Vietnam is rapidly gaining popularity as a tourist region. There is summer all year round, many attractions, a variety of beaches, and in addition, low prices and a friendly local population. All this makes the rest in this region so interesting. The country offers more and more vacation spots. And if Nha Trang, Danang or Phan Thiet are already well known to Russian tourists, then Vung Tau has not yet been well mastered by our travelers. The Moscow-Vietnam flight daily brings hundreds of tourists to the country who want to see new places. We will tell you what the Vung Tau region is , what are its features, advantages and disadvantages.
Geographical position
Vietnam occupies the east coast of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. In its southern part is the province of Baria-Vung Tau, whose area is almost 2 thousand square kilometers. The province is located in the flat part of the country, there are a large number of rivers and tributaries that divide the territory of the region into sections of different sizes.
Climate and weather
South Vietnam is located in a tropical climate zone. This means that there are two main seasons in the region: dry and wet. The first lasts from May to November, the second - from December to April. Moreover, the weather is quite suitable for recreation all year round. The difference is that in wet times it rains more often. However, they have nothing to do with tropical showers, most often it rains at night, and during the day there is quite high humidity, occasionally a little rainfall occurs within 10-15 minutes. Therefore, what locals distinguish as a change of seasons for tourists usually remains subtle differences.
The average annual temperature in Vung Tau (Vietnam) is 26 degrees Celsius. In the dry period, the temperature is slightly lower than in the wet, and during the day it averages 25 degrees Celsius. During rainy days, the air warms up to an average of 28 degrees. At the same time, for example, Vietnam in August is quite comparable in weather with resorts in the Mediterranean, temperature is +28, light night rains, only humidity is higher than in Spain or Crimea. The beauty of the weather in Vung Tau is that the fluctuations between the seasons are only about 3 degrees, so you can relax here all year round. Although traditionally the "high" season falls on the period from December to April. The most unfavorable months for the trip are September and October, when there is a high danger of typhoons.
Settlement history
Today, Vung Tau is a rather large city in the province of Baria-Vung Tau, about 300 thousand people live here. And the history of this settlement began in the 14th century, then there was a local community of fishermen. Three small villages lived peacefully, periodically receiving passing ships. The lord of the land was considered the representative of the Nguyen dynasty. The Portuguese, who often visited here, gave their name to these lands - Cape Saint-Jacques - and taught the locals to speak Latin, this greatly facilitated communication between different peoples.
The peaceful coexistence of nations came to an end when the French occupied this territory. They kept the Portuguese name beyond this region. In 1859, the local population rose to war with the French invaders. But the undertaking failed. The French included Vung Tau in the single district of Baria and included it in the administrative unit with Saigon. According to the census of 1901, about 5 thousand people lived here, 2 thousand of them are immigrants from the Northern provinces. The main fishery for local residents remained fishing. For the French nobility and aristocracy, Vung Tau was a favorite vacation spot, so the French president built a magnificent palace here, in which he received guests. In the 30s of the 20th century, the region, together with all of Vietnam, entered the struggle for independence from French colonization.
During the Second World War, this region was formally under the rule of the Japanese occupying the country, but in reality the Japanese did not get to this land. During the war between Vietnam and the United States, the region was captured by the Americans, who deployed their military base here. In 1959, the government of North Vietnam decided to unite the country. The years of confrontation began, during which the population of Vietnam was badly damaged. And today, the land of the country is experiencing the consequences of the use of chemical weapons by the Americans. In 1976, the reunification of the South and the North took place, and the country gained independence. In 1991, the region finally secured the name Baria-Vung Tau with its capital in the city of Vung Tau.
Administrative divisions and areas
The region is divided into 6 counties and includes two provincial cities - the capital of Vung Tau and the large city of Baria. Vung Tau is not formally divided into districts, but the local population distinguishes several: the center, the industrial part, and the beach area. There are also several expat settlements in the city. In particular, there is an interesting village Vietsovpetro (Vung Tau), in which Russian workers of local shipyards have been living for many years. They created a Russian-speaking diaspora with their own shops, a library and an Orthodox church. Therefore, in Vung Tau one can often hear Russian speech.
Language and religion
The official language of Vung Tau (Vietnam) is Vietnamese. Although from the time of colonization, part of the population speaks French. For example, the addresses "Madame" and "Monsieur", French greetings and farewells, and words of gratitude were universally preserved. Also, part of the population since the American occupation speaks English. Numerous ties with the USSR have led many Vietnamese to say at least a few words in Russian.
Religious issues are complex for Vietnam. Only 18% of the population consider themselves to be some kind of official denomination, most often it is Buddhism. 80% of the country's population profess a system of folk beliefs built on ancient rituals and pagan ideas. At the same time, Vietnamese often perform their rituals in Buddhist temples, which explains such a large number of these structures in the country.
Time
The Vung Tau region, like the whole country, belongs to the UTC + 7 time zone. The same belt includes, for example, Krasnoyarsk, Cambodia, Indonesia, part of Mongolia. The time difference between Moscow and Vietnam is +4 hours. So, if in Vung Tau it’s 12 o’clock in the afternoon, then in Moscow it’s another 8 in the morning.
How to get there
There are several ways to get to southern Vietnam. Vung Tau Airport serves only small airplanes of local airlines. So the fastest way is to fly to the city. Although there are simpler and more economical options. The most popular option for Russian tourists is a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, then by bus or taxi to Vung Tau. Buses can be both superior comfort and the most common, regular. Travel time will be 2.5-3 hours. Travel agencies organize special flights for tourists directly from the airport and from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. For lovers of comfort, there are always taxis near the airport that fly to Vung Tau in 1, 5 hours and a large amount of money. There is also the opportunity to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau by water, on the Rocket. Travel time will be only 1 hour 15 minutes.
What to see
In addition to the beaches, Vung Tau (Vietnam) provides great educational opportunities for a curious tourist. The first thing to see is a statue of Christ, several temples and pagodas, Villa Blanche, a French cannon field, a statue of the Virgin Mary on Mount Nuilon. Also of interest is the Kondao Museum, which tells the story of the “prison” island and the prison building of Tri Phu Hai. In your free time you can get to the Hai Dang lighthouse, built back in 1907. By the lighthouse you will have to climb the mountain, but from the site there is a magnificent view of the city and the bay. The small island of Honba, on which the Vung Tau convent is located, is worth a separate walk.
Sights of the country will be interesting to both lovers of architecture and history, and lovers of flora and fauna. The latter is worth a look at natural sights: hot springs, hills near the city, ecotourism park on Big Mountain and, of course, beaches.
Statue of christ
In 1974, the main attraction of the province appeared - "Christ" (Vung Tau). The statue of Jesus is only 6 meters smaller than the famous counterpart in Rio de Janeiro. The Catholic community established it, choosing the peak of Mount Nuino for the statue. Christ looks at the South China Sea, and is visible from afar. Climbing to the statue will require some courage, because you have to overcome about 900 steps. There are special platforms on the stairs for relaxation while climbing, but it is better to take water with you. It is customary to climb in the morning as a greeting to God. The statue is carved in white marble and stands on a 10-meter pedestal decorated with bas-reliefs. The length of the reach of Jesus is almost 20 meters. Inside the figure there is a staircase (133 steps), along which you can climb to shoulder level and see an impressive panorama. A visit to the statue is equivalent to the entrance to the temple, so clothes need to cover your knees and shoulders.
Villa Blanche
In 1898, they began to build a villa for the French governor of Indochina, Paul Doumer. So Villa Blanche (White) appeared, which today is rightfully proud of Vung Tau (Vietnam). This governor could not live in the villa, but his successors spent many years here. The building was built in the luxurious style of the 18th century and looks like a small palace. At the beginning of the 20th century, the last emperor of the Vietnamese ruling dynasty was kept here under house arrest. Today it houses a museum with a good collection of antiques and things from the time of colonization.
Temples of Vung Tau
Buddhist temples look very elegant and spectacular, they always have a lot of interesting things. Therefore, during a vacation in Vung Tau it is worth taking a walk through the most remarkable places. First of all, this is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha or the House of Pure Nirvana. It was built in the 70s of the 20th century and is remarkable for the fact that inside it is a 12-meter statue of a reclining Buddha. It is placed on a mahogany pedestal 2.5 meters high. On the feet of the statue are cut lines from the sacred texts. On the second floor of the temple there is an amazing boat in the shape of a snake, it is filled with water, and fish swim in it. And the third floor is given to a huge bell, under which you can put a note with a wish. The Vietnamese believe that these wishes will come true.
The temple complex of the Altar of Buddha is also very interesting. As you climb to the top of the complex, you can see Buddhist sculptures depicting scenes from the life of a saint. The beautiful Guanyin Pagoda is also worth exploring. In front of her is an 18-meter-high figure of a saint who helps in the birth of children. Thang Tam Pagoda is dedicated to the founders of the first three villages, which later became the city of Vung Tau.
Where to live
Almost all Vung Tau hotels are concentrated either in the area of the beach line or in the city center. Since the settlement has a very compact layout, in general, there is no difference where to settle. But if it is planned mainly a beach vacation, it is better to choose a hotel closer to the sea. The city has a large selection of accommodation, in addition to the usual hotels and hostels, you can rent apartments or stay in a guest house. Accommodation prices here are quite moderate, inexpensive rooms start at $ 10. Since the city is very popular as a holiday destination for residents of Ho Chi Minh City, prices usually rise a bit by the weekend.
Where to eat
Remaining hungry in Vung Tau is impossible. It is always and everywhere eaten: on beaches, streets, in cafes, shops, temples. Street food here is tasty, reasonably priced and safe. Evening time in Vietnam is a meal time. At sunset, locals take to the streets to eat, merchants of various kinds appear throughout the city, cafes are filled with families who gather to dine together. For those who still fear to eat on the street, there are many cafes and restaurants, not only Vietnamese, but also Italian, American, Korean, Japanese and even Russian cuisines. You can eat fast and inexpensively at the food court in the mall. But still, the most authentic and delicious food will be in local markets and street cafes, where a large number of local residents gather. Since Vietnamese cuisine is very spicy, you can ask the cook to put less pepper.
On the beach is the most expensive food. Therefore, it is better to leave from there to have lunch. Vung Tau is famous for its seafood, it is a great place to cook different types of fish, and also make delicious sushi and rolls. They can be bought individually from trays on the street.
Things to do
Most of the time tourists in Vung Tau spend on the beach. But besides this, there is something to do. There is a large amusement park on Mount Nuilon that can be reached by cable car. The park has attractions, there is a lake and an artificial waterfall, it will be interesting for children to visit the zoo. For lovers of outdoor activities there is a yacht club, a golf course, a skate station, and diving schools. Men like to spend time fishing, which is simply extraordinary here. For ladies, shopping in Vung Tau seems attractive; they should go to the Lam Sean area. Here on three streets you can buy souvenirs, products of local artisans, as well as clothes, shoes, bags. The size range of clothes and shoes is small, for large men there is hardly anything suitable. The assortment is mostly summer, but you can choose good jackets and suitcases.
Vung Tau is also a great place to improve your health, several good massage parlors work here, hot springs help from rheumatism and arthritis.
Beach vacation
The main attraction of the region is the beaches of Vung Tau. The largest Bai Sao beach (Rear Beach) belongs to the municipality. It is located close to hotels, and therefore it is always quite crowded. Entrance here is paid, you will also have to pay for a sunbed and other services.
Bai Chyok (Front Beach) is also located in the center, and during the day it is too noisy, but in the evenings you can walk here and watch the sunset.
Pineapple beach is located between the Front and Rear, on the very edge of the cape. It received its name in honor of the pineapples that once grew here. Today it is quite crowded, but noisy due to the proximity of the highway.
Long High Beach is a 15-minute drive from the city. It is the cleanest in Vung Tau, off the coast there are spectacular boulders where tourists arrange romantic photo shoots. Visiting Vietnam in August or November, you can choose the beaches on the edge of the cape, and in September and October it is better to opt for those that are closer to the center of the mainland.
Security
Vietnam in terms of crime is in the middle positions in the world. But in Vung Tau, the life of tourists is not in danger. What can not be said about their property. The risk of being cheated in the market is very high, as well as being robbed during an evening walk along deserted beaches. Most often, theft of wallets and cell phones happens here. Evening time in Vietnam and Vung Tau is fraught with robberies, which most often occur according to one pattern: a bike rides past tourists, a person sitting on it pulls out a bag or phone and leaves. Therefore, tourists are advised to observe the rules of basic caution.
Practical information
Vung Tau is a very compact city, there is no public transport, but almost everywhere can be reached on foot. For longer trips, a taxi or a rented bike or bike is suitable.
Water flows from a tap in Vung Tau, which is not recommended to be consumed raw for safety reasons.
In Vietnam, local money is dong, but in tourist places you can pay in dollars, although the rate is likely to be unprofitable. You can exchange money in banks (the safest option) or in special exchangers, where the rate will be the most profitable, but you need to carefully watch so that additional fees are not charged.
Reviews about Vung Tau
At travel forums you can read a lot of stories about trips to Vietnam. Vung Tau, reviews about which are less common, are estimated by tourists differently. There are travelers very loyal to this place who like the atmosphere and beaches. And there are those who are disappointed, expected more. Tourists note that life in Vung Tau is calmer than in the more famous resorts of the country. They also say that there is a very good cultural program and many attractions. But the service of many vacationers is disappointing. Here you will not find helpful staff, the Vietnamese always see a tourist in the first place as an opportunity to earn money. In addition, in the reviews you can read that the Vietnamese have special ideas about cleanliness, and the hotel rooms cannot always be perfect cleaned.