Things to Do in Vung Tau

Often referred to as the “rice bowl of Asia” for its emerald-green rice paddy fields, the Mekong Delta is surrounded by fertile land. On Vietnam’s mighty Mekong, sleepy floating communities live alongside an abundance of tropical fruits, buffalo wallowing in paddy fields, and mangroves rich with birdlife.

Home to the largest Buddha statue in all of Vietnam at 160 feet long, Ta Cu Mountain is not only a popular attraction for visiting travelers but also a point of pilgrimage for local Buddhists. While it is possible to climb the 2,100-foot mountain on foot, most visitors opt instead for the cable car, which delivers passengers to the Linh Son Trong Pagoda and offers overhead views of rice fields and dragonfruit plantations during the six-minute ride. From the cable car drop off, it’s a still a short, but somewhat steep, stair climb to the Buddha itself. You can also visit the Long Doan pagoda. Both have a variety of statues and towers where you can enjoy panoramic views down the mountain.