Vung Tau Shore Excursion: Jesus Statue & Lying Buddha Tour

Climb inside the Jesus statue and walk the grounds of a 12-meter marble Buddha.

A private shore excursion from Phu My Port to Vung Tau, a coastal city south of Ho Chi Minh City, with an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, and lunch at a local restaurant. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours depending on your ship's schedule, and includes the Statue of Jesus, the Lying Buddha at Nirvana Pagoda, the White Palace, Whale Temple, and Vung Tau Lighthouse. Port pickup and drop-off are included so you return on time to board.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Vung Tau city highlights

• Visit Back Beach for surfing
• Climb Little Mountain to Christ statue
• Admire city panorama from statue observatory
• Tour White Palace (Bach Dinh)
• Visit Thich Ca Phat Dai Buddhist temple
• See Whale Tomb and skeleton

The experience

You arrive at Phu My Port with a few hours before the ship departs, and Vung Tau sits close enough to fit a real tour into that window. The guide meets you at the port and drives you by air-conditioned minivan through the coastal city to the Statue of Jesus first: a 32-meter figure built in the early 1970s with arms 18 meters wide. You climb Little Mountain to reach it, then climb inside the statue itself to the observatory and look out over the city and the sea.

From there the route moves to the Lying Buddha at Nirvana Pagoda, a 12-meter marble statue set on a mountainside plot of around five hectares with a Zen Buddhist monastery at the foot. The White Palace comes next, a French colonial villa from 1898 that sits 50 meters above sea level on Big Mountain. Lunch happens at a local restaurant with Vietnamese traditional food (Vietnamese pancakes, rice noodles with grilled pork, fried rolls) the city's specialty dishes. After eating, you visit the Whale Temple, which holds a huge whale skeleton collected by local fishermen over a hundred years ago, and finish at the Vung Tau Lighthouse before the guide returns you to the port.

The tour operates as a private group, so you book for the number of people traveling together. Transport, bottled water, all fees and taxes, and the English-speaking guide are included. Other languages are available on request. The timing is fixed to match your ship's departure, so there's no risk of missing the boat.

What’s included

• Transport by air-conditioned minivan or car.
• bottled water.
• port pickup and drop-off.
• all fees and taxes.
• English-speaking tour guide.
• lunch at a local restaurant with Vietnamese traditional food.

Options for this experience

5 options

Private tour for 12 to 15 peopleUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Private tour for 12 to 15 people, pickup is included

Private tour for 9 to 11 peopleUp to 11 per booking · Guide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 09:30Private tour for 9 to 11 people, pickup is included

Private tour for 6 to 8 peopleUp to 8 per booking · Guide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Private tour for 6 to 8 people, includes pickup

See 2 more options

Private tour for 1 to 5 peopleUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Private tour for 1 to 5 people, pickup is included

Private tour for 2 peopleUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Group tour for 2 people, includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 09:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 6 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Saigon Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this private tour if your group wants to set the pace and return to your ship on your schedule: the guide coordinates timing so you see all four landmarks without rushing between stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

How much time do I have to spend on this tour if my ship leaves in the afternoon?

The tour runs 6 to 8 hours depending on your schedule and how much time you want at each stop. The guide coordinates the return to get you back to Phu My Port in time to board, so you choose the pace within that window.

What is the Statue of Jesus in Vung Tau, and can I go inside it?

The Statue of Jesus is a 32-meter figure built in the early 1970s on Little Mountain, with arms 18 meters wide: two meters taller than the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. You climb to the top of the mountain to reach it, then climb inside the statue to an observatory where you can see the city and the surrounding sea.

What is included in the lunch, and where do we eat?

Lunch is at a local restaurant and features Vietnamese traditional food: Vietnamese pancakes, rice noodles with grilled pork, and fried rolls, which are specialties of Vung Tau. The meal is included in the tour price.

Can I book this tour for just two people, or does it require a larger group?

You can book a private group for 2 people, or for groups of 3 to 5, 6 to 8, 9 to 11, or 12 to 15 people. Each group size is a separate booking option, so you pay only for your party.

Is the guide English-speaking, and can I request another language?

The tour guide speaks English and is included in the price. Other languages are available upon request, so contact the operator when you book if you need a different language.

What is the Lying Buddha, and where is it located?

The Lying Buddha is a 12-meter marble statue at Nirvana Pagoda, set on a mountainside plot with a Zen Buddhist monastery at the base. The pagoda was built between 1961 and 1963 and sits to the northwest of Lớn mountain in Vung Tau.