Taking advantage of the many visitors to the Kite Festival, the city of Vung Tau often organizes an accompanying food festival at the same time with music and dance performances. Festival activities are usually held in several different venues around the city. The “Taste of the World” Food Festival in 2016 was held at Le Van Tam Park and featured a display of 500 dishes from around the world.

The pretty beaches of Vung Tau are home to an annual International Kite Festival which is usually held in early December. The week-long festival boasts hundreds of kite artisans and connoisseurs from Vietnam’s big kite clubs and abroad with competitions in kite making and kite flying and special performances like nighttime kite flying accompanied by sound and lights.

Nghinh Ong Thang Tam or Whale Festival is a 3-day celebration of whales, specifically Nam Hai, a whale god, believed to bring fortune to fishermen and to rescue people in danger on the sea. Celebrated on the 16th day of the 8th lunar month (approximately late September), the festival includes processions, folk games, and fishing-related competitions organized around town and at the Thang Tam Temple.

Dinh Co Festival falls on the 10-12th days of the 2nd lunar month (early March) at the Dinh Co Temple in honor of a goddess believed to help and protect the locals. Expect vibrantly colored costumes and all-day festivities including lantern processions, drums, gongs and traditional boat races.

Festival of Praying for Happiness takes place on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month (approximately late October), to commemorate the anniversary of Ong Tran, the founder of a local folk religion. The festival takes place at Nha Lon (Big House) on Long Son Island where festival goers offer incense, pray and enjoy vegetarian meals.