Vung Tau City
Vung Tau is a city in Southern Vietnam. It is 125 km from Hochiminh City, and is a popular destination for weekend trips from Hochiminh City. Vung Tau is the tourist and commercial center of Ba Ria – Vung Tau.
Vung Tau City
The whole city area lies on a peninsula which is separated from the mainland by a gulf river called Co May River. It has traditionally been a significant port, particularly during Vietnam's period of French Rule. Today, the city's importance as a shipping port has diminished, but it still plays a significant role in Vietnam's offshore oil industry.
Crude Oil Extraction
Vung Tau is the only petroleum base of Vietnam where crude oil and gas exploitation activities dominate the city's economy and contribute principal income to Vietnam's budget and export volume. It is home to 210,000 people, of which 1250 are Russians working as specialists in the oil industry.
Vung Tau Beach
It would seem a paradox but Vung Tau gains a lot from being the biggest crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. As a result it has a more able infrastructure compared with many cities in the country and it's easy to get around and see the many sights.
What to see
Villa Blanche – Bach Dinh
Villa Blanche
Built by the French as a summer holiday house of French Governor General Paul Doumer, the building was named Villa Blanche after his favorite daughter. The name Villa Blanche or Bach Dinh represents its appearance, for that reason, the local people call it Bach Dinh – White Palace. Later, some Indochina-French Governors used this summer house occasionally so it’s also called Villa du Gouverneur.
Both Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Van Thieu used it as well for recreation and holiday. Villa Blanche is located on the slop of Big Mountain, along Tran Phu Street, at 50m above sea level. The outside walls were decorated with beading and the Hellenic statues. This was also the location where the French colonialists placed Thanh Thai Kin under house arrest.
He belonged to the last feudalistic dynasty in Vietnam and fought against the French before exiling him to Reunion Island off the coast of Africa. From its balcony there's a panoramic view of Front Beach and opposite the Villa at the foot of that mountain is Hai Nguu Islet with a stone rock shaped like a water buffalo wallowing in water.
Panoramic View from Bach Dinh Balcony
Next to Hai Nguu at the seaside was the helicopter yard. Today Villa Blanche exhibits hundreds of antiques collected from Cau Islet - Con Dao and is the culture destination attracts hundreds of tourists every day.
Binh Chau Thermal Springs
Thermal Spring
Binh Chau Thermal Springs are situated in Bung Rieng Commune, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province. The hot water is used for its medicinal values and the 73-degree-Celsius water is led to pools used to cure skin diseases and rheumatism.
Binh Chau Thermal Water
Binh Chau Thermal Springs are located 70 kilometers to the east of Vung Tau City. Covering an area of 1 square kilometer, Binh Chau Thermal Springs consist of many lakes and ponds joining through an underground pool of mineral water coming from a network of 70 main sources.
Boiling Egg
The water temperature reaches up to 80ºC, a temperature at which an egg can be boiled in 10 minutes.Binh Chau Thermal Springs belong to a protected area that also features numerous forests, coasts, and lakes. Hotels and restaurants have been built to accommodate visitors who come here for health as well as for recreational purposes.
Dinh Co Temple
Dinh Co Temple
Dinh Co is located on Long Hai Beach. According to a legend, a young girl who wanted to live a secluded life accidentally fell into the sea and was buried on Co Son Hill by local fishermen. They also built a temple on the beach in her honor. Every year, Long Hai fishermen organize Dinh Co Festival on the 10th, 11th, and 12th day of the second lunar month.
Dinh Co Festival
Older fishermen, dressed in traditional trousers, are masters of this religious celebration. They pray for a good fishing year, productive crops, and peaceful life. The boats that are at sea during the celebrations are lighted with bright colors.
Minh Dam Mountains
Minh Dam Mountain
Minh Dam Mountains include many mountains. Visitors will see the mountains have an average elevation is about 200m. There are many caves in the mountains is the accommodation, activities, work safety officials and the army. Each cave bears the name of the unit was stationed.
Minh Man Front Gate
From the foot of the mountain, a winding asphalt road takes visitors up the mountain end. Guests will be surprised when at about two-thirds of the road passes, Long Hai panoramic ocean vast, ocean scene on one side, mountains on one side so charming, romantic appeared in sight.
Path to Minh Man
Below the resort is an asphalted road Thuy Duong and winding foothills. Embracing maritime forest is cherry red, beautiful. Many people like to conquer the mountain by foot, to be washed under the trees, stone aggregate, hear the birds calling, the sound of murmuring streams. The fatigue gradually disappears after you wash your face, soak feet in the cool spring water, enjoy the fresh air of the mountains and forests.
Harmony of Nature
In 1993, Minh Dam base areas by the Ministry of Culture - information recognized as Historic revolution. Minh Dam today has become an ideal tourist destination for many types of tourism: hiking, camping and especially eco places to learn the history of revolution, traditional education for generations of students, students. Today Minh Dam Mountain and Minh Dam Pursuant are attractive for tourism. It has received many daily tourists to visit the old battlefield and admire the beauty of mountains and beaches of Long Hai, Thuy Van Van Poetic States.
Linh Son Co Tu
Linh Son Co Tu Front Gate
Linh Son Co Tu is located on the ancient Hoang Hoa Tham. It is not a big pagoda but the most ancient one in Vung Tau. Firstly, it was built on the side of Small Mountain, then in 1919, this area was quickly occupied by the French Colonialist to build the villas for the French navigators. Very soon after that, another pagoda was built and it’s existed up to now.
Entrance to Linh Son Co Tu
According to the legend, about 100 years ago, there was a fishing delegation from the Central Provinces flock to catch fish in Truoc Beach. While collecting firewood in the mountain, they accidentally discovered Buddha Statues buried under the ground on the slopes near Mud-berry Beach. After then, they dug it up and waited for the next day to hold the ceremony in the hope that they could give them.
Tam Duong Beach
Tam Duong Beach
Front Beach is also called Tam Duong Beach which means "Finding the Sun". The Front Beach which looks like a half of the Moon leans against mainland with Tuong Ky and Tao Phung Mountains in its the beginning and the end. Many coconut-palms are grown along the beach so it was formerly called Bay of Coconut-palm. Now the coconut-palms have been shading and there are more almond trees.
Front Beach
There is a park grown a lot of flowers below the shadows of trees so that tourists can take the air and hear the sound of waves at the same time. Many new hotels built make the Front Beach has a both classical and modern beauty. At night, Tran Phu and Quang Trung Streets are brightening. In the top of multistory buildings, coffee bars illuminated by colored lights and boats anchored offshore with pervasive light make the Front Beach has a charming beauty by night.
Lighthouse in Vung Tau
Vung Tau Lighthouse
Apart from swimming, enjoying seafood, visiting pagodas and conquering the Towering Statue of Jesus Christ in Vung Tau, tourists should also try hiking up to Nho (Small) Mountain to admire the lighthouse as well as the panoramic view of the coastal city. People believe that hiking in Vung Tau is a must for tourists. It’s worth your time and effort with the fresh air, peaceful moments and romantic view of the shaded road leading to the peak. The location is a favorite destination for people to get in some exercise, going for wedding photo shoots and hanging out with friends. To reach the lighthouse, you can take a cab to the foot of the mountain and walk up to the peak where the white lighthouse is located, about 170 meters above sea level. Or you can do it the easy way and hire a motorbike and get there in only 10 minutes.
Lighthouse at Night
The road leading to the peak looks so romantic under the shades of high trees and wild flowers on both sides. People can smell the leaves after rain or the sea breeze in the air. At some corners you can pause to take photos as some trees show their huge roots on rocks. People might see some dogs lying in the middle of the road with some barking out loud, the key is not to panic and calmly pass them. Visitors can walk or drive up to a peak of Nho Mountain on a shaded road. After about twenty minutes, travelers can get to the two-story lighthouse which was inaugurated in 1862 and renovated in 1913. It is 18m in height and 3m in diameter. Its lamp can radiate to a distance of 30 nautical miles. From the lighthouse, you are treated to a wonderful view of the sea, a small lake, lots of mountains in the distance, immense green trees and uncountable buildings and houses in different colors below. It’s a pity the lighthouse is not open for visitors, so people just have to admire its external beauty. It’s recommended for tourists to hike in late afternoon to avoid the scorching sun and heat and apply insect-prevention lotion to protect their skin.
Statue of Jesus
Statue of Jesus
For sea lovers, a hydrofoil trip to Vung Tau City to relax on the beach, climb the mountains, wait for sunset at the lighthouse and enjoy seafood is the norm at weekends away for city folk. However, one thing that should be recommended to tourists is a trek to The Statue of arm-outstretched Jesus Christ. Standing imposingly on the top of the Nho (Small) Mountain in Vung Tau City, the 32 meter statue was built in 1974 at an altitude of 170 meters facing the sea. It took 20 years for the statue to be completed. The challenge for tourists, though, is to walk up 1,000 stone steps to reach the summit. It is a long trek but there are some stops for trekkers to take a break, drink water and take some photos of the sea and surrounding areas below.
Festival
The path is decorated by many trees and flowers, spreading its fragrance around the location. Standing in front of the statue, you can imagine a giant stretching his hands out to hold you as it is 32 meters in height and extending hands is 18.3m long putting in parallelepiped with a bas-relief of Christ and his 12 disciples, a replica of the painting ‘The party of separation’ by Leonardo da Vinci. The monument is similar to the famous statue in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. The statue’s body can hold hundreds of people, there are about 130 steps up to the neck, shoulders and wrists of the statue in which four or five people can stand and enjoy the panoramic view of Vung Tau. Each hand is 2.2m wide and the middle finger is 1.1m long, and each foot is 1.1m wide. The statue is south-facing to the East Sea with the benevolent and tolerant face, the widely outstretched arms to protect his followers. Under its foot, there are exhibits illustrating its construction from start to finish. There are also statues describing metaphors that Jesus Christ taught his followers more than 2, 000 years ago. The site is not only an attraction for tourists but also a site for fit locals to do some morning exercise.
What to eat
Pancake – Banh Khot
Banh Khot
Every little village in Vietnam seems to have its own special dish. When Vietnamese travel in their country, trying the local specialty is an absolute must. In Vung Tau, a former fishing village turned into oil industry hub, the specialty is banh khot, small savory pancakes. They don’t look too impressive at first glance, but like many Vietnamese dishes, the deliciousness is the result of wrapping and dipping. The pancakes are made with rice flour, coconut milk, chopped spring onion and shrimp.
Delicious Dish
After being cooked on a huge iron griddle, the pancakes are sprinkled with the delightfully-named pork floss and more chopped spring onion. A plate-full of banh khot is usually served with a side of sliced green papaya, a plate of fresh herbs, stack of wrappers, and a dipping sauce. At this little eatery in Vung Tau the dipping sauce was in a big plastic jug on the table. While customers wait for the pancakes to be cooked, pour some dipping sauce into little bowls. When the pancakes arrive, take a mustard leaf and place a little pancake on it. Add some herbs and some strips of papaya. Wrap it up into a little bundle and dip. It never ceases to attract any visitor.
Seafood
Seafood in Vung Tau
As all good coastal destinations provide, Vung Tau has a plethora of fresh seafood to satiate your appetite for grilled, steamed or fried fish. While you can order up a plate at most of the finer local restaurants, some of the better dishes come straight from the street. Grab some freshly grilled squid, add a touch of lime and salt and dig into an undersea temptation.
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