VN · Ho Chi Minh City · 10.35°N 107.07°E

vung tau

Saigon's weekend beach town, with a giant Jesus statue up on the hill.

Best time
December to April is dry and breezy. From May to November, expect afternoon rain. Weekends and holidays get packed with visitors from Saigon, so weekdays are calmer.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly KL to Ho Chi Minh City (about 2 hours), then about 2 hours by road. Fast boats from central Saigon also take about 2 hours when services are running.
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VN · Ho Chi Minh Cityvung tau10.35°N 107.07°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Saigon's weekend beach town, with a giant Jesus statue up on the hill.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingVung TauVN, Ho Chi Minh City
KLvung tau
≈ 998 km from KL, as the crow flies
Nhìn toàn cảnh TP.VŨNG TÀU từ Cáp treo Vũng Tàu

Photo: Luci nguyễn · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A seaside city on a peninsula southeast of Saigon, where city folk come for weekend seafood and sea air. It has a couple of city beaches, a hilltop lighthouse and a huge Christ statue overlooking the sea. It's more a busy local getaway than a postcard beach, and since 2025 it has been part of Ho Chi Minh City.

Makan

  1. Bánh khọtSmall crispy rice pancakes topped with prawns, Vung Tau's signature snack.Map ↗
  2. SeafoodFresh catch at the seafood restaurants and markets along the coast.Map ↗
  3. Lẩu cá đuốiStingray hotpot with a sour broth, a local favourite.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Christ of Vung TauA 32-metre statue on Small Mountain. Climb several hundred steps, then up inside the statue to the shoulders for the view.Map ↗
  2. Vung Tau LighthouseA French-era lighthouse on top of Small Mountain, with views over the whole peninsula.Map ↗
  3. Back BeachBai Sau, the long main beach for swimming.Map ↗
  4. Hon BaA tiny island temple you can walk out to at low tide.Map ↗
  5. White PalaceBach Dinh, a French colonial villa on the hillside, now a museum.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The Christ statue has a dress code: no shorts or sleeveless tops.
  • Check the tide times before walking out to Hon Ba.
  • Avoid weekends if you can. Traffic from Saigon gets heavy.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.