Hello everyone, this is Sushi Hatake!
This time, instead of talking about sushi, I’ve got a bit of a special edition for you. In January 2025, I visited a town called Vung Tau in Vietnam for the very first time.
“Why would a sushi chef go to Vietnam?” you might wonder. Well, I’ve always been interested in Southeast Asian food culture. I have a local friend living in Vung Tau, and with their support, I decided to rent an apartment and spend four days experiencing the town for myself.
Long story short — I really fell for Vung Tau.
In this article, I’d like to share my first impressions of the town from my perspective as both a sushi chef and a former organic farmer. I also filmed my trip, so feel free to check out the video too!
What Kind of Town Is Vung Tau?
Vung Tau (Vũng Tàu) is a coastal town about two hours by car or bus from Ho Chi Minh City. With a population of around 350,000, it’s a popular weekend getaway for people from Ho Chi Minh looking for a resort vibe.
When I actually visited, I was surprised by how quiet it was on weekdays. It was so laid-back that I caught myself thinking, “Is this really Vietnam?” But then during the morning rush, motorbikes came flooding in, and I thought, “Ah, yep — this is definitely Vietnam” (laughs).
The town has remnants of the French colonial era scattered throughout, and above all, it’s right by the ocean. As someone from Gifu — a landlocked prefecture — just being near the sea gets me excited.
My Biggest Concern: How Was the Air Quality?
I have asthma, so when thinking about living overseas, air quality is my number one priority.
To be honest, the air in Ho Chi Minh City was pretty rough. It felt like just being there was shortening my lifespan, so I didn’t think long-term living there was realistic.
Vung Tau, on the other hand, was noticeably better compared to Ho Chi Minh. “Livable air” — that’s probably the most honest way I can describe it. That said, the sky had a whitish haze that concerned me. Apparently, there’s an industrial area nearby, and the emissions from there seem to be affecting the air quality.
Also, I visited in January, during the dry season — a time when air quality across Vietnam is relatively good. To truly understand the air situation, I’d need to come back during the rainy season. That’s homework for next time.
Apartment Living Was Surprisingly Great
This trip was my first time ever renting an apartment abroad. For about 3,000 yen (roughly $20 USD) per day, I got a room on a high floor with a panoramic view of Vung Tau.
Having only ever stayed in hotels, the whole experience felt refreshing. What I appreciated most was having a drum-type washing machine right in the room. In a hot country, you want to wash your shirts every day, so being able to do my own laundry without requesting hotel service was a lifesaver. It kind of felt like I was prepping for a catering sushi job — which was oddly fun (laughs).
There was also a mysterious episode where the room key turned out to be an employee ID card from a Chinese company, but hey — that’s just Vietnam being Vietnam.
Walking to the Christ Statue to Get a Feel for the Town
During my stay, I walked along the coastline from my apartment to climb up to Vung Tau’s iconic Christ statue.
There’s a pretty long staircase to get up there, and for a 45-year-old guy, it was quite the workout. I was gasping for air — the sorrows of middle age, right? But at the top, I was rewarded with a stunning panoramic view of the ocean and the town. Cannons from the French colonial era are still standing there, giving you a real sense of the town’s history.
Overall, the town is flat and easy to walk around, and even the hill with the Christ statue doesn’t take too long. For someone like me who enjoys road biking, it seemed like a great environment to ride in as well.
I also made it to a hill with a lighthouse, and the view from there was equally spectacular. “I really like Vung Tau” — it was one of those moments where I felt that genuinely.
Food Shopping at Lotte Mart
As both a sushi chef and former farmer, I can never resist checking out the local supermarket. So off I went to the nearby Lotte Mart.
The first thing that caught my eye was how cheap and high-quality the vegetables were. Lettuce was about 150 yen (roughly $1 USD), and the quality was solid. As a former farmer, I was genuinely impressed.
Rice was around 1,200 yen ($8 USD) for 5 kg. That’s unthinkable in Japan. “Is rice only expensive in Japan?” — it gave me mixed feelings, honestly.
And to top it off, they were even running a sushi fair. It really hit home that sushi culture is spreading here in Vietnam too.
Enjoying Local Food with Friends
During this trip, in addition to my local friend, another friend who runs a yakitori (charcoal-grilled chicken) restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City also came out to Vung Tau.
The local food they introduced me to was all genuinely delicious. Banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancakes), banh cuon (Vietnamese rice paper rolls), and above all, the seafood soup — it soaked into every fiber of my being. For someone from a landlocked prefecture, experiencing this kind of seafood abundance is something truly special.
A street vendor lady also aggressively handed me some fruit, and honestly, it was delicious. I don’t mind the Vietnamese approach to personal space at all.
I Even Bought a Lottery Ticket
In Vung Tau, I also tried my hand at a Vietnamese lottery ticket for the first time. It cost 10,000 VND (about 60 yen / $0.40 USD), with a grand prize of 2 billion VND (roughly 12 million yen / $80,000 USD)! Results were announced the next day, and… of course I lost (laughs). But hey, that’s all part of the fun of traveling, right?
Summing Up My First Impressions of Vung Tau
After four days in Vung Tau, here’s what I took away.
Vung Tau is a calm, coastal town away from the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, with noticeably better air quality. The cost of living is affordable, the produce is high quality, and the flat terrain makes it easy to get around on foot. There’s a unique charm to the town, with its French colonial history woven into the landscape.
On the other hand, the air quality still needs to be checked during the rainy season, and as a sushi chef, I had some concerns about how fish is handled at the local markets — things like icing and killing methods. I’ll cover that in detail in my next article.
I’m planning to stay in Vung Tau for a full month in March 2026, so next time I’ll be diving even deeper into what this town has to offer.
Coming Up Next
In my next article, I’ll report on the seafood and vegetables I found at Vung Tau’s market from the perspective of a sushi chef and former farmer. Bonito, pomfret, hairtail fish — familiar names from Japanese sushi counters appearing in a Vietnamese market… Stay tuned!
Sushi Hatake offers catering sushi services mainly in the Tokyo area, bringing authentic Edomae sushi to your home or event venue. English support is available for international guests. Please feel free to get in touch for your next special occasion.