I'm going to talk about Vung Tau - a coastal city which is located in the south of Vietnam with a coastline stretching 42km, with tree-lined streets, with golden sunshine, with ancient temples hidden among green gardens that have become very attractive. To be more exact, it is situated at the tip of a small peninsula
Vung Tau has traditionally been a significant port, particularly during Vietnam’s period of French rule. Today, the city's importance as a shipping port has diminished but it still plays a significant role in Vietnam's offshore oil industry.
To most tourists, Vung Tau is more interesting for its extensive beach ists often prefer swimming at the Back Beach (in Vietnamese it means Bãi Sau) but sightseeing Beach (in Vietnamese it means Bãi Trước). The Back Beach is well known for its over 10km of fine sand. As Vung Tau is only 130km away from Ho Chi Minh City, it is a favorite destination for those wishing to have a short holiday and get away from the city.
Vung Tau is a wonderful tourist attraction. Most people in the south of Vietnam prefer to travel to Vung Tau by "Hydrofoil fast ferry". It is a quick way to get to and from Vung Tau. Taking the Hydrofoil is also a good way to see the commercial maritime areas as the boat runs through the Saigon River to the sea. Arriving at Vung Tau, you can see the Hydrofoil Fast Ferry Station, an architectural landmark of the city. Also, tourists can visit a 32m-high Statue of Jesus Christ extending his 18.3m-long arms on the top of 170m-high Nho Mount. This is the largest sculpture in the south of Vietnam.
Whether you are religious or not, it is worth visiting Niet Ban Tinh Xa and Thich Phat Dai, which are the most popular among the pagodas and temples in Vung Tau city.
Another destination for local people and tourists is Bach Dinh (the White Palace) built by the French in the early century as a summer holiday house of French Governor, General Paul Doumer. One more attractive destination is Ho May, you can freely experience thrilling games, explore animal parks, ecological zones, water parks and folk amusement parks. Today, it exhibits hundreds of antiques collected from Con Dao Islet and attracts hundreds of tourists every day.
I think it is the sea that makes Vung Tau a paradise not only for local people but also for tourists. There are a lot of luxurious hotels along the nice beach. In here, the rainy season is from May to October. The Sunny season is from November to April. Especially, in recent years, the Kite Festival is held here annually, and this has helped attract more and more national and international tourists. Last May, Vung Tau first hosted the World Food Festival, which has become a new and appealing activity for this coastal region.