Vung Tau, Vietnam: travel guide
Ho Chi Minh City's weekend beach escape — a peninsula 90 minutes south by speedboat. Two beaches, the Giant Christ statue, lighthouse viewpoints and excellent seafood restaurants make it a popular short-break destination.
- Country
- Vietnam
- Currency
- VND
- Time zone
- Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh
- Nearest airport
- SGN
Top places to visit in Vung Tau
Back Beach (Bãi Sau)
Beach · 4.2 rating · about 3 h
The main beach of Vung Tau — a 10 km arc of grey-white sand on the open South China Sea. Stronger waves popular for surfing; seafood restaurants and hammock bars line the shore.
Christ of Vung Tau Statue
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h
A 32-metre-tall white Christ statue on Nui Nho summit — arms span 18.4 m, wider than Rio's. Climb 847 steps inside the statue's arms for a 360-degree sea panorama. Built 1974–1993.
Front Beach (Bai Truoc)
Beach · 4.1 rating · about 2 h
The more serene of Vung Tau's two main beaches, curving around the western bay below the Christ Statue. Calmer water than Back Beach, popular with families and older Vietnamese visitors.
Con Dao Ferry Terminal / Ho May Cable Car
Nature · 4.2 rating · about 1.5 h · entry VND 100,000
The Ho May Cable Car system near Back Beach whisks visitors up to a hilltop entertainment park with spectacular sea views over all of Vung Tau and the surrounding bay. A short gondola ride with big coastal payoff.
Vung Tau Lighthouse (Bach Dang Lighthouse)
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · entry VND 10,000
A working French-built lighthouse (1862) atop Nho Mountain at 170 m elevation, offering the best 360° view of Vung Tau peninsula, the oil platforms offshore, and the river mouth. 155 steps to the lamp room.
White Palace (Bach Dinh)
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h · entry VND 50,000
A stunning hilltop French colonial villa built in 1898 as a summer retreat for Governor-General Paul Doumer. Later used by Vietnamese emperors and South Vietnamese presidents. Three floors of royal and colonial artifacts.
Whale Temple (Dinh Than Thang Tam)
Temple · about 0.5 h
Traditional communal temple housing whale-worship relics, a local fishing custom.
Things to do
- Vung Tau Christ Statue Hike & City Views Outdoor · 2 h
- Vung Tau Street Food & Fishing Village Tour Food · 3 h · from VND 248,000 per person
- Ho May Cable Car & Park Day Pass Sightseeing · 4 h · from VND 300,000 per person
- Bach Dinh (White Palace) Guided Tour Cultural · 1 h · from VND 15,000 per person
Where to stay in Vung Tau
- Front Beach / Bai Truoc about VND 1,200 per night
The calmer and more scenic of the two main beaches. The Christ Statue overlooks from the hill; the seafood restaurants along Quang Trung Street are the best in the city.
Hotels
- Pullman Vung Tau 5-star · VND 1,400,000 to VND 3,000,000 per night
- Fusion Suites Vung Tau 4-star · VND 900,000 to VND 1,900,000 per night
- The Imperial Hotel Vung Tau 4-star · VND 1,200,000 to VND 3,000,000 per night
- The Imperial Hotel & Resort Vung Tau 5-star · VND 1,600,000 to VND 3,600,000 per night
- Malibu Hotel Vung Tau 4-star · VND 800,000 to VND 1,700,000 per night
- Grand Hotel Vung Tau 4-star · VND 900,000 to VND 2,500,000 per night
Where to eat
- Ganh Hao Seafood Restaurant Vietnamese, Seafood · about VND 350,000 per person
- Long Vy Banh Khot vietnamese, street_food · about VND 80,000 per person
- Crab Market at Back Beach seafood, vietnamese · about VND 300,000 per person
- Tsunami Restaurant Vung Tau seafood, vietnamese · about VND 280,000 per person
- Natural Snail Restaurant seafood · about VND 80,000 per person
- Hoang Minh Stingray Hotpot seafood · about VND 80,000 per person
- Ocean Bay Restaurant seafood · about VND 300,000 per person
Getting around
- Motorbike Rental main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Best time to visit Vung Tau
- May 32°C · VIBST climate normal for May: 191 mm, 13.9 average rainy days (station Vung Tau). No sea axis added: no official dated marine advisory or seasonal ferry-closure schedule found for Vung Tau/Con Dao crossings.
- Jun 32°C · VIBST climate normal for June: 216 mm, 18.6 average rainy days (station Vung Tau).
- Jul 31°C · VIBST climate normal for July: 234 mm, 20.0 average rainy days (station Vung Tau).
- Aug 31°C · VIBST climate normal for August: 212 mm, 18.5 average rainy days (station Vung Tau).
- Sep 31°C · VIBST climate normal for September: 233 mm, 18.8 average rainy days (station Vung Tau).
- Oct 30°C · VIBST climate normal for October: 236 mm, 17.0 average rainy days (station Vung Tau).