Hon Son Island Herping Tour: Full Package

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Hon Son Island Herping Tour: Full Package
Viet Herping / Islands · Hon Son · Option 1 · Full Package

Hon Son Island Herping Tour: Full Package

Hon Son Island herping tour: three days and two nights on an island off Rach Gia, with two night field sessions, a guaranteed Hon Son Pit Viper sighting and everything arranged door to door from Ho Chi Minh City.

Meet Your Expert Guide

Nguyễn Minh Phú

Nguyễn Minh Phú

Founder, Viet Herping · Co-founder, Viet Snake Rescuer

From

  • $301
per person · 8 guests

Group size

Check dates on WhatsApp or email contact@vietherping.com

30% deposit by Wise, balance in cash (VND) on day one. Reschedule up to 2 times free with 5 days' notice; deposit valid 6 months.

Questions before you book? WhatsApp +84 963 258 366 or email contact@vietherping.com. Returning guests get 5% off any tour.

Overview

The Hon Son Island herping tour is our flagship island trip: three days and two nights on Hon Son, off Rach Gia, with two night herping sessions, a hike to the island's highest point and a wildlife photography coaching session.

The Full Package is door to door from Ho Chi Minh City. Sleeper bus, high-speed ferry, a three-star hotel with a single room for each guest, eight meals, drinking water and motorbike transport on the island are all arranged by Viet Herping, and experienced herpetologist guides lead every field session.

Prefer to arrange your own travel and room? The Guide Only option runs the same field sessions. Want a single evening before you leave the mainland? The Ho Chi Minh City herping tour fits the night before departure.

Field conditions and difficulty

We rate this tour Moderate: two night sessions of up to five hours, a hike to the highest point on the island, and an overnight bus each way. Motorbikes are the main transport on Hon Son; there are no cars on the island. Field timing may shift with weather and seasonal activity, and if a session is delayed the field time is extended accordingly.

Safety and responsible herping

Venomous species are observed at the distance your guide sets. Any handling is offered, never assumed, and happens only under direct guide supervision. We do not bait, provision or move animals for photographs. Every tour carries a first aid kit and runs under a written emergency protocol.

How to book the Hon Son Island herping tour

To book the Hon Son Island herping tour, send us your preferred dates and group size on WhatsApp or by email at contact@vietherping.com. We reply with availability and the booking steps. 30% deposit by Wise, balance in cash (VND) on day one. Reschedule up to 2 times free with 5 days' notice; deposit valid 6 months. See the booking policy for the full terms.

Viet Herping logo, operator of the Hon Son Island herping tour

Want different dates, pace or target species? We build private trips around what you want to see and when you can travel.

Ask for a tailor-made trip

Highlighted Species

One animal defines this trip, and it is the one we guarantee.

Highlight species on this tour

Hon Son Pit Viper Trimeresurus honsonensis

Venomous Endemic Guaranteed

The pit viper endemic to this island and the reason herpers make the crossing. We guarantee you will see one alive and in the wild during the tour. Venomous: observed and photographed at the distance your guide sets.

Apart from the guaranteed Hon Son Pit Viper, wildlife sightings are seasonal and cannot be guaranteed. Every other reptile and amphibian recorded on your trip goes on the wildlife checklist you receive after the tour.

Trip Report & Destination

Field notes and photos from our Hon Son trips, written up after each one.

All trip reports →What each group recorded, with dates and photos.Trip reports Hon Son herping, Guide Only →The same field sessions; you arrange travel, room and meals. From $152.Option 2 Phu Quoc herping tour →One night by motorbike for island endemics.Phu Quoc Ho Chi Minh City herping tour →One evening before or after the island.HCMC
 

Viet Herping is run by field herpetologists who research and rescue Vietnam's snakes, and the same people lead you into the field. This trip is one Vietnam herping tour among several in southern Vietnam: compare every herping tour Vietnam has on our list by region, or ask us to build a tailor-made route. A portion of the revenue from each tour supports reptile conservation through Viet Snake Rescuer.

Ready to book? Send us your dates, your group size and the species you most want to see. We will confirm availability and tell you honestly what a night here produces at that time of year.

Message us on WhatsApp

Last updated: 2 October 2026 · Written by Nguyen Minh Phu, Founder of Viet Herping and Viet Snake Education, Co-founder of Viet Snake Rescuer.

Schedule

The programme below applies to both Hon Son options. Timing may shift with weather, ferry schedules and seasonal activity.

Day 0 · Overnight departure

  1. 23:00

    Meet in Ho Chi Minh City

    At the Western Bus Station.

  2. Overnight

    Sleeper bus to Rach Gia

    Overnight sleeper bus from Ho Chi Minh City.

Day 1 · Ferry, Ma Thien Lanh Peak, first night session

  1. Early morning

    Arrive in Rach Gia

    Regroup and receive a safety briefing.

  2. Morning

    High-speed ferry to Hon Son

    Local lunch and tour orientation on arrival.

  3. Afternoon

    Hike to Ma Thien Lanh Peak

    The highest point on Hon Son Island.

  4. 19:00 – 00:00

    Night herping session

    After dinner on the island. Overnight on Hon Son.

Day 2 · Island, photography coaching, second night session

  1. Morning

    Explore the island on foot

    Caves, viewpoints and varied habitats.

  2. Midday

    Wildlife photography coaching

    With a guide-photographer.

  3. Afternoon

    Beach downtime

    Optional scuba diving at additional cost; optional floating seafood raft, paid directly.

  4. 19:00 – 00:00

    Second night herping session

    After dinner on the island. Overnight on Hon Son.

Day 3 · Return

  1. Morning

    Breakfast and packing

    Departure preparation.

  2. ~12:00

    Ferry to Rach Gia

    From Hon Son Island.

  3. ~15:00

    Bus to Ho Chi Minh City

    From Rach Gia.

  4. ~21:00

    Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City

    Estimated arrival; end of programme.

Meals

8 meals Plus 6 litres of purified drinking water per guest. Raft meals, beer and soft drinks are extra.

Accommodation

2 nights · 3-star A clean single room for each guest, with hot water and air-conditioning.

Dietary needs

On request Tell us in advance about vegetarian requirements or food allergies.

Transfers

Included Round-trip sleeper bus and high-speed ferry; motorbike transport on the island.

Questions

Frequently asked

Price & Service

Hon Son Island herping tour price, Full Package (USD)

Prices are per person; the group total is shown for reference.
Group size Guides on tour Price per person Group total
1 guest 1 guide $400 $400
2 guests 1 guide $400 $800
3 guests 1 guide $330 $991
4 guests 2 guides $351 $1,403
5 guests 2 guides $334 $1,671
6 guests 2 guides $310 $1,859
7 guests 3 guides $310 $2,170
8 guests 3 guides $301 $2,408

More guides join as the group grows (1 to 3 guests: 1 guide · 4 to 6: 2 guides · 7 to 8: 3 guides), keeping a close guide-to-guest ratio for safety and field support. Final price confirmed at booking. Accommodation is one guest per single room throughout.

A 30% deposit by international transfer (Wise) secures your dates. The 70% balance is paid in cash in Vietnamese dong to your guide on the first day, at an exchange rate we confirm in writing four days before departure. The deposit is non-refundable but transferable: two-day and three-day tours can be moved up to two times free of charge with at least five days' notice, and the deposit stays valid for six months from your original date. Full terms: booking policy and cancellation and refund policy.

What is included

Included

  • Experienced herpetologist guides from Viet Herping, with field guidance and full tour support
  • 3-star hotel for 2 nights: single rooms with hot water and air-conditioning
  • Round-trip sleeper bus between Ho Chi Minh City and Rach Gia
  • Round-trip high-speed ferry between Rach Gia and Hon Son Island
  • Motorbike transport on Hon Son Island
  • 8 meals
  • Purified drinking water, 6 litres per guest
  • All permits and local access fees
  • Wildlife photography coaching session with a guide-photographer (Day 2)
  • Wildlife checklist after the tour

Not included

  • Food and drinks beyond the 8 included meals, including beer, soft drinks and floating seafood raft meals
  • Optional scuba diving
  • Personal expenses and optional tips
  • Any service not listed as included

Target Species Guarantee: Hon Son Pit Viper

Yes. We guarantee you will see a Hon Son Pit Viper (Trimeresurus honsonensis), the pit viper endemic to this island.

The guarantee is met when the animal is seen alive, in the wild, during the tour, by you or anyone in your group, and confirmed by your guide. If that does not happen, your next attempt is free: same tour, same guarantee, valid for six months, with no limit on attempts. The free attempt covers the guided session and what your original booking included; it does not cover accommodation or long-distance travel you need in order to return. Full terms are in our Target Species Guarantee policy.

The species is set by Viet Herping, not chosen by guests. For Hon Son, the long-distance travel that a free return attempt does not cover means the bus and ferry to the island, and your room.

Other Cat Tien options

If this one is not the fit

Phu Quoc Herping Tour: Private Night Session by Motorbike

Phu Quoc Herping Tour: Private Night Session by Motorbike

SCHEDULE

1 Night Session

PACKAGE

Guide + Transfer

LEVEL

Moderate

FROM

$108 /pax · 4–6

Phu Quoc herping tour: a private night field session on Phu Quoc Island, working forest trails and stream margins after dark, with one local field guide riding with each guest.

See more
Hon Son Herping: Guide Only

Hon Son Herping: Guide Only

Hon Son herping guide only: herpetologist guides, two night field sessions and a photography coaching session on Hon Son Island, for guests who arrange their own travel, room and meals.

See more