Today was probably the most physically grueling, and relaxing, of our trip thus far. We got up at around 5:00 AM to make that two hour-ish trek to Vung Tau. There we visited the Christ of Vung Tau statue, a 105-foot statue of Jesus Christ that stands on top of a 560-foot mountain, which we were able to climb and explore. I have a rather intense fear of heights, so the steep and cramped winding staircase within the statue made for a bit of an adventure for me, but the view at the top was well worth it.

Afterwards, we spent the day relaxing at a beachside resort. The rest was much needed, as we’ve seemingly endured a whirlwind of one activity after another since we got here, and it was a great way for us to bond as a group between each other and the UEF students.

On the way to the resort, the communities surrounding Vung Tau are noticeably different to the urban environment of Ho Chi Minh City. There is much more farmland and an obvious increase in greenery that seemed more reminiscent of the stereotype for a still-developing country.

Overall, Vung Tau seemed to me to be a beautiful landmark for its beautiful statue of Christ and a hub for tourism, which brings a large percentage of the Vietnamese’s wealth into their economy. It certainly exceeded my anticipating expectations for the resort area and definitely lived up to the standards I’ve developed from similar previous experiences.