Vung Tau is the closest beach destination to Ho Chi Minh City - 125 km southeast on the Ba Ria-Vung Tau peninsula - and functions as HCMC’s coastal escape valve. On weekends the beaches fill with city residents; on weekdays it’s quieter and more local. The city sits on a peninsula between two mountains: Nui Lon (Big Mountain) and Nui Nho (Small Mountain), each with a lighthouse on top and sea views from the peak. The Christ the King statue (Tượng Chúa Kito Vua) on Nui Nho’s summit - 32 metres tall, arms outstretched at 18 metres - is Vung Tau’s signature landmark. The beaches (Front Beach, Back Beach, and the quieter Bai Dua) are decent for Vietnam, and the seafood restaurants are among the best in the south.
We have mapped 8 top-rated Vung Tau tours by traveller type. Prices are approximate in USD as of 2026.
Top Vung Tau Tours at a Glance
| Tour | Duration | Approx. Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christ Statue and Nui Nho Mountain Walk | 3 hrs | From $15 | Culture, first-timers |
| Vung Tau Lighthouse and Peninsula Cycling Tour | 3 hrs | From $20 | Active, scenic |
| Ho Tram and Long Hai Beach Day Trip | Full day | From $35 | Beach, escape |
| Vung Tau Seafood Boat Tour and Sunset Cruise | 3 hrs | From $25 | Foodies, couples |
| Ben Dinh Cu Chi Tunnels + Vung Tau Full Day | Full day | From $60 | History, combination |
| Vung Tau Street Food Walking Tour | 2.5 hrs | From $20 | Foodies |
| Binh Chau Hot Springs Day Trip | Full day | From $40 | Wellness, families |
| Con Dao Island Day Trip from Vung Tau (Speedboat) | Full day | From $80 | Adventure, nature |
For Culture and First-Timers
Christ Statue and Nui Nho Mountain Walk
The Christ the King statue (Tượng Chúa Kito Vua) was built between 1975 and 1993 on the summit of Nui Nho (Nui Sam hill), 170 metres above sea level. The statue itself is 32 metres tall with a 18-metre arm span - smaller than Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer but significant for Vietnam, where the Catholic population is the second-largest in Southeast Asia after the Philippines. Visitors can climb inside the statue via a spiral staircase to the arms, with viewing windows looking out to sea.
This 3-hour mountain walk involves the staircase climb to the Christ statue (800 stone steps from the base of the mountain - approximately 30 minutes at a moderate pace), the statue climb, views across the Ba Ria peninsula and out to Con Dao on clear days, and the descent via a different path that passes a series of religious dioramas carved into the cliff.
Duration: 3 hours | Price: from approximately $15 | Includes: guide | Entry: No charge to climb the mountain or enter the statue; modest donation expected at the base shrine
For Active Travellers
Vung Tau Lighthouse and Peninsula Cycling Tour
The 3-hour cycling tour circumnavigates the Vung Tau peninsula on the coastal road: Front Beach (Bai Truoc) to Bach Dinh Villa (the former Governor-General’s residence, 1909, with a museum of Tang-dynasty shipwreck ceramics recovered from the South China Sea), then south to the two lighthouses on the twin peaks, and back via Bai Sau (Back Beach). The total circuit is approximately 15 km on flat coastal road and one mountain section.
Duration: 3 hours | Price: from approximately $20 | Includes: bicycle, guide | Bach Dinh note: The villa museum entry is approximately VND 10,000 ($0.40) and is genuinely interesting - the Tang shipwreck ceramics are not replicas
For Beach Lovers
Ho Tram and Long Hai Beach Day Trip
Ho Tram, 50 km north of Vung Tau along the coast, is a significantly quieter and cleaner beach than Vung Tau’s main beaches - a 15-km stretch of soft sand backed by ironwood forest, with a casino resort at one end and largely empty beach at the other. Long Hai, 30 km north, is a small fishing town with a beach and market that retains a genuine local character.
This full-day beach day trip visits Long Hai market in the morning (fresh seafood, dried fish, and local produce), then continues to Ho Tram for the afternoon beach. Lunch at a Long Hai seafood restaurant is included - Long Hai is known for fresh sea crab and mantis prawn.
Duration: Full day | Price: from approximately $35 | Includes: transport, guide, lunch
For Foodies and Couples
Vung Tau Seafood Boat Tour and Sunset Cruise
Vung Tau is positioned at the mouth of the Cai River and the Ba Ria coast - one of the most productive fishing zones in southern Vietnam. Squid, sea bass, grouper, and blue swimming crab are landed daily at the Ben Da fishing port. This 3-hour seafood boat and sunset cruise departs from Ben Da at 16:00, visits a fish and squid-grilling boat on the water for a barbecue dinner, and returns to Vung Tau at sunset. The meal is prepared on board from the morning’s catch.
Duration: 3 hours | Price: from approximately $25 | Includes: boat, BBQ seafood dinner, soft drinks
For History
Ben Dinh Cu Chi Tunnels + Vung Tau Full Day
A combined full-day tour from Ho Chi Minh City visits the Cu Chi Tunnels (the 250-km underground network used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War, 40 km northwest of HCMC) in the morning, then continues to Vung Tau for an afternoon beach and seafood lunch. The combination makes logistical sense from HCMC - both destinations are in the same southeast-southwest direction.
Duration: Full day | Price: from approximately $60 | Includes: transport, guide, Cu Chi entry, lunch | Note: This tour starts from Ho Chi Minh City, not from Vung Tau
For Wellness
Binh Chau Hot Springs Day Trip
Binh Chau, 80 km north of Vung Tau, is one of Vietnam’s few accessible geothermal areas - natural hot springs reaching 82°C at the surface, cooled in pools to approximately 38–42°C for bathing. The resort complex has developed since the 2000s and offers mud baths, individual hot pools, and spa treatments in a forest setting. Local food stalls demonstrate the traditional use of the springs for cooking - eggs are boiled directly in the hot spring vents.
This full-day Binh Chau day trip includes transport from Vung Tau, 3 hours at the spring resort (mud bath and 2 pool sessions), and lunch. Popular with Vietnamese families on weekends; quieter on weekdays.
Duration: Full day | Price: from approximately $40 | Includes: transport, guide, spring resort entry, mud bath, lunch
Practical Information
Getting to Vung Tau from Ho Chi Minh City: Speedboat from Bach Dang Pier (HCMC): 70 minutes, approximately VND 250,000 ($10) as of 2026. By bus: approximately 2 hours from Mien Dong Bus Station. By private car: 2–2.5 hours depending on traffic.
Beach choice: Front Beach (Bai Truoc) is cleaner and more scenic but has limited swimming - rocks offshore. Back Beach (Bai Sau) is longer and better for swimming; more heavily developed with beach clubs.
Parking and weekends: Vung Tau is extremely crowded on weekends from HCMC day-trippers. Visiting Monday to Thursday is significantly more relaxed. Hotel prices drop 20–30% on weekdays.