Visit the coastal communities of Vung Tau on a day trip that shows you the historic sites and vivid scenery to be found around the city. With a personal guide and plenty of stops at temples, palaces, and beaches, you can make the most of your journey in southern Vietnam.

You're picked up in the early morning for a ride from your hotel that gets the outing started. Head out from Ho Chi Minh City, past the rubber and cashew nut plantations and rice fields that cover the landscape, and make a stop at the Nha Lon temple on Long Son Island. Learn about the Ong Tran religion as you get a look at the school, market, graveyard, and festival grounds.

When you arrive in Vung Tau, pay a visit to the White House Palace, which served as a summer residence of Vietnam's last emperor. Your guide shows you the Niet Ban Tinh Xa pagoda and the Buddhist shrine of Thich Ca Phat Dai, along with a colonial-era lighthouse built by the French or the city's giant image of Christ. Have lunch at the Lan Rung Restaurant and go for a swim at the Bai Sau Beach before you set off for the ride back to Ho Chi Minh City.