Vung Tau, Vietnam - what a vacation here, photo

Vung Tau (Vietnam) is a large city, settled in the southern part of the country, on the shores of the South China Sea. Vung Tau, which is 125 km distant from Ho Chi Minh City, is inhabited by about 300,000 people.

Vung Tau is Vietnam's large-scale commercial and industrial hub. In this city there are workshops in which branded things are produced that go to our stores, and oil drilling rigs are located nearby in the sea, where oil production works take place.

Vung Tau City, Vietnam

Oil production has made Vung Tau one of the richest settlements in Vietnam: there are quite expensive restaurants, many private mansions, good roads, equipped parks.

There is also a Russian-Vietnamese company Vietsovpetro in Vung Tau, where many oil workers from the CIS countries work, which caused the creation of a whole microdistrict in the city with infrastructure organized specially for these people. On the territory of the district there is a Russian school, shops with goods from Russia. But this part of Vung Tau looks rather unattractive: standard Soviet high-rise buildings with small and not quite clean courtyards.

Vung Tau is not only an industrial city, but also a famous resort in Vietnam with a fairly good infrastructure for recreation. In its coastal zone there are many villas in which elite representatives used to live, and which were later converted into restaurants and hotels.

City beaches

Vung Tau is a pretty nice city. But before choosing its beaches for relaxation, pay attention to the following features:

the city stands in the delta of the Mekong River, which flows into the sea near the most urban beaches - in them it blows a lot of dirt;
oil drilling platforms are located nearby, and this does not improve the landscape at all;
on the local beaches there are constantly strong waves and too noticeable ebbs.

However, tourists from Vietnam often come to the resort of Vung Tau for a beach holiday. Europeans living here or coming on vacation swim in the pools near the beach clubs, and at sea they do surfing and kitesurfing. This resort has a lot of kite and surfing sites.

Front Beach

The most popular in Vung Tau is Front Beach, which is very close to the city center. The beach cannot be called clean; fishermen always gather here on their boats. Also be prepared to meet rats on this beach. Sun beds and umbrellas are not here.

But along the coast there is a small beautiful park, along the alleys of which you can walk, hiding in the shade of trees from the scorching sun.

Back Beach

"Back Beach" is located on the other side of the cape - it stretches for several kilometers from the Small Mountain to Paradise Park. It is very prone to low tide, and in winter the waves here are very large. However, this is the only beach in this resort that meets European standards. Entrance to its territory is free, but for sunbeds and umbrellas you need to pay 50-100 thousand dong per day.
The most comfortable part of the beach is near the Imperial Hotel. Nearby there are 3 cafes where you can eat deliciously and inexpensively, and you can also get food directly to the beach.

There are other, less popular beaches in Vung Tau:

Pineapple, located in the west of the peninsula;
Medium, stretching parallel to Hạ Long Street at Small Mountain;
Quite a small beach "In the Valley" with rocky shores.

What to see in Vung Tau

In addition to the usual pagodas and temples that are present in all the settlements of Vietnam, there are sights in Vung Tau that cannot be missed. For example, a huge statue of Jesus and a magnificent lighthouse. If you want to see something very unusual, you can go to the Robert Taylor Museum of World Weapons or visit the dog races at Lam Son Stadium.

Statue of jesus christ

It is the 32-meter high statue of Jesus Christ that is the most significant city attraction in Vung Tau. The statue is located in the southern outskirts of the city on Mount Nuino (760 m above sea level). Year of construction - 1974.

To get inside the sights and visit one of the viewing platforms (there are 2 of them), equipped on its shoulders, you need to overcome a rather difficult path. First, there are 811 steps that lead to the mountain, and then 129 steps along a spiral staircase inside the statue itself. Be sure to bring a bottle of water with you, while lifting it will definitely be needed

From the observation platforms of the sights, the whole of Vung Tau is visible! But the platforms are small, at the same time 3-4 people can fit, so on weekends when there are especially many people, queues are possible.

Where to find: 01, Thành phố Vũng Tầu, Bà Rịa - Vung Tau, Vietnam.
You can come to the mountain on any day of the week from 6:30 to 17:00. Climbing the observation balconies is possible from 7:30 to 16:30 (Friday to 16:00), a break from 11:30 to 13:30. In bad weather conditions (strong wind, rain) climb to the statue is prohibited.
Attractions are free.
In short shorts, the statues are not allowed inside. Clothing must cover your knees.

Inside the statue is forbidden to enter with bags (even if they are small handbags or bags for the camera). In addition, clothing should be appropriate: covering the shoulders and knees. Headgear must be removed. At the entrance you need to take off your shoes and go barefoot, so it is advisable to have socks with you.

You can get to the statue of Jesus:

On foot. This option is good for those who live on the south side of Rear Beach. So, from the Corvin Hotel or Romeliess Hotel, the path to Mount Nuino takes only 10-15 minutes.
By taxi. You need to agree in advance with the driver about payment on the meter.
On the bike. In front of the mountain there is parking, the cost of 2,000 dong.

Hai Dang Lighthouse

Approximately 1 km from the statue of Jesus, on Small Mountain (170 m above sea level), the Hai Dang lighthouse rises.

You can walk to the lighthouse from Phan Chu Trinh Street, which is about 1 km from the beach. You can get there by bike - the path through the pass goes almost 2 km, and the lighthouse has paid parking (2 000 VND).

The lighthouse was erected in 1907, then, after the fire, it was rebuilt again in 1911. This structure has the shape of a cylinder with a base of 3 m and a height of 18 m.

On the spiral staircase inside the attraction, you can go to its upper platform. Does it make sense to clarify that there are amazing 360-degree views and that you can make unrealistically beautiful photos of Vung Tau.

Location: Ward 2, Vung Tau, Vietnam.
The time for visiting this attraction is from 7:00 to 22:00.
The entrance is free.

Robert Taylor World Weapons Museum

The Robert Taylor Museum Of Worldwide Arms is Vietnam's first private museum of weapons and military equipment. Attraction is located at 98, Tran Hung Dao.

Inside the museum

This exhibition was organized by the British Robert Taylor, who has been living in Vietnam for several decades. The museum’s exposition has more than 2000 exhibits, among which there are very rare specimens of firearms and cold steel, as well as about 500 sets of military uniforms, ammunition and insignia of many armies of the world, starting from the 15th century.

Address: 98 Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 1, Vung Tau, Vietnam.
The museum is open from 8:00 to 19:00.
The cost of admission is 50,000 dong.

Dog races at Lam Son Stadium

Lam Son Stadium

Lam Son is the only stadium in Vietnam where dog races are held, and at the same time the only place where you can legally place bets. The stadium is located in the center of Vung Tau, on ThanhThaiSt Street.

Runs take place on Saturdays and Sundays, they begin at 19:00. A ticket costs 20,000 VND ($ 1).

The stadium is designed for 5,000 people, but it is rarely filled even by a third. Meanwhile, dog racing is a rather interesting exotic event. Everything is like at a hippodrome, here are only the main participants - dogs, not horses.

The hounds were brought from Australia, each costing about $ 2,500. Training lasts 5 months, after which the dog can take part in races for 4 years. Before the race, the dogs undergo a medical examination, they are given a massage. During the race, dogs develop speeds of more than 60 km / h, and do it in a few seconds!

Before the start of the race, the dogs walk along the tracks for 15 minutes, and only then the spectators begin to bet. The minimum bet is 10,000 VND ($ 0.5).

The highest bet made in the history of dog racing at Lam Son Stadium is 1 million VND.

Address: 15 Le Loi, Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Climatic conditions

Since Vung Tau is located on the peninsula, it is not surprising that wind always blows it. The temperature throughout the year is approximately unchanged: + 30 ... + 35 ° C in the daytime and + 22 ... +25 at night.

The dry season lasts from November to April in Vung Tau, and at this time it is slightly cooler than during the rainy season. This is a significant advantage for European tourists who are trying to come to rest in Vung Tau during the winter season.

From May to October, the rainy season in this part of Vietnam. Heavy rains occur almost every day, but, as a rule, they are short and beach vacations are possible even at this time of the year.

It is worth considering that because of the high humidity, it seems that the temperature is even higher than it actually is.Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this form

How to get to Vung Tau

Although Vung Tau has an airport, only small planes land there. The closest airport to Vung Tau is Ho Chi Minh City, so the discussion below will focus on how to get to Vung Tau directly from Ho Chi Minh City.

On a river rocket

A trip on a river rocket is also good because you can take a fascinating journey along the Mekong River and partly by sea.

River rocket Vina Express

From Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau, Vina Express missiles follow - Petro Express and Greenlines DP. They depart from one pier, whose address is district 4, 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh. In Vung Tau, they come to different berths located on the Front Beach, but from opposite ends of the bay. The time travel is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.

Timetable

Departing missiles from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau:

Vina Express - Petro Express: starting from 8:00 and ending at 16:00 every 2 hours, and on Saturdays and holidays even at 9:00;
Greenlines DP - only 3 flights: 9:30, 11:30, 15:30.

The cost of tickets for adults is 200,000 VND on weekdays, 250,000 on holidays and weekends. Travel for children under 6 years old is free, for children 6-11 years old VND 100,000 on weekdays and 120,000 on weekends.

Tickets are sold at ticket offices at the pier, as well as at any travel agency or hotel (you will have to overpay 50,000 - 70,000 VND for one ticket). You can book tickets online (reservation is valid 72 hours), and then just redeem them.

There is one significant drawback in this variant of the way: the schedule of shipments of river rockets does not always correspond to reality, since they are often simply canceled.
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By bus

Bus Station in Ho Chi Minh City

There are many buses in this direction, moreover, from different transport companies, and they leave at intervals of 15-20 minutes. There are several places where they leave, for example, the Mien Dong Bus Station in Ho Chi Minh City itself. From the tourist part of the city, a sufficient number of minibuses depart from the Benthan Market. But this is not all - more detailed information will be provided in each hotel!

The fare is from 90,000 to 140,000 VND. Travel time can vary significantly: from 1.5 to 3 hours.

Bus station in Vung Tau

Buses to Vung Tau arrive at the Vung Tau city bus station, and minibus drivers deliver all tourists to their hotels.

From Ho Chi Minh Airport

Minibuses from various transport companies depart from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Vung Tau 2-3 times an hour. The fare ranges from 100,000 to 140,000 Vietnamese dongs. In time, the road takes up to 3 hours.

Where exactly at the airport is the departure point to the Vung Tau resort? At the domestic flights terminal you need to cross the other side of the road - there, at McDonald's and Starbucks, you will see a parking lot. On its territory there is a counter where they sell tickets for transport to Vung Tau.

By taxi

A taxi ride to Vung Tau (Vietnam) from Ho Chi Minh City or from the airport will cost $ 80-100. It will be most convenient to order a taxi in advance - this can be done on the Russian-language site Kiwitaxi.ru. In this case, you will be immediately met at the airport and taken to the desired hotel in Vung Tau.

Prices on the page are for June 2019.

All the sights and infrastructure facilities discussed in the article are marked on the map of Vung Tau (in Russian).

Vung Tau through the eyes of tourists in this video: what the city looks like, attractions, food and prices.