home Job Vung Tau amusement park and cable car. Sights of Vung Tau – what to see and do

Vung Tau amusement park and cable car. Sights of Vung Tau – what to see and do

Vietnam is rapidly gaining popularity as tourist region. It's summer all year round, there are many attractions, a variety of beaches, and in addition, low prices and friendly local people. All this makes for a relaxing this region so interesting. The country offers more and more holiday destinations. And if Nha Trang, Da Nang or Phan Thiet are already well known to Russian tourists, then Vung Tau has so far been little explored by our travelers. The Moscow - Vietnam flight daily brings hundreds of vacationers to the country who want to see new places. Let's talk about Vung Tau, what are its features, advantages and disadvantages.

Geographical position

Vietnam occupies the eastern coast of the Indochina Peninsula in South-East Asia. In its southern part is the province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, whose area is almost 2 thousand square kilometers. The province is located in the flat part of the country, here a large number of rivers and tributaries that divide the territory of the region into areas of different sizes.

Climate and weather

The south of Vietnam is located in a tropical climate zone. This means that the region experiences two main seasons: dry and wet. The first lasts from May to November, the second - from December to April. At the same time, the weather is quite suitable for holidays all year round. The difference is that during humid times it rains more often. However, they have nothing in common with tropical showers; most often it rains at night, and during the day there is quite high humidity, occasionally a little precipitation falls within 10-15 minutes. Therefore, what locals highlight as the change of seasons usually remains subtle differences for tourists.

The average annual temperature in Vung Tau (Vietnam) is 26 degrees Celsius. During the dry period, the temperature is slightly lower than during the wet period, and during the day the average temperature is 25 degrees Celsius. During the rainy season, the air warms up to an average of 28 degrees during the day. At the same time, for example, Vietnam in August is quite comparable in weather to Mediterranean resorts, temperature +28, light night rains, only the humidity is higher than in Spain or Crimea. The beauty of the weather in Vung Tau is that the variations between seasons are only about 3 degrees, so you can holiday here all year round. Although traditionally the “high” season falls on the period from December to April. The most unfavorable months for travel are September and October, when there is a high risk of typhoons.

Settlement history

Today Vung Tau is quite Big City in the province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, about 300 thousand people live here. The history of this settlement began in the 14th century, when there was a local community of fishermen. Three small villages lived peacefully, periodically receiving passing ships. A representative of the Nguyen dynasty was considered the ruler of the lands. The Portuguese, who often visited here, gave their name to these lands - Cape Saint-Jacques - and taught local residents mastery of the Latin alphabet, this greatly facilitated communication between different peoples.

The peaceful coexistence of peoples came to an end when the French occupied this territory. They saved this region. In 1859, the local population rose up to fight the French invaders. But the idea failed. The French incorporated Vung Tau into the unified district of Ba Ria and included it in administrative unit with Saigon. According to the 1901 census, about 5 thousand people lived here, 2 thousand of them were immigrants from the Northern provinces. Fishing remained the main industry for local residents. For the French nobility and aristocracy, Vung Tau was a favorite holiday destination, so the President of France built here luxurious palace, where he received guests. In the 30s of the 20th century, the region, along with all of Vietnam, entered into the struggle for independence from French colonization.

During World War II, this region was formally under the rule of the Japanese, who occupied the country, but in reality the Japanese did not reach this land. During the war between Vietnam and the United States, the region was captured by the Americans, who stationed their military base. In 1959, the government of North Vietnam decided to unify the country. Years of confrontation began, during which much damage occurred. And today the country’s lands are feeling the consequences of the Americans’ use of chemical weapons. In 1976, the reunification of the South and the North took place, and the country gained independence. In 1991, the region finally secured the name Ba Ria-Vung Tau with its capital in the city of Vung Tau.

Administrative divisions and districts

The region is divided into 6 counties and includes two cities of provincial subordination - the capital Vung Tau and the large city of Ba Ria. Vung Tau is not formally divided into districts, but the local population identifies several: the center, the industrial part, and the beach area. There are also several expat communities in the city. In particular, there is interesting village Vietsovpetro (Vung Tau), where Russian workers from local shipyards have lived for many years. They created a Russian-speaking diaspora with their own shops, library and Orthodox church. Therefore, in Vung Tau you can often hear Russian speech.

Language and religion

The official language of Vung Tau (Vietnam) is Vietnamese. Although, since the times of colonization, part of the population speaks French. For example, the addresses “Madame” and “Monsieur”, French greetings and farewells, and words of gratitude have been preserved everywhere. Also, part of the population speaks English since the American occupation. Numerous connections with the USSR have led to the fact that many Vietnamese can speak at least a few words in Russian.

Issues of religion are complex in Vietnam. Only 18% of the population consider themselves to belong to some official faith, most often Buddhism. 80% of the country's inhabitants profess a system of folk beliefs based on ancient rituals and pagan ideas. At the same time, the Vietnamese often perform their rituals in Buddhist temples, which explains such a large number of these buildings in the country.

Time

The Vung Tau region, like the whole country, belongs to the UTC+7 time zone. This belt includes, for example, Krasnoyarsk, Cambodia, Indonesia, and part of Mongolia. The time difference between Moscow and Vietnam is +4 hours. So, if in Vung Tau it is 12 noon, then in Moscow it is still 8 am.

How to get there

There are several ways to get to Vung Tau Airport, which is served only by small planes from local airlines. So the fastest way is to fly to the city. Although there are simpler and more economical options. Most popular for Russian tourists The option is to fly to Ho Chi Minh City, then by bus or taxi to Vung Tau. Buses can be like increased comfort, as well as the most ordinary, scheduled ones. Travel time will be 2.5-3 hours. Travel agencies organize special flights for tourists directly from the airport and from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. For those who love comfort, there are always taxis near the airport that will take you to Vung Tau in 1.5 hours and a large amount of money. It is also possible to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau by water, on the Rocket. Travel time will be only 1 hour 15 minutes.

What to see

In addition to beaches, Vung Tau (Vietnam) provides great educational opportunities for the curious tourist. The first thing worth seeing is the statue of Christ, several temples and pagodas, Villa Blanche, the French cannon field, the statue of the Virgin Mary on Mount Nuylon. Also of interest is the Con Dao Museum, which tells about the history of the “prison” island and the Trai Phu Hai prison building. In your free time, you can get to the Hai Dang Lighthouse, built back in 1907. You will have to climb uphill to get to the lighthouse, but the site offers a magnificent view of the city and the bay. Worth a separate walk small island Honba on which it is located convent Vung Tau.

The country's attractions will be of interest to both lovers of architecture and history, as well as lovers of flora and fauna. The last thing worth looking at are natural attractions: hot springs, hills near the city, an ecotourism park on Big grief and, of course, beaches.

Christ statue

In 1974, the main attraction of the province, “Christ” (Vung Tau), appeared. The Jesus statue is only 6 meters smaller than its famous counterpart in Rio de Janeiro. It was installed by the Catholic community, choosing the top of Mount Nuino for the statue. Christ looks out over the South China Sea and is visible from afar. Climbing to the statue will require some courage, as you will have to climb about 900 steps. There are special platforms for resting while climbing the stairs, but it is better to take water with you. It is customary to ascend in the morning as a greeting to God. The statue is carved from white marble and stands on a 10-meter pedestal decorated with bas-reliefs. The length of Jesus' arms span is almost 20 meters. Inside the figure there is a staircase (133 steps) that you can climb up to shoulder level and see an impressive panorama. Visiting the statue is equivalent to entering a temple, so clothing must cover your knees and shoulders.

Villa Blanche

In 1898, construction began on a villa for the French governor of Indochina, Paul Doumer. This is how Villa Blanche (White) appeared, which Vung Tau (Vietnam) is rightfully proud of today. This governor did not manage to live in the villa, but his successors spent time here for many years. The building was built in a luxurious 18th century style and looks like a small palace. At the beginning of the 20th century, the last emperor of the Vietnamese ruling dynasty was kept under house arrest here. Today there is a museum with a good collection of antiques and items from colonial times.

Vung Tau Temples

Buddhist temples look very elegant and impressive; they always have a lot of interesting things to see. Therefore, while on vacation in Vung Tau, it’s worth taking a walk along the most remarkable places. First of all, this is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha or the House of Pure Nirvana. It was built in the 70s of the 20th century and is remarkable because inside it there is a 12-meter statue of a reclining Buddha. It is placed on a mahogany pedestal 2.5 meters high. Lines from sacred texts are carved on the feet of the statue. On the second floor of the temple there is an amazing boat in the shape of a snake, it is filled with water and fish swim in it. And the third floor is given over to a huge bell, under which you can put a note with a wish. The Vietnamese believe that these wishes will come true.

The Buddha Altar temple complex is also very interesting. As you climb to the top of the complex, you can see Buddhist sculptures depicting scenes from the life of the saint. The beautiful Guanyin Pagoda is also worth a visit. In front of her stands an 18-meter figure of a saint who helps in the birth of children. Thang Tam Pagoda is dedicated to the founders of the first three villages that later became the city of Vung Tau.

Where to live

Almost all Vung Tau hotels are concentrated either in the area beach line, or in the city center. Since the settlement has a very compact layout, in general there is no difference where to settle. But if you are planning a mainly beach holiday, then it is better to choose a hotel closer to the sea. The city has a large selection of accommodation options; in addition to the usual hotels and hostels, you can rent apartments or stay in guest house. Accommodation prices here are quite reasonable, with inexpensive rooms starting at $10. Since the city is very popular as a holiday destination among Ho Chi Minh City residents, prices usually rise slightly on weekends.

Where to eat

It is impossible to go hungry in Vung Tau. People eat here always and everywhere: on beaches, streets, cafes, shops, churches. Street food here is delicious, inexpensive and safe. Evening time in Vietnam is meal time. As locals take to the streets to eat, food vendors pop up all over the city, and cafes fill with families gathering to dine together. For those who are still afraid to eat on the street, there are many cafes and restaurants serving not only Vietnamese, but also Italian, American, Korean, Japanese and even Russian cuisine. You can eat quickly and inexpensively at the food court in mall. But still, the most authentic and delicious food will be on local markets and street cafes, where a large number of local residents gather. Because Vietnamese cuisine very spicy, you can ask the cook to put less pepper.

The most expensive food is on the beach. Therefore, it is better to leave there to have lunch. Vung Tau is famous for its seafood, the food here is excellent different types fish also make delicious sushi and rolls. You can buy them individually from stalls on the street.

Things to do

Tourists in Vung Tau spend most of their time on the beach. But besides this, there is something to do here. Works on Mount Nuylon big park entertainment, which can be reached by cable car. The park has attractions, there is a lake and children will be interested in visiting the zoo. For lovers active rest There is a yacht club, a golf course, a skate station, and diving schools. Men love to spend time fishing, which is simply extraordinary here. For ladies, shopping in Vung Tau is attractive; they should go to the Lam Son area. Here on three streets you can buy souvenirs, local handicrafts, as well as clothes, shoes, and bags. The size range of clothes and shoes is small; there is hardly anything suitable for large men. The assortment is mainly summer, but you can choose good jackets and suitcases.

Also Vung Tau - beautiful place in order to improve your health, there are several good massage parlors here, hot springs help with rheumatism and arthritis.

Beach holiday

The main attraction of the region is the beaches of Vung Tau. The largest beach, Bai Sao (Back Beach), belongs to the municipality. It is located close to hotels, and therefore it is always quite crowded. Entrance here is paid, you will also have to pay for a sunbed and other services.

Bai Chuok (Front Beach) is also located in the center and is too noisy during the day, but in the evenings you can walk here and watch the sunset.

Pineapple Beach is located between Front and Back, at the very edge of the cape. It got its name in honor of the pineapples that once grew here. Today it is quite sparsely populated, but noisy due to the proximity of the highway.

Long Hai Beach is a 15-minute drive from the city. It is the cleanest in Vung Tau; near the shore there are spectacular boulders on which tourists arrange romantic photo sessions. When visiting Vietnam in August or November, you can choose beaches on the edge of the cape, and in September and October it is better to choose those that are closer to the center of the mainland.

Safety

Vietnam is in the middle of the world in terms of crime rates. But in Vung Tau the lives of tourists are not in danger. The same cannot be said about their property. The risk of being deceived in the market is very high, just like being robbed during an evening walk along deserted beaches. Most often, wallet thefts and cell phones. Evening time in Vietnam and Vung Tau is fraught with robberies, which most often occur according to the same pattern: a bike passes by tourists, the person sitting on it snatches a bag or phone and drives off. Therefore, tourists are advised to observe the rules of basic caution.

Practical information

Vung Tau is a very compact city, there is no public transport, but almost everywhere can be reached on foot. For long trips A taxi or a rented motorbike or bicycle will do.

The tap in Vung Tau flows water, which is not recommended to be consumed raw for safety reasons.

In Vietnam, local money is used - dongs, but in tourist places you can also pay in dollars, although the exchange rate will most likely be unfavorable. You can exchange money in banks (the safest option) or in special exchange offices, where the rate will be the most favorable, but you need to carefully check that additional fees are not charged.

Vung Tau is a coastal town in Vietnam. The oil capital of the country. The largest joint venture is located here. The standard of living of local residents is an order of magnitude higher than in other cities in Vietnam, here beautiful houses and clean streets: all thanks to offshore oil fields.

Streets of Vung Tau

Many local residents work for Vietsovpetro and receive salaries several times higher than the Vietnamese average. But is it worth going to the city of Vung Tau for resort holiday? What are the beaches, hotels and prices? We will talk about this today.

Where is Vung Tau and how to get to it from Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Hanoi

The city is located in the southern part of Vietnam: 95 km from Ho Chi Minh City, to 177 km from Mui Ne, to 432 km from Nha Trang and to 1674 km from Hanoi. Such proximity to Ho Chi Minh City makes Vung Tao beloved and closest seaside resort residents of the former Saigon.

Vung Tau on the map of Vietnam:

How to get there from Ho Chi Minh City

This is the closest coastal resort to Ho Chi Minh City. You can get here in just 2 hours by bus. You can buy a ticket for such a bus at any travel agency in Ho Chi Minh City; there are more than enough of them in the center. Ticket price 90,000 - 110,000 dong.

There is another interesting way to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau - a hydrofoil rocket. It is very similar to our Soviet “missiles”. Travel time is 1 hour 15 minutes. But this time will fly by unnoticed: after all cruise much more entertaining than a boring bus. The rocket first travels along the Mekong River, then goes out to sea.

Petro Express rockets operate daily.

Weekdays: 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:30. Price tickets: VND 200,000 per adult, VND 170,000 for the elderly and VND 100,000 per child (up to 6 years old inclusive).

Weekend: 9:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00. Ticket price: VND 250,000 per adult, VND 210,000 per elderly and VND 120,000 per child (up to 6 years old inclusive).

Schedule and ticket prices for the Vung Tau-Ho Chi Minh rocket

From Mui Ne

We arrived in Vung Tau from Mui Ne, and when we started looking for a Mune-Vung Tau bus ticket from major intercity carriers (such as Futabas, Hankafe and Sinturist), it turned out that they do not go from Mui Ne to Vung Tau. The ticket was found at a local roadside travel agency. We traveled on a small seated bus along the Mui Ne-Phan Thiet-Ba Ria-Vung Tau route, where there were not a single tourist. Ticket price by bus Mui Ne-Vung Tau 140,000 dong.

From Nha Trang

If you want to visit Vung Tau and you are in Nha Trang, you have three options:

Traveling by bus is the cheapest, but also the longest way. There are no direct buses from Nha Trang to Vung Tau; you will have to change trains in Mui Ne or Phan Thiet. We bought a return ticket to Vung Tau-Nha Trang from the same roadside travel agency in Mui Ne for 240,000 dong. This is the price for a small bus from Vung Tau to Mui Ne plus a slip bus from Mui Ne to Nha Trang.
Plane to Ho Chi Minh City and bus Ho Chi Minh City-Vung Tau. This option is more convenient; the journey will take only 2.5 hours: 40 minutes on the plane and 2 hours on the bus. But you have to pay for convenience. Flights from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City can be purchased from 350,000 dong, plus bus ticket 100,000 dong. You also need to lay taxi expenses to and from the airport.
Plane to Ho Chi Minh City and rocket to Vung Tau. This option is the most convenient, interesting and expensive. from 350,000 dong for the flight and 200,000 dong for the rocket. Plus Taxi expenses. However, in this case, a trip on a “rocket” can be considered a tour of the Mekong.

Pier in Vung Tau

Weather

As in all of Vietnam, Vung Tau has two seasons: dry and rainy. However, in terms of months they differ from Nha Trang, where the rainy season coincides with the calendar winter. To Vung Tau dry season lasts from November to April, A rains are coming from May to October. Exactly the opposite than in Nha Trang and very similar to the seasonality in Mui Ne.

The temperature of water and air does not fluctuate much, however April is considered the warmest month (average temperature during this period is 30°C), and the coolest is February(average temperature 25.8°C). February, at the same time, is the driest month. September is considered the rainiest.

We were in Vung Tau in June, and we can say that it rains there every day at this time. Very often with severe thunderstorms.

Beaches

Vung Tau is located on a cape, so it boasts beaches and promenades on both sides of the peninsula: on one of them (Back Beach) you can watch the sunrise, and on the other (Front Beach) the sunset.

Parade Beach embankment

Middle Beach Promenade

This is where the benefits of the beaches end.

The Vietnamese are not particularly picky about beaches, they can even swim like this: Vung Tau Pineapple Beach at high tide

What you shouldn't go to Vung Tau for is the beaches. They are simply terrible here! And although the residents of Ho Chi Minh City happily come here every weekend and happily splash around the shore, Europeans will not swim in such a sea. At least we didn't see a single European swimming on the beaches of Vung Tau.

The back beach is where everyone who comes to Vung Tau for beach holiday

Armchairs under umbrellas, no sunbeds: Vietnamese don’t sunbathe

Front beach: small, dirty: no swimming here

The front beach is a place for fishermen. They sell their catch right there, without leaving the boat

Although we ourselves tried to enter this water, disgust took its toll. Now I’ll explain why you shouldn’t swim on the beaches of Vung Tau:

Firstly, Vung Tau - oil producing and port city. Therefore, you can imagine the quality of the water here.
Secondly, near Vung Tau One of the dirtiest rivers on the planet, the Mekong, flows into the sea. It originates in the mountains of Tibet, 4350 km from its mouth. It flows through China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam (while also forming the border between Thailand and Myanmar) and everything bad that it collects on its way pours out into the sea near Vung Tau. Google maps clearly shows how dirty the sea is where the Mekong flows into the sea, and you can also see a dirty gray stripe along the entire coast of Vung Tau:

We also found some swimming centipedes in the sea that looked like giant woodlice. Maybe this is a subjective opinion, and they don’t always swim like this, but the Vietnamese did not express panic at the sight of them, as if this was a common thing for them, like fry. After this spectacle, we felt disgusted even to walk on the sand.

Accommodation: hotels and apartments

Vung Tau turned out to be a rather expensive city in terms of housing. Hotels here are more expensive than in our beloved Nha Trang.

Some good hotels with a swimming pool (and in such sea conditions a swimming pool will not hurt) in Vung Tau:

Lan Rung Resort & Spa. Luxurious hotel right on the shore. Beach strip no, you need to enter the sea from the steps. But why swim in a sea like Vung Tau? The hotel has a clean pool! Room rates start from $72 per night. We saw this hotel during our visit, it gives the impression of a snow-white palace:

Seaside Resort Vung Tau. The hotel is not a beach hotel, but very beautiful and with a swimming pool (don't forget about the dirty sea). Room rates - from $60.
In principle, on Booking you can find a hotel in Vung Tau from $9 per night.
We chose for our stay apartments V residential complex with a pool via AirBnb. Cost of the apartment $36 per night. It has a bedroom, living room, kitchen, 1 bathroom and even a washing machine. You can get $27 discount for your first booking through AirBnb, if you register for the service using our referral link: www.airbnb.ru/c/7f45a2

View from our apartment in Vung Tau on the 20th floor:

Renting housing for long periods is also more expensive than in Nha Trang. Here Approximate prices from a local real estate agency for houses and apartments:

Three-storey house with 2 bedrooms, living room, office and terrace. $900 per month.
Two-room apartment in the center, in new apartments, with “European-quality renovation” and all appliances . $1100 per month.
Two-room apartment on long term(from 6 months) Normal repairs. $500 per month.

Choose and book a hotel in Vung Tau with the best discounts:

Review of our holiday in Vung Tau

The city did not leave a pleasant impression. There are few cafes familiar to Europeans here. And there aren’t too many local cafes purely for Vietnamese people either.

There is a terrible beach and a super dirty sea.
Very little interesting places. Everything is limited to three mountains.
We didn’t feel any welcoming atmosphere: clean, beautiful, very empty on the streets. But there is no soulfulness. For comparison, having arrived in or, we were immediately imbued with their atmosphere.

The city is a C minus in terms of tourism. If you are wondering whether to go to Nha Trang or Vung Tau, it is better to choose the first. Unless the purpose of your life is to visit. She's really beautiful, but I wouldn't recommend traveling halfway across the country for her.

Vung Tau or Nha Trang?

I know that many Russians living in Vietnam consider Vung Tau as their main city of residence. To be honest, at one time we ourselves thought about trying to move to the oil capital of Vietnam. Then it seemed to me like a real Vietnamese Rio de Janeiro, with all the ensuing consequences.

Almost everyone cites fatigue from tourists and the desire to live in a quiet place with non-tourist prices as the reason for moving from Nha Trang.

But, as it turned out, it’s even cheaper and there’s more choice. And the prices in cafes in Nha Trang are among the lowest we have seen in any Vietnamese city! Of course, we are not talking about cafes on the first line, but about ordinary family-run Vietnamese restaurants outside the tourist area. And there are a lot of these restaurants, everyone will find something of their own!

The problem of noisy tourists in Nha Trang is solved by renting housing in areas far from the sea. For example, we rent a spacious apartment near a Big C supermarket. It is a 20-minute drive from the sea, and tourists can only be found here in BigC itself. It's good to live and work peacefully here. And on weekends we gladly go to the cleanest (as I remembered it in Vung Tau!) or to where the water is crystal blue. Therefore, I personally don’t understand how anyone can prefer Vung Tau to Nha Trang.

A short video with views of Vung Tau:

Super User

Sights of Vung Tau, overview of interesting places, photographs.

Temple on the island

I can only give the most positive review about this place in Vung Tau! I liked this attraction the most, despite the fact that we didn’t get there due to the high tide. The fact is that the temple called Hon Ba (“Island of the Woman”) is located on a small island near the beach. It is not difficult to find - it is located almost opposite the huge statue of Christ. If you drive along the embankment, you will certainly notice it.

There is a neat temple built on the island, which can be reached on foot at low tide or by renting a boat. From a distance it looks somehow mysterious, colorful and unusual - there is a temple, but there is no road to it!

Giant statue of Jesus on the mountain

In principle, it is not so gigantic if you compare it with famous statue Christ, erected in Rio de Janeiro. You can get to it by walking up the stairs. Vehicles can be parked in the parking lot opposite. But we deliberately did not go there, because it was such a terrible heat that climbing the mountain for another 15 minutes would have been an impossible ordeal for us. We decided to admire this piece of architecture from afar.

The statue, approximately 30 meters high, was erected not so long ago - in 1974 on the site of a lighthouse that was once built by the French.

If you feel like it, get up. Then, please share your impressions! We are also wondering what kind of view of the city opens from there?

Lighthouse

Also a famous landmark of Vung Tau. Finding it is not so easy; you can’t do it without a map and tips from local residents. It is best to ask taxi drivers, or take a taxi straight away. You can walk to the lighthouse, but the path will be very long and always uphill. You can get there by bike, but it will also take a long time. The ideal option is to take a taxi. We climbed up on our motorcycle, and it could barely pull the two of us for some time.

The lighthouse stands on Small mountain, was built a long time ago, during the reign of the last imperial Nguyen dynasty. Interestingly, the lighthouse initially ran on coconut oil! Now it is no longer working, but tourists come to the lighthouse in Vung Tau every day.

Frankly speaking, there is nothing remarkable about this lighthouse; it cannot be compared with the lighthouse on Ke Ga Island (Phan Thiet).

On the way to the lighthouse, pay attention to original cafes, located on the slope of the mountain. Instead of chairs there are hammocks hanging there! On the way back from the lighthouse, we stopped at one of these cafes, grabbed a bottle of green tea and fell into hammocks to take a nap for half an hour. There was a wonderful view of the city!

Home of pure Nirvana

One of the largest temples in all of Vietnam! The House of Pure Nirvana or Niet Bat Tinh Sa is located on the western slope of the Small Mountain. By the way, it was erected in the 20th century, in 1971. The temple is distinguished by a huge statue of a reclining Buddha and a bronze five-ton bell.

An interesting temple, very unusual, thanks to the mosaic laid out on the floor. In general, when you enter Buddhist temples, you always feel some special atmosphere of spiritual purity. “House of Pure Nirvana” is one of those special temples that you must visit!

Truc Lam Tinh Xa Pagoda

An interesting place, which is located next to the road along the embankment. If you drive from Ho Chi Minh City, it will be about three kilometers before reaching the statue of Christ. To be honest, we never figured out whether it was a temple or just a park, but we liked it there. Quite an unusual structure for Vietnam. As far as I remember, we have never seen anything similar.

Quan-AM Tinh-Vien Monastery

To get to this wonderful park, you need to climb a high staircase. Apparently, the larger the staircase leading to the Buddha, the greater the chances of achieving spiritual enlightenment. It’s hard to get up in the heat and at first we didn’t even really want to go there, but the monk caught us and almost forced us to get up. I must say, not in vain!

The territory of the monastery is large, well-groomed, although there are many dogs. One of them started a terrible howl when she saw us, probably thinking that we would harm her puppies. At some point she even tried to bite me, but the monk calmed her down.

You will not regret visiting this attraction. On the territory of the monastery beautiful park with a variety of figures and traditional bonsai trees.

This monastery is also not difficult to find - it is also located on the embankment, next to the main road. It's impossible not to notice.

Many of the attractions in Vung Tau resort are located either along the main road or on the mountain slopes, so they are difficult to miss. In addition to interesting places for tourists to visit, there are east coast there is even a golf course where anyone can take training courses. This is such a small, calm resort town!

If you asked me if I would come to Vung Tau again, I would definitely answer no. Why? Probably because there is nothing attractive for me anymore. We saw everything that could be seen. If you definitely want to go on vacation to this town, you won’t regret it. But know that vacation here is not for spoiled tourists!

Russian district

Vung Tau little known resort among travelers, but among rich people, oil workers, it is so popular that a Russian district has been formed here. Oil production is taking place in these lands, and Russian-Vietnamese enterprises for its production are located here.

The Russian district is specially intended for specialists from Russia; entry to it is only with passes. It has all amenities including school, shops, Orthodox Church. For the safety of people, video cameras are located along the entire perimeter of the area.

There are not many attractions in Vung Tau, but all of them are really worth visiting. The only inconvenience is that the attractions are scattered chaotically throughout the city, so it is better to set aside more than one day to visit the attractions.

Due to the lack of public transport in Vung Tau, the main methods of transportation are: taxis, rented motorbikes/bicycles and, of course, your own legs.

Below is a short list of the main attractions that may be of interest:

Jesus Christ Statue

In Asia it is considered the most tall statue Jesus Christ, reminiscent of the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro. To get to this attraction, you need to climb hundreds of steps. But this path is quite simple, since along the way there are small observation platforms from which a magnificent view of the sea and the city opens. The atmosphere of the path is given by small statues dedicated to biblical stories: Abraham with his son, 13 apostles, Virgin Mary with the body of Christ, etc.

Inside the statue there is a spiral staircase (extremely narrow) that leads to observation deck near the head of the statue. Bring your camera, the view is stunning. BUT I would like to note that entry into the statue is allowed only in appropriate clothing: covered shoulders and knees.

Entrance onto the grounds and into the statue free.

Working hours: from 7:30 to 11:30; from 13.30 to 17.00.

Hai Dang Lighthouse

The lighthouse owes its existence to French colonization, which actively brought its touch to Vietnam. The lighthouse offers excellent views of the city and the sea. Near the lighthouse there is a small area where cannons are located. Previously, these cannons served to protect against uninvited guests from the sea.

We tried to get to the lighthouse from the statue of Jesus Christ (about 2 km), but without success: after 25 minutes of walking through the jungle, the road turned into a path, and the path into a path, and ultimately, when the path disappeared and the grass became waist-deep, we turned back and left the road that goes towards the city, through the slums.

Working hours: from 7:00 to 17:00.

Entrance will cost 4.000 VND.

This is a very tiny island on which there is an active Buddhist temple. Enter the territory in appropriate clothing: covered shoulders and knees.

The only and important nuance is the road to the island. If the tide is high and the road to the temple is underwater, then it is possible to swim to the island by boat. If the tide is low and the road is on the surface, then secure comfortable shoes, which can be wet, since the path lies through slippery stones and boulders. Try to stay close to small paths where there are small stones. This kind of mini-adventure must be completed before sunset (which sets in Vietnam around six in the evening), otherwise it will be dangerous to return along this route.

Entrance to the territory of the island, temple free.

Amusement park + cable car

The large amusement park includes several rides for adults and children, an impressive Buddha statue, a small zoo, a lake and an artificial waterfall. There is also a restaurant and a hotel on site where you can stay overnight and stroll through the park at night under the lights. Goes to the park cable car which offers an excellent view where you can enjoy the landscape around.

Admission ticket together with the cable car it will cost 200,000 VND.