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Photo: Chris Phan from Eugene, Oregon, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A must-do with panoramic view! The enormous 28-m figure of Jesus gazing to sea with outstretched arms is at the south end of Small Mountain. Built in 1971, this giant Jesus rests on a 10-m-high platform. The interior of the statue is hollow and contains a spiral staircase of 129 steps, ascending from the foot of the statue to its neck. The two shoulders of the figure are balconies, each able to accommodate up to 4 people, which offer a splendid view of the surrounding landscape. This is the largest sculpture in southern Vietnam. A pathway makes the 30-min hike up the mountain pleasant, and the panoramic view from various vista points along the way is magnificent.
Christ the King of Vũng Tàu is a statue of Jesus, standing on Mount Nhỏ in Vũng Tàu, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The Vietnamese Catholic Church built the statue in 1974 and it was completed on 2 December 1994.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Thắng Tam Local Gods Communal House
According to legend, it was built in the Minh Mạng dynasty (1820-1840) as a place to worship the 3 men who set up the 3 villages of Thắng in Vũng Tàu, starting a new way of life. The architecture is particularly interesting around the Tam Quan Gate, the sanctum, the public commune, the meeting room, and the stage for military operas that is skillfully engraved. The sanctum is roofed with ying-yang tiles and is in the shape of “a couple of dragons joking upon the moon” and the pillars are engraved with the shapes of dragons. On the right of Thắng Tam commune is the Whale Tomb where there is a set of whale bones and on the left is Ngũ Hành Temple, celebrating the 5 elements, metal, wood, water, fire, earth.
Back Beach
Also known as Thùy Vân Beach. The only standard beach for tourism in Vung Tau. It is 3 km long and stretches from the Small Mount to Paradise Park. All beaches here are free. You must pass through some "water parks" to get to the beach in some places, in most places there is a pleasant promenade that leads directly to the beach. The beach is clean, the water is shallow quite a way out, there are very few jet-skis and hardly any beach hawkers. Sea parachuting and canoeing available all day.
Martyrs Monument
A stone obelisk on a hilltop, on the way to the sea, the Soldiers' Memorial Hill is said to incorporate the biggest traffic circle in Indochina. A cool hangout for lovers.
A fascinating collection of arms and uniforms from around the world. Most major wars and battles are covered. The emphasis is in British and Australian regimental uniforms but there are also Samurai, Mongols, Saracens, Turks and Bulgarians as well as most European and North American armies. There is a wide range of guns, swords and other weapons of war. Quite why Bob Taylor chose to open his museum in the relative obscurity of Vung Tau is not clear from the collection but if you have even a passing interest in military history it is well worth a couple of hours of your time if you find yourself in the city.
Villa Blanche
Built by the French (1898-1916) as a summer holiday house for French Governor-General Paul Doumer. Also formerly known as Dinh Toàn Quyền (Villa du Gouverneur). Under French rule, the mansion was a holiday getaway for French governors and Bảo Đại, the last Emperor of Vietnam. During the American War, the mansion was used for R&R. Since the end of the American War, the mansion has been for public use. A mix of French colonial and Vietnamese architecture, Bạch Dinh boasts lavish decorations and a collection of antiques, including fine porcelain and African elephants' tusks.