[citation needed] The name "Hà Tiên" is derived from the Sino-Vietnamese word: 河僊 or 河仙, meaning "river spirit".

Ptolemy's Geography identified a town there[citation needed] as Akadra and that it was the port for the Cambodian district of Pithonobaste - Banteay Meas, all this being part of the Kingdom of Funan.

The local capital of this district, also called Banteay Meas, was not on the coast, but located about a day's journey up the Giang-thành river.

It was through this port that Buddhism is said to have reached Cambodia, brought there by chance when a ship carrying Buddhaghosa was blown there by a storm in 415 AD.

It was variously spelled as Panday-mas (Khmer), Ponteamass (English), Phutthaimat (Thai: พุทไธมาศ) or Banthaimat (Thai: บันทายมาศ), Ponthiamas or Pontheaymas (French), Pontiano (Robert's Map, 1751), Panthai-mas, Bantaimas, Pontiamas, Pontaimas, Bantay-mas, Banteay M’eas, Pontiamas, Pontiamasse, Po-taimat, and infinite other variations.

[6] Buses connect Hà Tiên to the provincial capital Rạch Giá and many other towns in the Mekong Delta, including Châu Đốc, Can Tho, Ca Mau, Vung Tau and Saigon.

In the high (dry) season they run more frequently, with up to 3 fast boats (Superdong) each making up to 3 crossings every day.