Vung Tau translates into ‘The bay of boats‘. Sitting on a hilly strip of land that juts into the Ocean, Vung tau is one of the best beach towns located around 100 Km from Ho Chi Minh City. It primarily serves as a weekend getaway from Saigon and other cities in the nearby region. The two main beaches are Back Beach and Front beach. The wide boulevards and colonial buildings in this town are major highlights. 

Back Beach is a three-kilometre stretch of sand and sea catering to all the tourists – sun loungers, umbrellas, jet skis, tube rentals, seafood, beach toys and beer, you name it you get it! The Front beach is more low-key and is a harbour to many riverboats. The French style promenade connects the two beaches and makes for a relaxing sunset stroll.

The city gets painfully crowded during the weekends owing to its reputation as a great place for singles to mingle. Prices often triple and if you want to avoid crowds and/or are on a budget visiting during the week is a good idea. You can choose to visit the Jesus Christ statue or the Lighthouse and catch some spectacular views of the city or choose to visit one of the numerous pagodas scattered across the city. A must visit is the Worldwide Arms Museum that showcases ancient weaponry. Vung tau is thin on substantial things to do, but it has this festive, cheerful yet calming vibe to it and that is precisely why you should visit Vung Tau.