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Vung Tau
Vung Tau Market

"Behind our hotel is a statue of Christ, larger than that of Rio de Janeiro. Maybe worth climbing that mountain! It was difficult to find the way the first time. Actually we had just stepped out but not far enough to know and see that the entrance was just behind the corner. So we did a nice detour tour.
And it is difficult to ask the way of the Vietnamese. They cannot speak English. You just open your mouth when they wave their hand in the air waving that they don't understand us.
Established we find the statue of Christ. It doesn't seem that big. How big would it be in Rio de Janeiro?"

          Vung Tau - is not only a tourist center, Vung Tau also has the largest offshore oil fields in Vietnam and the shopping choices reflect the cosmopolitan nature of the city. Vung Tau has an estimated 230,000 inhabitants. Vung Tau is Vietnam's petroleum extraction center and is also famous for the beaches frequented by the residents of Ho Chi Minh City.
While Vung Tau market may not be the best place in Vietnam to buy souvenirs, what the city has for shopping is quite interesting.
The local market is located just behind the Imperial Hotel and Imperial Plaza. The locals do their shopping every day at this market.
This local market was built in 1985 and sells various items here, from fresh food to household items. It is the place where most housewives go to get their fresh ingredients for the meals of the day. Many visitors love to explore the market to shop for local handicrafts and learn more about tropical vegetables and seasonal fruits, including durian, mangosteen, and rambutans.

De zandduinen

The Vung Tau Central Market is no different from other Asian markets in Vietnam. It is only set up a bit smaller. Vung Tau Central Market is located between Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street and Xo Viet Trinh Street in Ward 3 and is open from 6am. The good thing is, you don't get bothered by the sellers. Only fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood are for sale in a separate section. This is the so-called "wet market". In the other part of the market there are other articles, such as bags, jewelery and clothing etc. There are very reasonable prices on the market.

What can you do in Vung Tau?

• On top of the Little Berg (Noi Nho) is a big Jesus statue. With his arms outstretched, he seems to embrace the South China Sea. This 32m high statue of Jesus is one of the largest in the world. He is bigger than his illustrious Brazilian cousin. It is possible to climb up into the arms for a panoramic view of Vung Tau.

• The lighthouse was built in 1910 by the French. It also offers a spectacular view of Vung Tau. Although the image of Jesus and the lighthouse tempting close together, it is not possible to directly from the one to the other, because there is a military base between them.

• Beyond Mulberry Beach winds a beautiful road through the hills to some old French cannons. There are six of these huge cannons. They show how strategically important Cap St Jacques was in the old colonial period. The canons guarded the waterway to Saigon.

• At the weekend the French governor Paul Doumer (later the French President) lived in the White Villa. This beautiful, large colonial residence has extensive gardens and a strange empty interior. The white residence is located approximately 30 meters above the road on a winding lane.