
A private island resort is a hotel that occupies an entire island of its own, or the greater part of one. The resort is the only thing on the shoreline, so there is no public beach, no other hotels, and no boat traffic other than the resort’s own transfers and excursions.
Where are the private island resorts in Vietnam and Cambodia?
Cambodia has the best-known private island resort in the region at Song Saa, in the Gulf of Thailand. Vietnam has fewer true private islands, but Six Senses Con Dao, Nam Nghi on Phu Quoc and An Lam Retreats at Ninh Van Bay all offer similar levels of privacy on their own stretch of coast.
How do you reach a private island resort?
Private island resorts are reached by boat or by a combination of flight and boat. The transfer is usually arranged by the resort and can take anywhere from twenty minutes to a few hours, depending on the distance from the mainland.
Are private island resorts good for families?
Some are, and some are better suited to couples. Private islands tend to have fewer facilities and less structured activity for children, so they suit families with older children or teenagers. Younger children often prefer a long beach resort with more going on.
When is the best time to visit a private island in Southeast Asia?
The dry season is usually best. In the Gulf of Thailand, this is roughly from November to April. In the Gulf of Tonkin, the best months are usually from October to April. Sea conditions and boat transfers can be affected by the weather, so it is worth checking before you book.
Asia Travel Mates · Private Islands
Find an island that suits the trip.
Browse private island resorts by destination, or talk to our local team about which islands work best for your journey through Vietnam or Cambodia.
Explore Private Islands Talk to Our Team