Vung Tau: Ho Chi Minh City's Favourite Escape
Two hours from Ho Chi Minh City by road or hydrofoil, Vung Tau has long been the coastal retreat for southern Vietnam's urban crowd. Here is what to expect.
Vung Tau occupies a small peninsula 125 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City and has served as the city's weekend release valve for over a century — first for French colonists, then for South Vietnamese, now for expats and Vietnamese urbanites who need sand and seafood in a hurry.
The Beaches
Vung Tau has two main beaches on opposite sides of the peninsula. Front Beach (Bai Truoc) faces west and catches the sunset; it is the busier, more developed side with seafood restaurants right on the sand. Back Beach (Bai Sau) is longer, calmer, and where most of the resort hotels sit. The water is not Phu Quoc-clear — proximity to the Mekong Delta's outflow keeps it murky — but it is perfectly swimable.
The Christ Statue
Vung Tau's most distinctive landmark is a 32-metre statue of Jesus with outstretched arms, positioned on the rocky Nho Mountain. It predates Rio's Christ the Redeemer by seven years. The 847-step climb is hot but rewarding — the bay view from the arms (you can climb inside the statue) is worth every step.
Seafood
Vung Tau is famous throughout southern Vietnam for its seafood. The best eating is not in the hotel restaurants — head to the seafood strips near Quang Trung Street for grilled clams, mud crab, prawns, and steamed fish, selected live from tanks and cooked to order. Prices are a fraction of Ho Chi Minh City. Order more than you think you need.
Getting There
The Phu Quy hydrofoil from Bach Dang Pier in HCMC takes 90 minutes and is far more enjoyable than the road (which can take 3-4 hours in traffic). Book tickets in advance for weekends — it sells out. The hydrofoil drops you near Front Beach; taxis cover the rest.
Stay Sunday night instead of Saturday. Weekends pack the beaches and roads; Sunday evening is quieter, cheaper, and you leave Monday morning when everyone else is fighting traffic back.
