Vũng Tàu is a seaside city located in the Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu province in Southern Vietnam. It is a great escape from all the commotions and pollutions of Ho Chi Minh. Just 125km away from the city, this tranquil region is delightfully free from both tourists and motorcycles.

There isn't much that you can do or see in this small city (spanning just around 140 km²), so a lengthy stay is not recommended, unless your idea of a vacation in Vietnam is just to lounge around  all day on beaches. Listed below is a list of the top 8 things that you can do in Vũng Tàu to make the best out of your brief stopover.

Climb

There are a few impressive statues in Vũng Tàu that you wouldn't have imagined existed. The most famous one is the 32-metre high Jesus Christ statue with outstretched arms, which is said to be one of the tallest statue of Jesus in the world. Such a beautiful sight and spot obviously takes effort to get to. The statue stands on the top of the 170m-high Nho Mount facing the Eastern Sea, and it takes 30-minutes of climbing on concrete stairs to get to the feet. Fret not, because you can take frequent stops to enjoy the breathtaking panoramic view of the expansive sea on your way up. Once you are there, you can choose to climb the 129-step spiral staircase in the hollow interior of the statue to get to the arms, which were cleverly designed as balconies so up to six people can fit in to enjoy the aerial view at each side.

It is indeed the stairways to heaven:


Here's a video:

Eat

Drink

There is absolutely no reason for you to stop drinking coffee as long as you are still on the grounds of Vietnam. You can find traditional Vietnamese coffee served with the Phin filter everywhere, from the side of the street to 5-star hotels. It could be the distinct, robust taste from the exquisitely-brewed coffee, or the pleasure of waiting for your drink to be ready with each drip - having coffee is just so gratifying here!

 

See

There are just so much to see and appreciate here, as it is still undeveloped and most of the areas are beautifully bejeweled with unmarred hills and limestone. Taking pictures of the scenery is a breeze.

Pray

Most of the Vietnamese are religiously unaffiliated, but Buddhism is a fast-growing faith. Temples can be found scattered here and there, and can easily be spotted with the bright red paint and huge, multicolored dragon sculptures. Tips: It is always a nice gesture to make a donation (regardless of how small the amount is) when you are at a temple.
 

Give Back

The level of poverty in Vietnam may have been greatly reduced thanks to the competent governance and booming economic growth, but lending a helping hand to those who still need them can help them go a long way.

Fishing

If you have some free time on hand, consider adding fishing to your to-do list. There are many fishing clubs here which rent out boats and the necessary equipments at minimum charges, so you can leisurely spend your day on the waters for a pleasant change.

 

Learn

Vietnam has a long history of being ruled by foreign powers, and it is manifested in the building structures and food. Visiting a local museum would be an insightful experience as you will be able to learn about the influences of the Chinese and Western cultures, as well as the people's struggle for independence. During my trip there, I've given Bạch Dinh (White Palace/Villa Blanche) a visit. It was built by the French and was used for many purposes and was resided by different people over the years. Today, it is used to exhibit antiques collected from Cau Islet-Con Dao, and broken chinas salvaged from wrecked ships of distant traders from centuries ago.