Travelling to Vung Tau: A Guide from A to Z
Travelling to Vung Tau: A Guide from A to Z
Vung Tau travel overview – Vung Tau
Only about 3 hours' drive from central Ho Chi Minh City, with a 20 km coastline, Vung Tau is one of the favourite destinations of travellers in the south. Jutting out from the mainland like a strip of land, it lets you look out over the East Sea at both sunrise and sunset. Besides its natural scenery, Vung Tau also has a long cultural and historical tradition.
The beauty of Vung Tau. Photo: dulichgiahy
In Vung Tau you feel peaceful and at ease on its wide, airy roads. Below is the blue sea, above are Big Mountain and Small Mountain and serene pagodas… Together they create an enchanting Vung Tau – a city that is not only gentle and simple but also full of famous sights.
Climate
Ba Ria – Vung Tau has a tropical monsoon climate with two distinct seasons: the rainy season from May to October, with the south-west monsoon, and the dry season from November to April, with the north-east monsoon. The average annual temperature is 27°C, with the coolest month around 24.8°C and the hottest around 28.6°C.
When to visit Vung Tau
Vung Tau is in season all year round, as it is never too cold or too hot. Just check the weather forecast to avoid travelling to Vung Tau during storms. At weekends and on public holidays Vung Tau is very crowded and prices for services rise sharply.
GETTING FROM HO CHI MINH CITY TO VUNG TAU
The seaside city of Vung Tau is only 125 km from Ho Chi Minh City – perfect for a short trip. For independent travellers there are 3 options: riding a motorbike, taking a coach or taking the hydrofoil.
Motorbike
Option 1: Follow National Road 1; after Dong Nai bridge you reach a roundabout (Vung Tau crossroads, formerly Vung Tau junction). Turn right onto National Road 51 and after about 100 km you reach Vung Tau.
Option 2: From HCMC you can take Cat Lai ferry (District 2) to Nhon Trach (Dong Nai). This road leads to National Road 51 at the gate of Nhon Trach Industrial Zone and is about 20 km shorter.
Drivers of private cars can also take the Long Thanh – Dong Nai expressway, which cuts the journey to Vung Tau to about 2 – 2.5 hours.
Note: the trip to Vung Tau by motorbike takes 3 – 3.5 hours.
Coach
High-quality coaches: from 80,000 – 160,000 VND per ticket. You can buy tickets at Mien Dong bus station; the journey takes about 2.5 – 3 hours.
• Mien Dong bus station: 292 Dinh Bo Linh, Ward 26, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: (08) 3899 4056; (08) 3898 4441; (08) 3898 4442; (08) 3898 4893.
• Vung Tau coach station: 192 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ward 3, Vung Tau.
Tel: (064) 3859727.
Some good-quality coach companies on this route:
• Hoa Mai:
Open Tour: Vung Tau – Ho Chi Minh City
Times: 4:00 – 17:30 (a departure about every 15 minutes)
- Booking:
+ Vung Tau ticket counter – Tel: 0643.531 980 – 0643.531 981
+ Ben Thanh ticket counter – Tel: 0838.218 928 – 0838.218 927
Mien Tay bus station
- Times: 4:00 – 19:00 (a departure about every 15 – 30 minutes)
- Booking:
+ Vung Tau bus station counter – Tel: 0643.527 500
+ Mien Tay bus station counter – Tel: 01207 226 226 – 01207 227 227
Mien Dong bus station
- Times: 4:00 – 19:00 (a departure about every 15 – 30 minutes)
- Booking:
+ Buy tickets directly at the bus station (Vung Tau)
+ Buy tickets directly at counter 84 (HCMC)
+ Phone: 0937 756 756
• Phuong Trang: Fare: 95,000 VND per ticket. You can book here.
• Thien Phu
Vung Tau: 04 Tran Hung Dao, Ward 3, Vung Tau, Ba Ria – Vung Tau. Booking: 064. 3 62 52 62 – 0917 35 10 35
Saigon: Mien Dong bus station, counter 36, 292 Dinh Bo Linh, Ward 26, Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City. Booking: 0917351035 – (08) 35112958
• Kumho: 292 Dinh Bo Linh, Ward 26, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 35.112.112. Fare 85,000 VND.
• Toan Thang: Booking 0908.121.135. Fare: 90,000 VND per person
Hydrofoil: the Pacific Express hydrofoil takes 1h30 and costs 200,000 VND. It departs from Nha Rong port (05 Nguyen Tat Thanh, District 4), follows the Saigon river, crosses Ganh Rai bay and arrives at Cau Da pier in Vung Tau. Booking hotline: 01222 69 69 68.
Useful phone numbers:
- City police: 064 3852361
- Vung Tau central post office: 064 3623483
- Le Loi Hospital, Vung Tau: 064 3832667
- Petro Taxi: 064 3851851
- Mai Linh Taxi: 064 3565656
SEE MORE VUNG TAU HOTELS AT SHOCK DISCOUNTS FROM IVIVU.COM
The main areas of Vung Tau
Back Beach
Back Beach (Bai Sau) is famous for its beautiful shore and small waves, with many hotels and places to eat, so most visitors to Vung Tau like to stay here. Back Beach also has the well-known Thuy Van Street, similar to Tran Phu Street in Nha Trang, with plenty of hotels from budget to upscale.
The Back Beach area. Photo: Panoramio
Front Beach
The centre of Vung Tau is at Front Beach (Bai Truoc), with many high-rise buildings and busy shopping areas. Visitors usually swim at Back Beach because Front Beach is more polluted due to the dense population and crowds of visitors. However, Front Beach is the ideal place to watch the sunset or go for a stroll.
The Front Beach park area. Photo: Panoramio
Long Hai
About 110 km north-east of Ho Chi Minh City (around 2 – 2.5 hours by motorbike), Long Hai beach is a favourite holiday spot. It has a beautiful beach with clear blue water, long stretches of golden sand and resorts near the sea. Long Hai is also known for delicious, fresh and quite cheap seafood. The Binh Chau hot springs, on the Long Hai tourist route, are another interesting stop.
Nuoc Ngot Pass, Long Hai. Photo: vnphoto.net
Ho Coc – Ho Tram
These two beaches in Xuyen Moc district attract visitors with their rare, pristine beauty. The water is so clear all year round that you can see the sandy bottom; the white sandy beaches are wide and gently sloping, and especially poetic thanks to rocks on the beach that send the waves up in white foam.
Photo: dulichhotram
Suoi O
Suoi O beach is in Binh Chau commune, Xuyen Moc district, about 3 km from Binh Chau market on the road to the Binh Chau hot springs. It has both a freshwater stream and smooth white sand with a vast blue sea – one of the few beaches in Vietnam with both fresh and salt water.
Photo: collected
Con Dao
Con Dao is famous for its crystal-clear beaches, green coconut palms and white sand that can enchant any visitor. It's easy to see why it attracts so many visitors from Vietnam and abroad. With its unspoilt beauty, still little affected by the tourism industry, Con Dao is truly a rare travel paradise in Vietnam.
The unspoilt beaches of Con Dao. Photo: Airmekong.com
Places not to miss when travelling to Vung Tau
Visitors often choose Vung Tau for a weekend change of scene because it is so close to HCMC. But besides its beaches and good food, Vung Tau has many interesting places to explore.
Thich Ca Phat Dai
This pagoda sits on the slope of Big Mountain in Vung Tau. Its beauty skilfully combines religious architecture with natural scenery. Most notable are the 19 m octagonal tower and the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha meditating on a lotus throne halfway up the mountain, visible from afar.
Getting there: follow Le Loi Street and turn onto Tran Phu Street, or from Tran Phu – Front Beach follow the coastal road past Bai Dau to the Ben Da area, where you will find Thich Ca Phat Dai.
The Thich Ca Phat Dai statue. Photo: banchanviet
The open-armed Christ statue
The Christ statue stands on top of Small Mountain in Vung Tau and was built in 1974. It is 32 m tall with an arm span of 18.3 m, 170 m above the sea, and inside a staircase of 133 steps leads up to the statue's two arms. It can be seen as a counterpart to the famous Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Location: on top of Small Mountain, Vung Tau.
The Christ statue. Photo: dulichbanvatoi
Bach Dinh (White Palace)
In 1898, Governor-General of Indochina Paul Doumer had Bach Dinh (Villa Blanche) built on the site of Phuoc Thang fort, which had fired on French warships nearly 50 years earlier. Bach Dinh is a three-storey, 19 m Roman-style building backing onto Big Mountain, where 19 ancient cannons are still preserved.
Location: 10 Tran Phu Street, Vung Tau.
The beauty of Bach Dinh from above. Photo: tripssaving
Ho May tourist area
One of the fun places to explore in Vung Tau: ride the cable car to enjoy the view, play as much as you like and swim in the lake. It is especially ideal for children, with lots of rides such as planes, a carousel, play houses, a train and a children's water park… sure to delight them on their holiday.
Photo: doisongphapluat.com
Thang Tam communal house relic site
Besides the Tien Hien house, the Nam Hai Whale Temple and Ngu Hanh shrine, this site also has a Lady's shrine perched on a small island jutting out in front of the sea. The Nghinh Ong Thang Tam festival is considered one of the spiritual tourism products of Ba Ria – Vung Tau and attracts huge crowds.
Location: 77A Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Thang Tam Ward, Vung Tau.
Photo: bariavungtau.com
Niet Ban Tinh Xa
One of the most beautiful pagodas in Vung Tau, with modern architectural lines. Niet Ban Tinh Xa, also called the "Reclining Buddha" pagoda, is built on the slope of Small Mountain facing the sea. Construction began in 1969 and it was inaugurated in 1974 with donations from Buddhists; the Venerable Thich Thien Hue oversaw its construction.
Quan The Am Bo Tat pagoda
A small pagoda notable for its 16 m white statue of the Goddess of Mercy facing the sea, standing on a lotus throne and holding a vase of holy water, with a gentle, virtuous face.
Location: on the road around Big Mountain, Vung Tau, 500 m from Bai Dau.
Quan The Am Bo Tat pagoda from outside. Photo: vietnamtourism
Linh Son pagoda
Though not huge, Linh Son is the oldest pagoda in Vung Tau. Its main hall houses a 1.2 m gilded stone Buddha, skilfully carved to give the Buddha's face a compassionate, lifelike expression.
Location: 61 Hoang Hoa Tham, Vung Tau.
Vung Tau lighthouse
Here, after following the solid tunnel built into the two-storey house where the lighthouse keepers once lived and worked, you reach the top of the tower. From there you can see the whole city of Vung Tau in the mist, its crescent-shaped beaches and the green Minh Dam mountains – or look straight down at a forest of glowing frangipani that sets off the sturdy tower complex.
Location: on top of Small Mountain, Vung Tau.
The Vung Tau lighthouse. Photo: banchanviet
The Great House (Ong Tran Temple)
The Great House of Long Son, or Ong Tran Temple, is a traditional architectural complex of bricks, tiles and precious woods in hamlet 5, covering about 2 ha in three areas: the temple; the meeting hall, school, market and Ghe Sam boat museum; and Mr Tran's tomb.
Location: at the foot of Dua mountain, hamlet 5, Long Son commune, Vung Tau.
Worldwide Arms Museum
The Worldwide Arms Museum was founded by Robert Taylor (British) and his wife Nguyen Thi Bong. Visitors rate it one of the most worthwhile museums in Vietnam. Opened in early 2012, it displays 500 life-size mannequins in magnificent uniforms representing warriors from around the world across many eras, plus over 1,200 guns and 1,000 ancient swords, with their histories and fascinating stories.
Location: 98 Tran Hung Dao, Vung Tau.
The Worldwide Arms Museum. Photo: wikimapia.org
Hon Ba
Hon Ba is a small island where the waves break in poetic white foam, lying offshore along Ha Long road around Small Mountain, from Front Beach past Pineapple Beach to Nghinh Phong Cape, about 200 m from the foot of Small Mountain. In 1881 Mr Ho Quang Minh, from central Vietnam, paid to build a small shrine on the island called Mieu Ba.
At low tide you can follow an undulating rocky path to the island. On full-moon and first days of the lunar month, crowds go there to burn incense and pray for luck at the little shrine.
At low tide, visitors can walk out to Hon Ba. Photo: panoramio
The Upside-Down House
The Vung Tau Upside-Down House is a three-storey building with 2 sightseeing areas and a café. The sightseeing area has 7 photo rooms, each with about 4 different photo angles, decorated with colours and furniture to match real-life use.
Photo: Upside-Down House Facebook
It's not only the outside that's fun – step inside and you'll be even more surprised that all the furniture is upside down. You walk on the ceiling instead of the floor while the furniture hangs above you. The topsy-turvy effect makes visitors feel as if they're lost in a space station or walking on a highway, so everyone wants to capture fun photos here.
Admission: 40,000 VND per person
Opening hours: 6 am to 10 pm
Address: 66 Co Giang, Ward 4, Vung Tau
SOME VUNG TAU TOURS AT IVIVU.COM
Major festivals in Vung Tau
Every year, local people in Ba Ria – Vung Tau hold traditional folk festivals rich in the culture, customs and beliefs of the seaside community, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from far and wide. Here are some famous Vung Tau festivals to remember when you visit this beautiful seaside city.
The death anniversary of Saint Tran Hung Dao
Every year on the 20th day of the 8th lunar month, the death anniversary of Saint Tran Hung Dao is held at the Saint Tran temple, 68 Ha Long, Ward 2, Vung Tau. It has long outgrown the local community and become a festival attracting people from all over the country.
Through its activities, the festival also teaches successive generations about patriotism and national pride. Tens of thousands of visitors and locals attend the opening ceremony and incense offering.
Dinh Co festival
Dinh Co is a grand temple complex in traditional style on the Long Hai coast of Ba Ria – Vung Tau. The Dinh Co festival (10th – 12th of the 2nd lunar month every year) is full of folk colour, and each year draws tens of thousands of visitors to take part and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
The Dinh Co festival, Vung Tau. Photo: dulichtructuyen
Nghinh Ong (Whale) festival
Every year the Nghinh Ong festival is held at the Whale Temple on Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Vung Tau, for 3 days from the 16th to the 18th of the 8th lunar month. It is the biggest water festival of Vung Tau's fishermen, and since 2000 it has been chosen by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Administration of Tourism as one of the country's 15 major festivals.
Thang Tam communal house festival
Held every year for 4 days, from the 17th to the 20th of the 2nd lunar month, this festival prays for peace at the end of one fishing season and the start of the next. The ceremonies are elaborate: offerings to the gods, incense and prostrations, gongs, drums and music, with many taboos – the pigs offered must be of one colour, and people in mourning may not take part in the rites. The festivities include lion dances and traditional "hat boi" opera.
The Thang Tam communal house festival. Photo: collected
Ngu Hanh shrine festival
The Ngu Hanh shrine festival is held every year on the 16th, 17th and 18th of the 10th lunar month at the Ngu Hanh shrine in Vung Tau. It is celebrated solemnly with formal rites and folk games, drawing many locals and visitors to offer incense.
What to eat in Vung Tau?
Vung Tau cuisine is famous not only for "banh khot" but also for all kinds of seafood, coffee, Russian-style dishes… It would be a real shame to travel to Vung Tau without knowing the good places to eat. iVIVU.com introduces a selection of tasty spots in Vung Tau voted for by travellers everywhere.
SEAFOOD
1. Upscale restaurants: spacious and airy, with parking, suitable for holidaymakers and families – though prices are a little higher.
- Ganh Hao: a restaurant with many spacious, airy seating areas, great for family parties and groups of friends. It has a "stunning view", so you can enjoy good food while gazing out to sea. The menu is extensive, with over 100 dishes. Prices are fairly high, but many visitors say they "match the quality". Address: 03 Tran Phu, Ward 5, Vung Tau and 09 Ha Long, Ward 2, Vung Tau.
Photo: stylemy0725
- Thanh Phat 1 seafood: fresh seafood, chosen at the counter and weighed by the kilo; prices match the quality and the food is good. Address: 334 Tran Phu, Ward 5, Vung Tau.
- Quan Tre: quite upscale for Vung Tau. Very fresh seafood but a little pricey, though the quality, setting and service are good. Specialities are seafood salad and hotpot. Address: 411 Thong Nhat Moi Street, Ward 8, Vung Tau.
- Lam Duong seafood: spacious, airy and cool, with indoor and outdoor seating. Address: 125B Tran Phu, Ward 5, Vung Tau.
Photo: nhahanghaisan.lamduong
2. Budget eateries:
- Oc Tu Nhien 2: tasty food, not too expensive for the area. Right on the sea at Front Beach, so the outdoor seats catch a cool sea breeze. Address: 34 Tran Phu, Vung Tau.
Photo: jessie_tran27
- Oc Thien Nhien: airy space, fresh tasty snails at budget prices. Address: 245 Truong Cong Dinh, Vung Tau.
- Kim Anh: reasonable prices, well-seasoned food. Address: in the Vung Tau night food area behind Imperial Vung Tau, Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Thang Tam Ward, Vung Tau.
Photo: Dia Diem An Uong
- Oc 5 Tang: easy to find, airy pavement seating, lots of snail dishes, very tasty and flavourful, budget prices. Address: A12 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Vung Tau.
- Co Nen grill: food that suits most tastes, lots of dishes, moderate prices. Airy, with a row of tables looking straight out to sea. Address: 6 Tran Phu, Vung Tau.
Photo: phan_my
- Xom Luoi seafood market: lots of fresh, tasty seafood at reasonable prices, to take away or have cooked. This informal market of seafaring families is near Front Beach park, at the junction of Phan Boi Chau and Nguyen Cong Tru.
Photo: Tieu Duy
BANH KHOT (MINI SAVOURY PANCAKES)
- Banh khot Co Ba Vung Tau: quite famous, spacious, smart and clean. Address: 01 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ward 3, Vung Tau.
- Banh khot Ba Hai: a small place with good pancakes; it also sells oyster rice porridge. Address: 42 Tran Dong, Ward 3, Vung Tau.
Photo: Tieu Duy
- Banh khot 41: good pancakes with big, firm, crunchy, sweet and very fresh prawns. Address: 24A Tran Dong, Vung Tau.
- Banh khot Goc Vu Sua: well known in Vung Tau, small and quite crowded. Address: 14 Nguyen Truong To, Ward 2, Vung Tau.
- Banh khot Ut Loan – Ba Trieu: comfortable seating, fast service, tasty food. Address: 67 Ba Trieu, Ward 4, Vung Tau.
STINGRAY HOTPOT
- Truong Cong Dinh stingray hotpot: well-seasoned hotpot, a varied menu and inexpensive prices. Address: 40 – 44 Truong Cong Dinh, Vung Tau.
Photo: vobaotran
- 7 Luom seafood: spacious and clean, with quite stylish painted walls but budget prices. Address: 37 Nguyen Truong To, Ward 3, Vung Tau.
- Ut Muoi: fresh, tasty hotpot in a spacious, clean setting. Address: 16A Truong Cong Dinh, Vung Tau.
SALTED EGG SPONGE CAKE
- Banh kep Goc Cot Dien – salted egg sponge cake: soft, fragrant cakes; quite busy, takeaway. Address: 17B Nguyen Truong To, Ward 2, Vung Tau.
Photo: collected
- A Ty salted egg sponge cake: very tasty, with a chewy, smooth texture and fresh eggs. Address: 6 Do Chieu, Ward 1, Vung Tau.
OTHER GOOD PLACES TO EAT:
- Hoa Huong Duong broken rice: tasty rice, well seasoned, friendly staff. Address: 140 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ward 2, Vung Tau.
- Co Tien yoghurt: super-tasty, perfectly balanced set yoghurt. Address: on the road up to the lighthouse, Vung Tau.
Photo: hlk_vy
- Vuon Xoai ca mai salad: famous for its "ca mai" fish salad – fresh, sweet and tasty, served with rice paper, fresh herbs and a peanut-sesame dipping sauce. Clean and airy. Address: 34/5 Hoang Hoa Tham, Vung Tau.
- Hu Tieu Vung Tau: tasty noodle soup with plenty of meat. Address: 376 Truong Cong Dinh, Ward 7, Vung Tau.
- Bo Ne O Kia: tasty food, a varied menu and budget prices. Address: 648 Truong Cong Dinh.
Tips and other information
A fun thing to do in Vung Tau is to rent a tandem bicycle in the evening to tour the city – ask your hotel for help. Look up reliable, good-quality restaurants in advance, as Vung Tau is "notorious" for some poor-quality restaurant services. Never go to eateries recommended by untrustworthy taxi or motorbike-taxi drivers, to avoid being overcharged. Check the menu prices carefully when you go into an unfamiliar restaurant, and ask about prices beforehand.
In particular, book your hotel early, as most hotels are full at weekends.
Where to stay in Vung Tau?
Hotels in Vung Tau are very varied, so you can easily choose one that suits you. To enjoy the sea view and walk along the shore, choose hotels on Ha Long, Thuy Van or Tran Phu streets… Prices vary with the rooms and service quality; guesthouses near the beach and some hotels inside the city are cheaper.
iVIVU.com now has a fairly complete list of Vung Tau hotels at many price levels. Below are the Vung Tau hotels most loved by iVIVU.com customers recently:
1. Alma Oasis Long Hai Resort & Spa
3. The Grand Ho Tram Strip resort, Vung Tau
4. Malibu Beach Hotel Vung Tau
BEAUTIFUL CAFÉS IN VUNG TAU
Calling MILLA Nakedsoul a café isn't quite right, because it serves only cocktails and beer, not coffee. But it's a great place for photos. At 30 Ha Long, Ward 2, Vung Tau, MILLA Nakedsoul nestles on the rooftop of a pretty little old French house with a gorgeous view of the sea.
Photo: MILLA Nakedsoul
The highlight of MILLA Nakedsoul is its gorgeous sunset view. Surrounded by the sound of the waves, watching the sunset while sipping a cocktail – what more could you want from an afternoon? Drinks cost 35 – 100,000 VND depending on the type.
Address: 30 Ha Long, Ward 2, Vung Tau
Opening hours: 5 pm – 11:30 pm
Tucked in an alley off Bacu Street (155/2 Bacu Street, Ward 4, Vung Tau), Bohemiens is a small, pretty café for anyone tired of the noise and traffic of the city. Inside it is decorated with many vintage items such as an early TV, a sewing machine and cameras, so it feels familiar, like going back to childhood.
Photo: Bohemiens Cafe
Though small, the café still has separate, comfortable spaces. Outside there are long benches for young people who want a place to chat and take check-in photos. Another plus is the quite unique drinks at very affordable prices, from 15,000 – 35,000 VND depending on the type.
Address: 155/2 Bacu Street, Ward 4, Vung Tau
Opening hours: 7:00 am – 10:00 pm (weekdays) and 7:00 am – 11:00 pm (weekends)
Black & White Coffee
With a classic-meets-modern feel, Black & White Coffee is cutely decorated in two main tones, black and white. Many visitors say it is quiet and cool, with comfortable seating and plenty of photo corners. Drinks are good and varied, from 25,000 – 45,000 VND.
Photo: hoangminh.nobita
Address: 91 Ba Trieu, Ward 4, Vung Tau
Opening hours: 7:30 am – 10:00 pm
La Vie En Rose Coffee
One of the cafés with the most striking architecture and decor, with walls and roof made of clear glass. There are indoor and outdoor areas; the outdoor tables face the sea but are best in the afternoon or evening. If you come during the day, it's best to sit inside.
Photo: rin____.____
Address: 6 Ha Long, Ward 2, Vung Tau
On a quiet stretch of Thi Sach Street, Ngoc Tuoc Book Cafe is the perfect place to relax and lose yourself among books after a swim in the Vung Tau sea. It is quite large with lots of different seating, so you'll have to come back several times to explore it all.
Photo: Ngoc Tuoc Book Cafe
Besides the air-conditioned indoor area, there is an outdoor area for those who prefer open space and nature. Customers rate the drinks as quite good and reasonably priced, and the calm, quiet atmosphere suits anyone who likes reading over a coffee.
Address: 9/9 Thi Sach Street, Ward 8, near Back Beach, Vung Tau.
Tree House Billiard & Coffee
As the name suggests, Tree House is like a miniature forest full of plants, with a huge tree in the middle shading the whole café. The design mostly uses rustic but very unique wood. Wherever you sit, you'll easily get lots of great photos.
Photo: honganthuy_1211
Address: 97 Tran Hung Dao, Phuoc Nguyen Ward, Ba Ria City
UP Garden
In a small alley, UP Garden is a pretty garden for those who love quiet spaces close to nature. Here you can immerse yourself in fresh greenery and enjoy delicious, high-quality "home-made" food and drinks to gentle music.
Photo: vuonghoanghavy
From inside the house to the lane outside, everything is green. Opening hours: 7:00 am – 11:00 am, 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm.
Address: 381/4 Cach Mang Thang 8, Phuoc Nguyen Ward, Ba Ria City.
Beautiful photo spots in Vung Tau
The Christ statue
Considered the symbol of Vung Tau, it appears in the photos of almost every visitor. The Christ statue, a statue of Jesus built in 1974, stands on top of Small Mountain in Vung Tau and was recognised as "the largest statue of Jesus in Asia" in 2012.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Bach Dinh (10 Tran Phu Street, Vung Tau)
Less than 1 km from Front Beach, following Ha Long road as it winds along the mountainside, you'll find another wonderful photo spot: Bach Dinh. Built in the French colonial era, it keeps its old-world charm mixed with the alluring elegance of French architecture.
The Vung Tau lighthouse
For a panoramic photo of Vung Tau from above, head to the famous lighthouse on Small Mountain. With the white lighthouse against the sky and the blue sea, you'll get very striking photos here, especially in the late afternoon as the sun sets.
Pineapple Beach (also called Lang Du beach)
Pineapple Beach (Bai Dua), near Front Beach, is known as one of Vung Tau's beautiful beaches and helps draw many visitors to the city. Unlike the busy, bustling Front Beach and Back Beach, Bai Dua has a romantic beauty with a calm, gentle atmosphere.
Photo: Fb Yeu Vung Tau
The rocks at Front Beach
Front Beach has rocks of many unusual shapes piled on top of each other, stretching out to sea – perfect for striking photos of wild, majestic nature with the ever-surging waves.
Ho Tram
Developed in recent years, but mostly as resorts for a select clientele, Ho Tram's beaches still keep their pristine charm, like a girl just waking from a long sleep. The strong waves, crystal-clear water and spotless sea will satisfy even the most demanding visitor. Here you can pose not only with the blue sea and white sand but also beside very luxurious resorts.
Photo: ibooked.cn
Ho Coc beach
Besides Ho Tram, Ho Coc is also a favourite photo spot for young people, especially for wedding photos. If you're used to wide, wave-swept beaches, you'll be surprised by the rocks large and small scattered or clustered here. Before reaching the beach, you pass through a primeval forest with its natural mountain scenery, green trees and green rocks of every kind.
