2 Best Sights in Long Hai, Side Trips from Ho Chi Minh City

Le Thi Hong Thuy, a 16-year-old girl, washed up on Long Hai Beach nearly 200 years ago and the locals buried her on Co Son Hill. According to legend, her ghost began visiting seafarers and warning them of impending bad weather, and she is now regarded as a goddess who protects the local fishing fleet. This temple is dedicated to her, and every year, on the 10th, 11th, and 12th days of the second lunar month, the it hosts the Dinh Co Festival, which includes a colorful parade and boat races, and attracts thousands of people from surrounding regions. The views of Long Hai Beach and beyond from the temple terraces are magnificent.

This beach is about a 90-minute drive from Ho Chi Minh City and 15 km (9 miles) along the coast from Vung Tau, but it feels like it's worlds away. Opposite the Dinh Co Temple, a series of shacks offer deck chairs for rent, as well as food and drinks. The beach is not patrolled but the water is calm with no surf and the golden sand stretches for miles. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking.