Hydrofoil to Vung Tau Back Beach

Want to go to Vung Tau, Back Beach?  It is an Easy Ferry Ride that’s functional. The Hydrofoil to Vung Tau Back Beach is the best way to get there. Buy your ticket at the pier in Ho Chi Minh City. Hop on the Vũng Tàu Hydrofoil, Vina Express, it drops passengers off at a gritty pier in Vũng Tàu. Ignore the pier. Don’t let the wild smells at low tide bother you.

Hydrofoil to Vung Tau Back Beach

Go to the restaurant and grab a very buttery ice cream. It wasn’t as good as the ice cream in Hanoi. Ice cream is always refreshing on a hot day. On the day we went, it was hot. So we popped in to the Vung Tau Pier Restaurant  to grab a cone. The Vung Tau Pier Restaurant was the only open restaurant on or near the pier. Rustic Vung Tau Pier, a smelly pier, an active fishing port like you find at most remote ports.

Pier

The pier was old and has lots of working boats. Grab an inexpensive taxi. Taxis were worth the price and saved us lots of time getting to the beach. Back Beach is where the surfers hang out, and it’s known as the Best windsurfing beach.

Taxis Are A Great Value

The taxis all over Vietnam were cheap and save time. In general, when in Vietnam call a cab to get around.

We went to the surfers and windsurfers beach called Back Beach because the guide books recommended it. We met single American man about 58 (he told us his age) teaching school in Vietnam. He seemed pretty chilled to me. His only complaint was there weren’t any park benches. But he loved Vietnam. The man was waiting for retirement to kick in because he couldn’t afford the States and health insurance. At least, that is what he told us.

Back at the Beach

We went to the beach. It was tremendously windy! The temperature was close to 100 degrees and the wind was over 25 knots. The constant breeze is what makes this a hot Windsurfing destination. We relaxed there for several hours and had our own private man who watered the sand so it wouldn’t blow all over us. Just think, in Vietnam, you can get a job watering a beach.

Beach Chairs

We paid 200,000 VND  for two chairs and an umbrella to enjoy the waves and sun; which was about 2.00 US.

No Coke Cola Umbrellas for us. They looked like the might blow away. We selected the well secured thatched umbrellas as did a Russian couple and a group of three women.

Black Warning Flags

KC admiring the waves, the sea and just chilly out. Here is a WARNING about this beach. The rip tides are on this beach between the black flags.

Back At Back Beach

The day we were there, we meet local kids ‘shelling’ to earn money.

Putting My Toes in The Sea

They collect shells from this beach and sell them to the tourist shops. We chilled out by putting my toes in the water. I take pictures of my toes in all the waters of the world. Photographing my toes is something I do everywhere. I started doing it because my friend Jason tried to get me to put my toes in the water one night in the Med in Valencia Spain. I got scared. Because I thought some fish was going to bite my toes. Just think nowadays, you have to have pay to have fish bit your toes. Back then I was afraid of the dark, and fish in the water.

Then and Now

But after thinking about it – it made sense to me.  I have been to 47 countries. Where there is a body of water, I have made a ritual of photographing my feet in the oceans and waters of the world. In Vietnam, I put my feet in the Gulf of Tonkin in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay the South China Sea.

The sea that borders Vietnam is the South China Sea. Here is a Map of Vietnam. The South China Sea and me.

Beware

It’s hard to understand where not to swim so beware. Two black flags means don’t swim there. We saw the warning flags as we left, good to know about the warning flags before you go swimming. The recommendation, I guess Look for Vietnamese warning flags.

South China Sea

We spent most of the day just looking at The South China Sea.

Left the Beach for a Short Hike

We took a taxi to the base of the Buddist influenced The Christ of Vung Tau, Christian Church, The church is at the top of the hill (889 steps its labeled) Remember, the temperature is about 95 degrees and the humidity is about 75%. The hike took a lot out of me. We did have a breeze at each overlook.

The Hike to The Christ of Vung Tau, Christian Church

We were very sweaty by the time we got to the top. Then we saw The Virgin Mary and Jesus on the way up to the top. I think it made us feel better, we stopped for a visit.

Russian Tourism

We saw the effect of the Russian tourism decline in this area of Vietnam. The resorts were empty with lots of closed restaurants because Russian stopped traveling here. The beach, the restaurants, and community, abandoned gave us ever opportunity to sit where we wanted. The beach closest to the city port had mostly picnicking locals on the beach.

Surprise The Taxi Driver Waits for Us

We were probably the only people who needed a ride. Seriously, hot and sweaty, we appreciated the taxi ride back to the ferry.

Vung Tau Ferry

The Vina Express Ferry looks relatively new. We sat forward and the back section of the ferry. Sit in the front to be comfortable. The seats cost more in the front of the ferry. In rough weather, forward seats are worth the extra money.

Hydrofoil to Vung Tau Back Beach

Hydrofoil to Vung Tau Back Beach Pier

At the Vung Tau Pier Restaurant shown below, you can order fish, beer, drinks, and meals. We didn’t eat lunch there. Wait to return to Ho Chi Ming City. The food is great there. So, it’s better to wait to order a great meal.

We ate Ice cream,

Seedy

The ice cream looked pretty good. But it’s not as good as the street vendors food in the city. Vung Tau is a little seedy, Trip Advisor reviews were correct, but it’s a big beach and a good experience for a peaceful view of Vietnam.

Hydrofoil to Vung Tau Back Beach Restaurant

Here’s how the restaurant warms the buns served with each meal. Nothing is as good as a little solar power to heat the rolls. The one thing I realized in Vietnam, no food is wasted. They eat different parts of animals in Vietnam, things we wouldn’t eat. They use scraps to make gifts and toys for tourist. Back at the Vang Tua Pier, life was the same as early in the morning.

We recommend taking the Hydrofoil to Vung Tau Back Beach