Top 10 Tourist Attractions and Activities in Vung Tau, Vietnam

There are many tourist places and interesting activities when you visit Vung Tau. It is likely the first stop in the South of Vietnam if you want to have some Vitamin Sea. Whether you are a huge fan of the beach or not, you still have many amazing destinations to see and interesting things to do. It is hard sometimes to make a decision of where to go and what to do. Let us give you a hand. Here are major places and interesting activities that you should not miss in Vung Tau.

1. Beaches

Although Vung Tau does not have greatest reputation for clean beach or blue water, it is famous for seashores and beautiful sea view. Sunrise and sunset here never cease to surprise you. Simply having a walk on the sand and/or laying out for sunbath will surely refresh you. There are two popular beaches in the city including Front Beach and Back Beach. Access is all free. These two are typically crowded and located in the center of the tourist city. Chi Linh and Thuy Tien beaches are situated on the outskirts of the city, but they are very clean, spacious and less expensive as well.

2. Con Dao Islands and Con Dao Museum

You are being in Vung Tau. You expect to see pristine beaches. You desperate to swim or dive into the clean water. We encourage you to visit Con Dao islands which are about 200 km from Vung Tau. Beside interesting history, its natural beauty attracts many tourists inside and outside of the country. Majority of area is covered with green forest, and wild animals are very diverse as well. The place has many sandy clean beaches that you can dive and watch gorgeous coral reefs and aquatic animals. Con Dao Museum is one of the top 7 most impressive museum in Vietnam. That is very well laid out and informative. Indoor an outdoor exhibitions clearly demonstrate the life and activities of aboriginal islanders. Moreover, amazing unknown stories of political prisoners during colonialism will blow your mind. No entrance fee and opens from 7am – 5pm, and definitely worth visiting while on Con Dao.

3. Giant Statue of Jesus Christ

Built on Little Mount, you probably have to say “wow” when seeing another replicate of Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. But seeing is not enough for adventurous travelers. Climbing up inside of 30 plus m high-statue is one of the highlight activities of visitors. It is about 100+ stairs to the arm where you can enjoy panoramic view of the whole area. There is no entrance fee but donation is appreciated. Open hour is from 7:30 am – 4:30 pm.

4. Platform of Shakyamuni Buddha in Thich Ca Phat Dai Buddhist temple

No matter what religion you follow, this is an interesting park-like temple that you should not miss. The temple is a great place to see natural landscape and religious architecture. Best known with the biggest statues of Buddha, the temple attracts many domestic tourists come to worship every year. In addition, the garden is full of different flowers blooming all year, which enhances the beauty of the temple. VND5,000/person for the entrance fee and it opens from 8am – 5pm.

5. Robert Taylor Museum of Worldwide Arms

Whether you are the huge fan of history or fashion, the museum is worth visiting. Uniforms and military weapons coming from different countries around the world are displayed here. Museum has a comprehensive collection of uniforms, weapons, and instruments dating from medieval times until the end of Vietnam War. The place is excellent for those who are interested in history. Entrance fee is VND100,000/person and it opens from 8am - 5pm.

6. Upside Down House in Vung Tau

Quirky and amusing! Upside down house is another attractive place in Vung Tau. All furniture, motorbike, and even the bathroom are upside down. You probably spend most of your time to take photos here. Hence, group visit is better and has more fun. But if you visit alone, the staff is very helpful and takes nice pictures for you. Ticket can be bought with VND50,000/person and the place opens from 7am – 10pm.

7. Ho May Park

Ho May is a theme park that have many fun activities such as cable car, zip-line, roller coaster, 4D cinema, horse ride, paddling, and sightseeing. Bigs statues of Buddha and Arhats are also displayed as well. Compared to other activities in town, the entrance fee is quite expensive (VND300,000/person), but it may be a fun place for kids and young people.

8. Trekking & Hiking

Explorers are keen on seeing new places and dig into fun activities. If there is a moment you may want pause and get fresh air. Hiking allows you to stay refreshing and find peaceful moments while you still can embrace the beauty of local attractions. Trails to Little Mountain is beautiful and leads you to some top tourist places in Vung Tau such as Lighthouse and Statue of Jesus. Alternatively, you can hike to the top of Big Mountain and enjoy the magnificent views. Foods are served on the top of mountain too.

9. Boat ride or Catching Mantis Shrimp

Boat ridding gives travelers a chance to exploring typical daily activities of local fishermen. Nothing luxury, nothing expensive like you stay in giant cruses, but we bet you will never forget the experience of paddling, sitting on the small boats, fishing and enjoying the ocean view. The price is about VND80,000/person/hour.

Catching mantis shrimp along the coastal side. It is easy and fun! What you need are a fishing line and a bait. You may not know at first but fisherman will help you to identify holes in the sand where shrimp digs and stays under. Drop the fishing line to the hole and you can pull it up once shrimp eat the bait.

10. Explore Xom Luoi seafood market and show your cook talent

Seafood can be found in any corner of Vung Tau from large eateries to tiny food stalls on the street. Seafood is caught daily from the sea so it is very fresh and cheap. The fun part is that you can actually cook by yourself or have it prepared in front of you at the cooking stalls. For those who enjoy street food, this is a great way to taste the crab, lobster, squid, fish, snail, and many others.

Conclusion

Amazing landscapes, high-quality seafood, a religious complex of both Christianism and Buddhists are the major reasons that you may want to visit Vung Tau at least one time in your life. Most tourist attractions are free to enter or have reasonable entrance fees. Food prices can vary from place to place. To avoid being scammed, going with a tour guide or local friend is encouraged and always asking the price before purchasing anything. Booking tour trip with Tourist Company makes you feel safe. But it is time-dependent and your understanding about visited places may be quite superficial. The weekend is always crowded and costs often increase significantly. If you are a motorist, having a motorbike ride in Vung Tau will be absolutely a great idea to enjoy the city. This also allows you to explore remote beaches and untouched locations within a day.