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Vung Tau is a heaven of sea tourism in Southern Vietnam. It’s beautiful and very close to Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh City) so convenient for travelling. You need just 1 day to visit most of the attractions in Vung Tau City, or 2 days if you want to visit its nearby spots. The following is my tips, experiences and top things to do in Vung Tau city – Vietnam for 1 or 2-day trip.
> Check out 200+ hotels in Vung Tau city – Vietnam
How to get to Vung Tau from Sai Gon?
Usually, you will travel to Vung Tau from Sai Gon. There are 2 ways to go from Sai Go: hydrofoil and bus. You should choose hydrofoil, it’s very quick, just over 1 hour.
Hydrofoil leave at Bach Dang wharf (bến Bạch Đằng ). Usually, on weekends and holidays, tickets are sold out soon. You must book in advance.
Buses takes more time, over 3 hours. You can catch bus at Mien Dong bus station (East bus station), 5 minutes/trip, or Hoa Mai bus station on Nguyen Thai Binh street – District 1.
Moving in Vung Tau
Taxi in Vung Tau is abundant and quite cheap. You should choose Mai Linh or Dau Khi taxis to avoid rips-off.
Cyclo and electric car are for the beaches.
Motorbike can be rented at $5 – 7 / day. Asking the locals or your hotels for the information.
Best Hotels in Vung Tau
Hoang Kim Hy hotel at 209/54 Binh Gia (in an alley ). Tel +8464.3582 287 or +849.7979.3712
Nghinh Phong hotel, tel: +8464.852.478
Doi Dua (Đồi Dừa ) hotel, rooms are ok, nice view and average price. Tel: +8464.3852.646
Bao Viet hotel, tel +8464.3525.589
Motel at 126 Hoang Hoa Tham is quite ok too.
An experience when renting hotels in Vung Tau: Opt for the alleys where hotels are cheaper and the quality is not any lower than hotels on big streets.
>> Check out 200+ hotels in Vung Tau city – Vietnam
Best things to do & to see in Vung Tau city
Beaches: Vung Tau is most famous for beaches. Bai Truoc, Bai Sau are nice with tourists. Chi Linh and Thuy Tien are more pristine and popular with local with cheaper services.
Thich Ca Phat Dai (Thích Ca Phật đài), the bigest temple in Vung Tau, is located on Big Moutain (Núi Lớn).
White palace (Bạch Dinh), on Big moutain, is a famous architecture of Vung Tau.
Jesus statue (tượng Chúa Jesu), on Small Moutain (Núi Nhỏ ), is 32 metres (100 ft) tall.
Niet Ban Tinh Xa (Niết Bàn Tịnh Xá), meaning the sacred place of Buddhism, another famous temple of Vung Tau is located on Small Moutain.
Lighthouse, on Small Moutain, is 18 metre (about 50 ft) tall, as the symbol of Vung Tau city.
Additionally, Vung Tau has some interesting games: skydiving ($20/turn), canoeing ($25/hour) and watching dog racing (only on Saturday and Sunday).
If you have more time, about 2-3 days, you are advised to spend 1 days in the city, 2 days for its neighbors: Long Hai beach, Binh Chau hot spring (Suối nước nóng Bình Châu ), or Sen lake (Bàu Sen ).
What and where to eat in Vung Tau?
Seafoods: Vung Tau is, like other coastal city, well-known for seafood. Thanh Phat restaurant, at 334 – Tran Phu street, is best seafood restaurant in Vung Tau, where food are very tasty and cheap. Co Nen restaurant, near Vung Tau cable car, has grilled octopus and fried milk-squid, for $5/plate. Ganh Hao restaurant at 3 – Tran Phu street serves delicious dishes and nice view. Stingray hot pot at 40 Truong Cong Dinh street.
Broken rice of Huong Duong restaurant at 140 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street, near Vung Tau market. The restaurant has many delicious dishes and is affordable. Restaurant at 83-85 Nguyen Thai Hoc street has many tasty ethnic dishes.
In the evening, stroll on beaches, have some ice cream at Alibaba restaurant (near the Vung Tau cable car) or come to Do Chieu street for snack, remember to try avocado smoothie at Sinh To Ba Gia (Ba Gia juice ).
If you want to eat snails and shells (in the evening), head to Nguyen Thai Hoc street, or Oc Noc restaurant on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street.
Things to NOT do in Vung Tau:
– NEVER come to restaurants on Hoang Hoa Tham street, they are notorious for rips-off.
– NEVER take recommendation of taxis and motor taxis for restaurants or hotel.
– NEVER follow the leaflets advertising for restaurants.
– AVOID eating at restaurant on beaches
>> Check out 200+ hotels in Vung Tau city – Vietnam
