Vung Tau – Why you should visit this perfect seaside getaway is my informative ode to this breezy slice of paradise in Vietnam. It draws on first-hand experience, having spent 6 months living and working there as a digital nomad. I will break down the variety of ways to enjoy your time there, including popular and lesser known attractions. I’ll even share with you my personal memories and artwork inspired by Vung Tau!
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Location
Firstly, Vung Tau is in Ba Ria Province. A port city and peninsula in the south of Vietnam, that projects into the South China Sea. It’s only about 125km from Ho Chi Minh City.
Getting there
The best and most cost effective way to get there from HCMC is by limo which takes about 2 hours. I definitely recommend this option. The limos are very comfortable and have AC. I personally would recommend Hoa Mai as a reliable service from my own experience. You can also call on the service of any one of these companies
Vung Tau: The Perfect Seaside Getaway
Ahhh, Vung Tau, a sandy haven to kick back and enjoy life’s sweet moments more. I came here the second time around in Vietnam, in an effort to escape the hedonism of another great port city, Haiphong.
Warm Moments
“Life is a short, warm moment” – Pink Floyd (‘Free Four’)
I keep finding myself wanting to stretch out more of this warm moment in Vung Tau. Whilst I love the lively city of Haiphong in the north and spent at least 3 years there; I longed for a temperate climate, a place where the pedestrian paths are wide, uncluttered by motorbikes and the pace of life is more chilled. Vung Tau offered all of the above. It offered more time for self-improvement, gaining perspective and a bucket and spade full of poetic sunsets.
I was burnt out and overweight following a few hectic years in the north and then a two month tour of the beautiful sub-continent India.
A Clean living space
Vung Tau is small. I could ride my motorbike around it’s entire perimeter in about 30 minutes max. I loved to do this. Just ride along the quiet roads, until I felt like parking up somewhere to enjoy the ambience. Maybe sit on the park bench under a coconut palm or find a seat at a roadside cafe and enjoy the ocean view. I sometimes walked the whole way around Vung Tau (it sounds crazy), yet this is an ideal part of Vietnam to go for a stroll or even a run. I ran every morning and evening here, except Sunday and got super fit.
Many of the big cities in this country, whilst being welcoming and fun, are not ideal for outdoor exercise. Usually the paths are an obstacle course of parked up Honda Air Blades and the like. Vung Tau is different. This is one cool reason why you should visit this perfect seaside getaway.
Now let’s explore some more reasons and let’s begin with the beaches!
Front Beach (Bai Truoc)
Front Beach sits between Big Mountain and Small Mountain, in the south-west of the city. It’s an ideal place to watch both sunrise and sunset. There’s also many hotels and entertainment sources running along the coast here. The beach is great for visiting at night, to enjoy food and drink. I loved to come here and sit on the promenade wall with a drink and relax, looking out at the ocean.
Many fishing boats are anchored along this stretch of coast, meaning the water isn’t as clean as other beaches in Vung Tau. So it’s not ideal for swimming. However, there’s other options for this.
Additionally, the little fishing boats, framed by the coconut palms are a really nice sight to look out at. They even inspired the artwork I made of Front Beach, Vung Tau! (see pic) Which you can purchase here.
Back Beach (Bai Sau)
Back Beach is one very popular choice for swimming. The sea is inviting here. Also some choose to surf, although Vung Tau isn’t renowned for it’s surfing. Being a novice to the sport, I actually had great fun bodysurfing here! Infact, it’s kitesurfing that Bai Sau is better known for. You can learn more on kitesurfing in Vung Tau here.
When you come here, one can simply lounge in the sun and enjoy the peace and quiet, as it never really gets too overcrowded. There are many street food stalls and restaurants nearby the beach too.
For more on the array of wonderful beaches in this area check this out.
Jesus Christ Statue
Up next is probably the most famous sight for travellers coming to Vung Tau, the Jesus Christ statue. Apparently it’s the biggest one in the whole of Asia. It stands with arms outstretched on Small Mountain, looking out toward the sea. The statue is 32m tall and work was completed on it in 1994. It’s very easy to find, obviously due to it’s size. Just ride along the sea road and you can’t miss it.
Bring a bottle of water, as there’s almost 1000 steps up into the hill to reach the impressive, white statue. You can then enter inside the figure of Christ and walk out onto one of his hands. The views are fantastic and it will make every step to get here worthwhile!
Entrance is free, you just pay a small cost for parking. The Jesus Christ statue looks out at Hon Ba Island, which is also another great place to visit during low tide.
Dine at David Pizzeria
No trip to Vung Tau would be complete without popping into David Pizzeria for either lunch or dinner. This Italian style restaurant make pizzas to die for! Pasta, steak and wine are also delightful here.
Address: 92 Ha Long Road
Open: 9.00-22.00 – 7 days a week
Vung Tau Lighthouse
In continuing with my list of attractions and reasons why you should visit Vung Tau is one of the oldest lighthouses in Vietnam. Built in 1907 by the French, this special piece of architecture sits on top of Small Mountain.
The powerful light can project 35 miles out at sea apparently, wow! From here you can get one of the best views of the city too.
A winding road will take you up to the lighthouse, either walk, drive or go by motorbike. The road starts a little further up from the hydrofoil pier and Lucy’s Sports bar and hotel. It’s just under 3km to the top and there’s a very small parking fee.
Chon Khong Zen Monastery (Monkey Pagoda)
This is another great reason why you should visit Vung Tau. This monastery contains the largest golden Buddha statue in Vietnam! It’s situated on the Big Mountain. The gardens are full of brightly coloured flowers and tidy bonsai trees. There’s even a fish pond. Everything is well-maintained here.
You’ll hear the wind chimes next to the main temple, clattering gently in the fresh sea breeze. The nickname of this holy place comes from the fact monkeys from the mountains come here to eat the food provided by visitors and volunteers of the temple. To feed the monkeys you should come here between 8.00 – 9:30am or 15.00 – 16.00 and buy some fruit from just outside the monastery.
Open: 4am – 12pm /14.00 – 21.00pm / 7 days a week
More things to do in Vung Tau
The perfect seaside getaway has many activities and points of interest. Come here if you want to go hiking in the hills, unwind on the golden sands or on the terrace of a cafe or restaurant, overlooking the sea. Enjoy the fresh seafood, which is excellent and very affordable here, then have an ice cream as you stroll along the promenade or sit on a deck chair.
Here’s a list of more ways to spend your time in Vung Tau:
- Shoot some pool at Lucy’s Sports Bar and Hotel, where the staff are very friendly. Just remember to respect the local culture. I have witnessed western tourists being quite rude to waiters/waitresses at times. For example, expecting the staff to understand that they wanted their eggs sunny side up and being quite angry that they didn’t understand. You’re in a foreign country!
- Spend an evening watching the dog racing at Lam Son Stadium
- Visit Ho May Park – great for kids!
- Take a trip along the coast to a neighbouring fishing village and enjoy some rest and relaxation at Ho Tram Beach Resort
- Try the local food of Ba Ria Banh Kot – a mini pancake topped with green onion, shrimps and coconut cream.
- Mingle with friends and expats over a cocktail or beer at Vung Tau Beach Club or rent a surf board and ride the waves.
- Have fun exploring and learning about local history in the Provincial Museum
Wrapping up
So to wrap things up, now you should be clear as to why you should visit Vung Tau – the perfect seaside getaway. There’s so much to keep you busy here and places just to completely chill. You can easily spend several days. Of course, I stayed 6 months! Whatever you choose to do, remember to travel for as long as you wish.
For more things to do in Southern Vietnam check this blog post I made.
And if you would like to see more of my artwork you can visit my online shop.
