Looking for the best places to visit in Vung Tau, Vietnam? We visited this coastal city as part of our Vietnam trip and discovered that there is much more to Vung Tau than just its beaches. I specifically chose Vung Tau for our babymoon because I wanted a place with a small-town vibe, beautiful beaches, cafés, and historical landmarks without being too far from Ho Chi Minh City.
1. Back Beach Vung Tau (Bãi Sau Vũng Tàu)
Back Beach (Bãi Sau) is one of the most popular beaches in Vung Tau. The area has undergone major development, with new infrastructure and amenities designed for both locals and tourists.
It’s a long stretch of beach filled with playgrounds, paved walkways, benches, beautiful architecture, and public toilets. There’s even a basketball court and a skateboarding area.
The entire stretch of Back Beach is approximately 5 kilometers long. Of course, you don’t need to go from end to end just to enjoy the beach, but you can also jog or walk along it in the morning or evening.
It’s a massive development where people flock throughout the day. In the afternoon, a lot of locals park along the street and enjoy the long stretch of beach.
There are beach chairs and umbrellas that you can rent for around 60,000 VND per day. Drinks are affordable too! Iced coffee costs around 25,000 VND, while iced citrus juice is around 40,000 VND.
Back Beach is becoming one of the most important destinations in Vung Tau because of its beach and recent development, making it a tourist- and local-friendly destination.
No wonder there are plenty of hotels and apartments near Back Beach.
Entrance Fee: Free
2. Tháp Tam Thắng – Bãi Sau Vũng Tàu
Tháp Tam Thắng is becoming one of the newest symbols of Vung Tau. This towering structure is one of the most visually recognizable landmarks along Back Beach.
The structure has 143 columns and symbolizes the three important villages in Vung Tau. Located along Back Beach, or Bãi Sau, it has become a major stop for tourists visiting the area.
At night, the structure is illuminated in different colors. It’s also where people flock after sunset.
During our visit, the area was dotted with people enjoying portable videoke machines and photobooths. The atmosphere at night was really lovely.
If you are looking for things to do in Vung Tau at night, this area is worth checking out.
Back Beach is also a great spot if you are a morning person and love watching the sunrise.
Entrance Fee: Free
3. Front Beach (Bãi Trước)
If there is a Back Beach, there is also a Front Beach.
Front Beach is more developed and is located near the busy area of Vung Tau. Many of the tourist attractions in Vung Tau are located in or around the Front Beach area.
The area has infrastructure for beachgoers, including showers, benches, gardens, and walkable pathways. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafés, street food, and other establishments nearby.
Best of all, Front Beach is a great place for sunset chasing in Vung Tau.
Personally, I prefer Back Beach because it’s more suitable for swimming, the sand is nicer, and it has better infrastructure.
But we also loved staying in the Front Beach area to watch the sunset over a cup of coffee.
In fact, every afternoon, we stayed in the Front Beach area and sat down in a café while waiting for dinner.
Pure relaxation.
Entrance Fee: Free
4. Vung Tau Lighthouse (Hải đăng Vũng Tàu)
Vung Tau Lighthouse was the first attraction that we visited in Vung Tau. Since it’s located on Small Mountain, you need to take a ride to get there.
You can either book a Grab car, take a GrabBike, or ride a buggy from the foot of the mountain.
From our hotel in Back Beach, we booked a Grab that cost around 120,000 VND. The cost was understandable because it was an uphill ride.
When we reached the street leading all the way up, we were stopped by a group of men who told us that there was an ongoing tree-cutting operation, so the Grab car could not pass.
Our option was to ride a buggy for 50,000 VND each, round trip.
The lighthouse itself is not that big or spectacular. What was amazing was the view from above!
It was stunning.
From the top, you can see the entire stretch of Back Beach, the Vung Tau cityscape, and the Jesus Christ Statue.
There are also benches under big trees, making the area a good resting spot while you admire the city and the beach.
Although it’s located on top of a mountain, I found the attraction manageable even for elderly and pregnant individuals. There are only a few manageable stairs leading to the magnificent view of the city.
Entrance Fee: 30,000 VND per group of 4 people
5. White Palace (Bạch Dinh)
White Palace, or Bạch Dinh, is one of the historical attractions in Vung Tau and an important part of the city's colonial history.
Vung Tau was once a resting place for French authorities during the colonial era. Bạch Dinh became a residence and retreat for prominent figures during that period.
In the early 1900s, Emperor Thành Thái was placed under house arrest in Bạch Dinh by the French authorities. Later on, it became a retreat for Vietnamese royals and authorities until the monarchy was abolished. The structure was eventually regarded as a national historical-cultural monument.
Today, the White Palace serves as a museum and provides visitors with a glimpse into the past and the lifestyle of the French authorities during the colonial period.
The White Palace is located on top of a hill. Grab cars or motorbikes cannot go directly in front of the actual palace, so there is a short 2–5-minute easy walk uphill.
If you're interested in Vung Tau history and heritage, this is one attraction to include in your itinerary.
Entrance Fee: 15,000 VND per person
6. Ba Ria – Vung Tau Museum (Bảo tàng Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu)
Vung Tau has a rich history that goes beyond the French colonial period. It had a fortress, became a retreat for the French and Vietnamese royals, developed into an industrial powerhouse, and is now a promising tourist destination.
The Ba Ria–Vung Tau Museum is a good place to learn more about the city's history.
The museum has three floors and showcases the story of Vung Tau. Inside, we came across different dioramas depicting the lives of Vietnamese people.
What I liked the most about the Vung Tau Museum was the recreation of the tunnels used during the war.
The museum supposedly closes at 5 PM. We arrived at 4 PM, so we expected to have one hour to roam around the museum.
But 10 minutes before 5 PM, the staff were already turning off the lights, and it made us rush to leave.
We should have arrived earlier to explore the museum properly.
Entrance Fee: 40,000 VND per person
7. Bảo Tàng Maison De Lumiére
Bảo Tàng Maison De Lumiére is another attraction reflecting the French colonial era in Vung Tau. It serves as a reminder that this place was once a retreat for French authorities.
We came here hoping to have coffee because Google Maps said there was a café here.
When we arrived, however, it was nearly abandoned. There was no caretaker, but the facility was open.
Since there was no café at Bảo Tàng Maison De Lumiére, we simply rested for a bit before finally settling in a café in the area.
It wasn't exactly what we expected, but it became one of those spontaneous stops that sometimes happen when exploring a new city.
Entrance Fee: Free
8. Thich Ca Phat Dai Pagoda (Thích Ca Phật Đài)
We’ve visited a lot of Buddha statues during our travels around Asia, but this was probably the first time I saw what was presented to us as a relic connected to the Bodhi tree.
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, meditated under the Bodhi tree, and the rest is history to what we now know as Buddhism.
The Buddha statue is located on top of a hill, or what locals commonly refer to as Big Mountain. The Bodhi tree relic was placed strategically behind the Buddha, symbolizing his meditation under the tree hundreds of years ago.
Locals from the surrounding area, and even visitors from other parts of Vietnam, frequently visit this solemn place to pray and meditate.
We are not Buddhist, but I admire the devotion of the people.
As we walked further, we saw a reclining Buddha located in the middle of the woods. Surrounded by trees, it was such a calming experience, especially knowing that we were the only foreigners in the area and were able to immerse ourselves in a place where locals come to offer their prayers and devotion.
It was a calm and hot morning, so after admiring the statue and taking a few shots, we ran under the shade of the Bodhi tree.
We also talked to some of the locals selling beads and other religious items.
If you want to experience a quieter and more spiritual side of Vung Tau, Thích Ca Phật Đài is worth adding to your itinerary.
Entrance Fee: Free
9. Vung Tau Market (Chợ Vũng Tàu)
Every city has its pantry, and that is the local market where produce is sold by the people.
Your trip will not be complete without visiting a local market in Vung Tau, where you can see unique fruits, vegetables, food, and other local products.
Vung Tau Market offers a unique cultural experience where you can buy street food and fruits. Simply walking around the market is already a cultural experience.
The market is not that big, and some of the shops were closed during our visit. Outside the market was where the action was happening—not inside, as a matter of fact.
We were able to buy rice cakes and admire the rich local produce of Vung Tau.
Although some of them are not new to us because the Philippines has similar produce, it was still amazing to see other varieties of tomatoes, bitter melon, and other vegetables.
We walked toward the other side of the market and saw some stalls selling more food.
Although we were planning to have breakfast at our hotel after our market tour, we still decided to eat Banh Mi and Bun Thit Nuong at a roadside eatery called Chinh Dua 69.
Entrance Fee: Free
10. Jesus Christ Statue (Tượng đài Chúa Kitô)
If Tháp Tam Thắng in Back Beach is becoming the newest symbol of Vung Tau, the Jesus Christ Statue has been the symbol of Vung Tau for a long time—well, not officially, but in my view.
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| Photo by Claire Madarang of Traveling Light |
And why not?
This 32-meter-high statue was declared the largest statue of Jesus Christ in Asia in 2012. You can even see the white statue standing on the mountain when you are in the Back Beach area.
I did not visit the statue when we were in Vung Tau, but my friend did, and she shared her experience and some of her pictures with me.
Going to the statue may be challenging for senior citizens, pregnant people, and people with special needs. Although you can take a Grab right in front of the stairs leading to the statue, you still need to climb around 800 steps to reach it.
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| Photo by Claire Madarang of Traveling Light |
To get to the famous shoulders of Jesus Christ, you need to climb another 133 steps on a spiral staircase.
But I guess after doing all that climbing, the view will be worth it.
You will have a 360-degree unobstructed view of Vung Tau. You can see Back Beach, Front Beach, and the city center.
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| Photo by Claire Madarang of Traveling Light |
As a general reminder, you need to wear appropriate clothing that covers your toes and ankles if you want to go up to Jesus’ shoulders.
Entrance Fee: Free
How to Go to Vung Tau from Ho Chi Minh City
There are two options to go to Vung Tau: by water or by land.
We chose the latter, and it took us around two hours from District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City.
You can book your transfer on Klook for around 1,000,000 VND, inclusive of gas and toll fees. Since it’s a two-hour ride, you can also ask the driver for a quick toilet break along the way.
Going to Vung Tau by Fast Craft
If you opt to go by fast craft, you can travel from District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, to Vung Tau via the Greenlines DP ferry from Bach Dang Speed Ferry Terminal on Tôn Đức Thắng Street.
Simply take a Grab to the terminal, purchase your ticket in advance or at the counter, and arrive around 30 minutes before departure.
The journey offers scenic views along the way and brings you directly to Vung Tau, making it a convenient alternative to traveling by bus or private car.
Where to Stay in Vung Tau
We stayed at Annata Beach Hotel in the Back Beach area.
Since it was our babymoon, I booked a hotel in the much more laid-back area of Vung Tau while still having easy access to the beach.
You can watch our Annata Beach Hotel review here.
I booked this hotel via Agoda for 1,200,000 VND per night, inclusive of buffet breakfast.
Since our hotel was only a 3–5-minute walk from the beach, it felt like having an extended hotel amenity right outside our doorstep. The hotel also has a pool.
You may read our Annata Beach Hotel review here for more details.
Vung Tau surprised us.
I initially chose this destination because I wanted somewhere relaxing for our babymoon, but we discovered that there was more to the city than beaches.
From Back Beach and Front Beach to the lighthouse, historical landmarks, museums, temples, markets, and the famous Jesus Christ Statue, there are plenty of places to visit in Vung Tau.
What I particularly enjoyed was the combination of a coastal city atmosphere with its history and local culture.
If you are coming from Ho Chi Minh City and want a destination where you can slow down, enjoy the beach, explore a few historical sites, eat local food, and spend time in cafés, Vung Tau is definitely a place worth putting on your Vietnam itinerary.
I also documented our Vung Tau Experience through Travel Vlog, you may watch all our Vung Tau videos our YouTube Channel.
