Christ of Vung Tau: the Christ the King statue
Christ of Vung Tau is the local name for the Christ the King statue, called Tượng Chúa Kitô Vua in Vietnamese. It stands on Nui Nho, the Small Mountain, on the peninsula that holds the city. The statue is 32 m high and the best known landmark of Vung Tau. You can see it from the shore road and from several beaches, and many visitors walk up to it on their first morning.
The same hill carries the old lighthouse, so the two sights are usually visited together. This page explains the statue first, then the lighthouse, and then how Small Mountain relates to Big Mountain on the other side of town.
Our pick: a tour with the statue
This day tour takes you to the Christ statue together with the beach and colonial heritage, with an English-speaking guide.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Vung Tau day trip with the Christ statue
A day trip from Ho Chi Minh City that names the Christ statue in its title and includes the guide, entrance fees and lunch listed on the card.
The climb and the steps
What the national tourism guide says about the way up.
The way to the statue is a stair climb of about 800 steps on the outside. That is a figure from the national tourism guide, which has no date on the page, so treat it as an approximate size of the effort and not as an exact count. Plan for a steady walk with breaks, and bring water. The heat in the middle of the day makes the same climb feel much longer, so many people go early.
Guides give different step counts for the inside of the statue, so we leave that figure out. If you want to go up inside, ask on site whether it is open that day. The same goes for the shoulder platform and the arms: do not plan around them until you have seen the entrance for yourself.
According to an undated official source, entry to the statue is free. Since that page has no date, bring a little cash in case something changes, and expect that a ticket or donation box may appear. The statue belongs to a working church site, and it is not a theme park attraction.
Dress code at the statue
A religious site, so dress for it.
The national tourism guide points to a religious dress code at the monument. In practice this means covered shoulders and knees, which is the usual rule at Vietnamese churches and temples. A light shirt and long shorts or trousers are enough, and they also protect you from the sun on the stairs.
An older newspaper guide from 2022 adds that visitors take off their shoes at the top. That is a hint from 2022, not a current rule, so watch what other visitors do and follow the signs at the entrance. Choose shoes that are easy to slip off and good enough for the steps.
Opening times and access
No fixed hours to rely on.
Do not rely on a daily opening time, a lunch break or a last entry for the statue, and do not assume that every part of it is open on the day you come. Check on the spot, and do not build a tight schedule around the statue. Allow a flexible hour or two.
The statue is also a place of worship. The diocese publishes an events calendar, and the calendar issued on 30 October 2026 announces a mass on 6 November 2026 at 17:00. That is one dated example of church life at the monument, not a visiting schedule. If you arrive during a service, keep quiet and keep your distance.
Whether you need a reservation for any part of the climb is something to ask on site.
Vung Tau Lighthouse
The Vung Tau lighthouse is a French-built tower, inaugurated on 15 August 1862 according to the local museum's history. The national tourism database gives the tower a height of 18 m. Do not mix that up with the height of the hill or the height of the light above the sea, which are different figures.
The lighthouse sits on Small Mountain, and the national tourism guide describes a winding mountain road leading up to it. The road is part of the experience, with views over the city and the coast. Entrance fee, daily opening, access inside the tower and parking charges can differ from what you read online, and one travel site even leaves its opening hours field empty. So go up for the setting and the view, and treat a climb inside as a bonus.
A secondary source mentions a rebuild in 1913, but we leave that out because it comes from a single travel portal.
The old lighthouse is one of the oldest structures in town and ties in with the story of Cap Saint-Jacques. Read more about that in the history of Vung Tau.
Small Mountain and Big Mountain
Two hills, two sets of sights.
Vung Tau has two hills that visitors mix up. Nui Nho, the Small Mountain, has the Christ statue and the lighthouse. Nui Lon, the Big Mountain, is the one with the White Palace (Bạch Dinh) and the Thích Ca Phật Đài temple, as well as the cable car of Ho May Park. The two hills are close enough that you can do one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
For the other sights in town, including the villa, the lying Buddha and Hòn Bà, see the things to do in Vung Tau page.
Visiting both on a tour
If you do not want to organise it yourself.
The day trip from Ho Chi Minh City that carries the statue in its title includes entrance fees, an English speaking guide and lunch, as listed on the card. It does not mention the lighthouse, so do not count on a lighthouse stop with that tour. If the lighthouse matters to you, ask before booking or plan it on your own. All other options are on the Vung Tau tours page.
If you stay in town, you can do both on foot and by taxi or scooter in half a day. Start with the statue in the cooler hours, then continue to the lighthouse for the view.
Christ of Vung Tau: common questions
How tall is the Christ of Vung Tau?
The statue is 32 m high and stands on Nui Nho, the Small Mountain. The outside climb is about 800 steps, according to the national tourism guide.
Is the Christ statue in Vung Tau free to enter?
An undated official source says yes. Because the page has no date, carry a little cash and read any sign at the entrance.
What should I wear to the statue?
Cover your shoulders and knees. A 2022 newspaper guide also mentions taking off shoes at the top, so wear shoes that are easy to remove.
Can I visit the lighthouse and the statue on the same day?
Yes, both are on Small Mountain. Allow a flexible half day, and check access on site, because hours can change.