Going to Vung Tau and only swimming at the beach is a wasted opportunity.

Vung Tau is a popular tourist destination among residents of Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces due to its convenient transportation (sometimes a day trip is enough). However, just swimming at the beach in Vung Tau is a missed opportunity because there are many things waiting for you to explore.

Traveling to Vung Tau and just swimming at the beach is a missed opportunity.

The familiar image for tourists is the long stretch of Bai Sau beach and the beautiful coastal road connecting the 4 beaches of Vung Tau. However, there are still many interesting destinations for you to explore, admire the scenery, and take weekend photos in this coastal city.

Below are 9 spots that visitors to Vung Tau can take advantage of to explore and relax besides swimming at the beach:

1. Watching the Sunrise at Nghinh Phong Cape

Witnessing the sunrise at the foot of Little Mountain, right at the tip of Sau Beach, offers a captivating experience. Here, travelers can marvel at the sunrise next to Hon Ba Island. During low tide days, you might even spot a rocky strip connecting the shore to a small island. The waters behind the island are quite deep, creating mesmerizing shimmering patches on the sea.

2. Trich Fish Beach

Trich Fish Beach in Vung Tau sees over 20 small fishing boats near the shore every morning, bustling with activity from the 6th to the 11th lunar month. After capturing the dawn's beauty, you can descend down the slope to the beginning of Sau Beach near Hon Ba, where every morning you can immerse yourself in the fishermen's way of life.

Travelers can assist in pulling the boats ashore, observe fishermen sorting and washing their catch, as well as engage in lively trading from 6 am to 8 am. There's nothing more fascinating than directly participating in the bustling activities of a vibrant fishing village at sunrise.

3. Christ the King Statue on Little Mountain

Near Nghinh Phong Cape stands the Christ the King Statue, hailed as the tallest Christ statue in Asia (32 meters), at an altitude exceeding 700 meters above sea level. Admiring the panoramic view from the observation deck on the statue's arm, you'll have unique photo angles overlooking Sau Beach and Hon Ba, as well as a sweeping view of Vung Tau.

4. Scenic Spot overlooking Truoc Beach at the foot of Little Mountain

Along the road at Truoc Beach circling up Little Mountain towards the Lighthouse, there's a path leading straight to the old bunker, which marks the end of the mountain road. This spot provides a panoramic view of Truoc Beach and the underground submarine port. In the morning, you can observe the bustling boat activity, while in the evening, you can enjoy the view of Vung Tau at night.

5. Aval Sea Light

Aval Sea Light, often referred to as Can Gio aval (the French word “aval” meaning downstream), is also known locally as White Shadow, situated alone amidst the sea, approximately 13km from the Vung Tau coast in Ganh Rai Bay.

Standing 22.5m above sea level, it resembles a white castle tower amidst the open sea. You can rent a boat from Dinh pier to visit the Lighthouse and capture majestic sea photos with the highlight being the white lighthouse beacon.

6. Vung Tau Lighthouse

The road up Little Mountain has a junction leading to the ancient Lighthouse of the city. Here, you can capture panoramic city views, admire Sau Beach and Pineapple Beach, Christ the King statue, as well as Nghinh Phong Cape. Whether by motorbike or car, it's very convenient due to the large and safe asphalt road. There are beautiful ancient porcelain trees here.

7. Long Son Island Commune

Long Son Commune is located on Long Son Island, about 12km southwest of the city center of Vung Tau by road. This is the only suburban commune of the city. Here, there is a cluster of the Big House relics which preserves the architecture and customs of ancient Southern Vietnam quite interestingly.

You can learn about community activities here with the elders and locals maintaining ancient customs wearing black silk tunics, barefoot, and hair tied up. Here, you can take photos of ancient architecture as well as scenes of unique cultural activities.

8. Sunset at Truoc Beach Pier

Watching the sunset might seem simple, but few notice the fishing boat pier right at Truoc Beach, behind the coconut groves and orchards. Every evening, tourists can watch the sun sinking into the sea amidst the scene of fishermen returning to the pier in their coracles, or the clusters of nets and flags from the fishing boats.

If you're lucky, you'll capture the scene of crab-catching boats bustling back to shore with lively transactions with fishermen carrying large bamboo baskets.

9. 'Sit Down and Enjoy a Cup of Coffee' at Truoc Beach

Cafes at the high corner near the underground submarine pier are fascinating spots to enjoy the sunset and the panoramic night view from the rooftop. Cafes with beautiful corners include Mr. Ket and Lighroom. Tourists can sip coffee while overlooking the night scene of Truoc Beach and the small bay and Big Mountain.

By Hải Piano/Tuổi Trẻ

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Reference: Travel Handbook from Mytour