Local Interest
Healthy , outdoor fun !
Hash Harriers
Vung Tau is not yet a major tourist drawcard , but it ’ s only an hour or so by hydrofoil ferry or two hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City – and there ’ s plenty to see and do for the savvy traveller and expat alike . An unusual but very interesting way to see the city and its surrounds is to spend a pleasant Sunday afternoon with the local Hash House Harriers ( there are more than 2,000 “ Hash ” chapters in nearly 200 countries – including at least five in Vietnam ). Vung Tau City Hash House Harriers , widely known as “ VTH3 ”, was founded in 1992 and includes a vibrant mix of itinerant oil & gas workers from around the world , a solid band of local families , a growing number of expat English teachers and businesspeople , and the ubiquitous retirees ! They run , walk or crawl (!) every Sunday , regardless of the weather , with average attendance anywhere between 20 and 40 . A big attraction for hashing with VTH3 , apart from the obvious ones of meeting new people , making new contacts and having fun , is to gain an appreciation of the local countryside and culture “ up close and personal ” – via exposure to sites ( and sights ) that the average tourist could never hope to see ! Small Mountain , on the eastern point of the peninsula , is home to the iconic , 32-metre tall statue of “ Jesus with outstretched arms ”. Tourists are able to climb 811 steps to Jesus statue and then another 100 + inside to reach the outstretched arms , which provide “ balconies ” with views across the city on one side and the East Sea ( aka South China Sea ) on the other . But an alternative route to the statue that ’ s very popular with VTH3 , is to follow a trail up the back of the mountain and through a local village full of happy children who flock around the Hashers to joyfully practise their English at every opportunity – it ’ s lots more fun ! Another site that ’ s arguably just as popular is the lighthouse on the other peak of Small Mountain . Tourists reach the top by sealed road , but Hashers have several trails they love to follow through the bush – again , meeting lots of friendly locals along the way ! Big Mountain is the “ jewel in VTH3 ’ s crown ”. It extends about 6 km and has several peaks , all of which provide off-road trails for intrepid Hashers . There are many fishing villages dotted along Vung Tau ’ s East Sea coastline , extending more than 20 kilometres north of the city . The “ Hash ” has been to most of them ! And then there ’ s the serenity of Long Son Island on the western side of the peninsula . Access is via the Go Gang bridges , which are themselves home to an abundance of Hash trails around the oyster farms , before reaching the mountain that dominates the island and hosts several Hash trails . A particularly popular one goes straight up , over the top and down the other side ; it ’ s great fun , but definitely not for the faint-hearted ! A bit further north , to the west of the provincial capital , Ba Ria , is Dinh Mountain ( aka Nui Dinh ) – arguably the chapter ’ s favourite “ away destination ” because of the swimming pool café halfway to the top , and the lake almost at the summit !
On the eastern side of Ba Ria is a range of mountains known collectively as “ the Long Hais ”, which are very popular with trekking groups – and of course the Hash ! As far as possible , VTH3 alternates its runs , with a “ local ” run one week ( Big Mountain , Jesus Hill , Lighthouse Hill or the beach and fishing villages ); and an “ away ” run the next : Go Gang and Long Son island , Nui Dinh , or Long Hai and the Minh Dam Base area . They ’ re all within about 40 minutes by bus , which is just long enough for a lusty sing-song on the way back into town after another enjoyable day socialising and taking some healthy exercise in the fresh air of the Vietnamese countryside !
The MAG Vung Tau 19