Vung tau is known under the French as Cap St Jacques – so-named by Portuguese mariners in honour of their patron saint – Vung Tau is a commercialised beach resort on a peninsula jutting into the South China Sea, about 128km southeast of HCMC (via Bien Hoa). The business of oil-drilling here means the azure horizon is marred by frequent oil tankers, and the population flecked with joy-seeking expats. The beaches here aren’t Vietnam’s best, nor is the water pristine due to pollution from oil-drilling, but Vung Tau is an easy, fast beach foray out of HCMC. Beachgoers looking for a tropical-holiday feel might do better making the three-hour trip to beautiful Mui Ne Beach.

Long Hai:
Those heading south, who also want to escape the mass-tourism soullessness of Vung Tau, could press on to Long Hai, a less-commercialised seaside retreat within a couple of hours’ drive of HCMC. The fishing village of Long Hai, 30km northeast of Vung Tau, has a pretty white-sand beach and the area benefits from a microclimate that brings less rain than other parts of the south. Its natural beauty and microclimate are the main reasons why Bao Ðai, the last emperor of Vietnam, built a holiday residence here (now the An­oasis Beach Resort).
Long Hai is a peaceful place to visit during the week, but it loses its local character on the weekends when Vietnamese tourists (and the occasional busload of Chinese visitors) pack the sands on weekends. Though there are a couple of low-key resorts in the Long Hai vicinity, western travellers have yet to arrive, so if you’re looking for a lively spot with dining and nightlife action, Mui Ne is probably a better choice.

Long Tan:
The Battle of Long Tan was fought between the Australian Army and Viet Cong forces in a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tần, about twenty seven kilometers north east of Vung Tau, South Vietnam on 18 August 1966. It is arguably the most famous battle fought by the Australian Army during the Vietnam War.
The action occurred when D Company of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), part of the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF), encountered the Viet Cong (VC) 275 Regiment and elements of the D445 Local Forces Battalion. D Company was supported by other Australian units, as well as New Zealand and United States personnel.
The battle is often used in Australian officer training as an example of the importance of combining and coordinating infantry, artillery, armour and military aviation.

Binh Chau Hot Spring:
About 150km from HCMC, and 60km northeast of Long Hai, is Binh Chau Hot Springs (Suoi Khoang Nong Binh Chau). Chief among the attractions on this 35-hectare site is an outdoor hot-spring-fed swimming pool, though visitors wanting the full experience might opt for a soak in a mud-bath. The pool temperature is around 37°C, and the minerals in the water are said to be beneficial to your bones, muscles and skin, and are also said to improve blood circulation and mental disorders. There’s also a spa, with massages available. Also onsite are a golf practice range, tennis court, restaurant and playground.
The hottest spring reaches 82°C, which is hot enough to boil an egg in 10 to 15 minutes. Vietnamese visitors like to boil eggs in the bamboo baskets set aside for this purpose; you’ll find a couple of giant chicken statues decorating the springs where you, too, can boil up a snack for yourself, with raw eggs on sale.

Ho Coc Beach:

The area around the beach is part of an 11, 000-hectare rain-forest that was designated a nature reserve in 1975. Most of the larger wildlife was exterminated or else relocated for safety reasons (most of the elephants were sent to Thailand), but plenty of birds and monkeys can be spotted in the forest.