Vung Tau - general information, weather, seasons

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General information about Vung Tau

Vung Tau - a large city on the coast of the south Vietnam with a population of more than 300,000 people, is located 125 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City (Vung Tau on the map). The city of Vung Tau is located on Cape St. Jacques, so named during the French colonization, and occupies the entire territory of a small peninsula. On the economic side, the city is a major commercial center. Nearby on the continental shelf is the development of oil fields and oil production. A large concentration of joint Russian-Vietnamese oil production and refining enterprises, in connection with which many Russians live here and, as a result, the largest Russian diaspora in Vietnam, there is even a whole microdistrict with infrastructure tailored to Russian locals.

Vung Tau is considered one of the most popular tourist destinations not only for foreigners, but also for locals who want to spend their free time away from the bustling economic capital. It is popular mainly for beach holidays, shopping and entertainment. Hotels are represented by a wide range from the cheapest to the chic and expensive. When choosing a hotel on the coast, you need to take into account that the beaches here are located in the city, and therefore not very clean. The sand on the beach is dirty due to debris washed up by sea waves and currents from the Mekong River, the water is not very clean due to the industrial enterprises located in the city. Waves most of the year are quite strong, which can please only kitesurfing fans. Objectively speaking, it is possible to call Vung Tau a beach resort only with a big stretch. However, this is not the case everywhere. On the coast south of the city, the environment is quieter and calmer, and the beaches are much cleaner.

Attractions in Vung Tau not too much. There is a standard set of temples and pagodas, as in any city in Vietnam. In addition, there are attractions that deserve special attention – a lighthouse and a giant statue of Jesus about 32 meters high on top of the mountain. This statue is the tallest in South Vietnam and the tallest statue of Jesus in Southeast Asia. A small island with a temple that can be reached on foot at low tide and a local "Golgotha" with a huge statue of the Virgin Mary.

In general, the tourist infrastructure in the city is well developed. For everyday pastime, you can walk around the city park, visit the amusement park on the mountain, go to the local market, shopping centers or spend time on the beach or by the hotel pool. There is nothing else to do during the day in Vung Tau. The evening can be spent in a cafe or restaurant, there are also several bars open late and nightclubs. True, visitors to night establishments for the most part are locals, and tourists there will not be particularly comfortable.

Although Vung Tau is often compared with other urban resorts, such as Nha Trang or Da Nang, we would, in general, recommend this place as one of the best resorts in the country did not. It may well be suitable if you stayed in Ho Chi Minh City on Business, and you certainly wanted to swim in the sea or take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. There is no particular reason to spend a whole vacation here, and perhaps two weeks in Vung Tau can be just boring. The only advantage of Vung Tau is the almost complete absence of foreign and almost complete absence of Russian tourists ("local Russians" do not count).

Weather in Vung Tau, tourist seasons

Vung Tau can be called a year-round resort. Some tourists even say that the climate in Vung Tau is milder and less subject to seasonal fluctuations than in the nearby more popular Phan Thiet.

During the year, the dry season and the rainy season are distinguished:

The dry season runs from November to April. This period is somewhat cooler than in the summer months of the rainy season, which is only a plus for European tourists. There is practically no rain at this time, the sky is always clear.

The rainy season runs from May to October. Although this period is considered the rainy season, the actual level of precipitation is quite small.

Seasons in Vung Tau by month, when is the best time to go

Jan	Feb	March	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov.	Dec

*best time to visit;
acceptable time to visit;
not recommended time to visit

Current weather in Vung Tau and forecast for the near future:

Vung Tau hotels where to stay

The city of Vung Tau is very compact and almost all the hotels in it are also located compactly at the very tip of the peninsula. Some hotels are located in the city center, some are closer to the shore, i.e. to the beaches. Wherever you stay, in the center or by the shore, you can reach the city beach in a maximum of 20 minutes on foot. If you do not want to walk, choose a hotel closer to the beach (see hotels in Vung Tau on the interactive map), rather than in the city center.

Hotels in Vung Tau do not have to be booked in advance, but during the weekend, when locals come here from Ho Chi Minh City, as well as during the holidays, it is worth taking care of booking in advance.

Hotels here can be found of any category, there is even a five-star hotel. The price tag for the most inexpensive hotels starts from $ 10 (without air conditioning). A room for two with air conditioning costs from $ 15. Every week by the weekend, prices steadily increase by 10-20%.

You can find and book accommodation in Vung Tau on these sites or through the search form: