'''Vung Tau''' (V?ng Tau) is a city in Southern Vietnam, about 125km from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Its close location to Saigon and its beauty and fresh air makes it a very popular destination for weekends.

Understand

Vung Tau is the tourist and commercial center of Ba R?a - V?ng Tau (an industrial province in Southeastern Vietnam). The whole city area lies on a peninsula which is separated from the mainland by a gulf river called Co May river.

History

During 14th and 15th centuries, the cape that would become V?ng Tau was a swamp which European trading ships visited regularly. The ships' activities inspired the name V?ng Tau, which means "anchorage". The Portuguese navigators passed V?ng Tau many times and named it after Saint Jacques. The French invaded Vietnam afterwards and called it Cape Saint Jacques. The cliff of V?ng Tau is now called M?i Nghinh Phong (literally means _gCape of greeting the wind_h). V?ng Tau was originally referred to as Tam Th?ng ("Three Boats") in memory of the first 3 villages in this area: Th?ng Nh?t, Th?ng Nh?, Th?ng Tam. It was within the province of Bien Hoa under the Nguyen dynasty.

10th February 1859 marks the first use of cannons by Nguyen_fs army, when they fired at French battleships from the fortress of Ph??c Th?ng, located 100 m from V?ng Tau's Front Beach. This marked an important period in Vietnam_fs war against French invaders in South Vietnam (then called Cochinchina).

In 1876, according to a decree by the French colonialists, V?ng Tau was merged in Ba R?a county, a part of Saigon administration (French: circonscription de Saigon).

On May the 1st 1895 the governor of Cochinchina established by decree that Cape Saint Jacques would thereafter be an autonomous town. In 1898, Cape Saint Jacques was merged with Ba Ria County once again but was divided again in 1899.

In 1901, the population of V?ng Tau was 5,690, of which 2000 persons were immigrants from North Vietnam. Most of the town's population made their living in the fishing industry.

On April 4th 1905 Cape Saint Jacques was made an administrative district of Ba Ria province. In 1929, Cape Saint Jacques became a province, and in 1934 became a city (commune).

The French governor of Indochina, Paul Doumer (who later became President of France), built a mansion in V?ng Tau that is still a prominent landmark in the city.

During the Vietnam War, V?ng Tau was home to the Australian Army and American support units, and was a popular spot for in-country R&R for U.S. combat troops. After the war, V?ng Tau was a common launching place for the Vietnamese Boat People fleing the communists.

On May 30th 1979, V?ng Tau town was made the capital of V?ng Tau-Con ??o Special Admistrative Zone.

On August 12th 1991, the province of Ba R?a-V?ng Tau was officially founded and V?ng Tau town officially became V?ng Tau city.

Economy and society

The city is located in the south of Vietnam, and is situated at the tip of a small peninsula. 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. 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.

V?ng Tau is home to 210,000 people, in which 1250 are Russians working as specialists in the oil industry.

Climate

Located in Southern Vietnam, V?ng Tau has only two seasons in a year :
  • Dry season (November - April) : dry and slightly cooler during winter months and around T?t Holiday. Gets hotter in April.
  • Rainy season (May - October) : rainy, but less than Ho Chi Minh City. Usually hot at noon till 3PM. Summer is ideal for sea bathing.
  • Get in

    By bus

    V?ng Tau is connected to the mainland by Highway No. 51 (Qu?c l? 51), which runs from Bien Hoa City. Travelers take Highway No. 1 northwards to Bien Hoa. After crossing Dong Nai River bridge and arriving Vung Tau Intersection (Nga Ba V?ng Tau), turn right.

  • <listing name="R?ng ?ong Bus Company" alt="" address="292 ?inh B? L?, Binh Th?nh District, Ho Chi Minh City" directions="Mi?n ?ong Coach Station" phone="+84 8 5 111 111" url="" hours="04:30am - 07:45pm" price="40,000 VN?" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">To/From HCMC(Saigon). Departs when bus is full, which is approximately every 20 minutes.</listing>
  • The fastest way on bus to Vung Tau is taking a high speed coach both at open tour and daily bus at Mien Dong Coach Station (B?n Xe Mi?n ?ong). Comfortable 16-seat cars with air-conditioners. New trip every 15 minutes. It has one break station on half-journey. Duration : 2 hours.

    R?ng ?ong also serves Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and Kontum.

  • <listing name="Thien Phu" alt="" directions="Mi?n ?ong Coach Station" address="292 ?inh B? L?nh, Binh Th?nh District, Ho Chi Minh City" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></listing>
  • The same as R?ng ?ong but with larger cars. New trip every 15 minutes. Thien Phu is newbie to the route to Vung Tau.

  • <listing name="'''Mai Linh Express'''" alt="" directions="Mi?n ?ong Coach Station" address="292 ?inh B? L?nh, Binh Th?nh District, Ho Chi Minh City" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="60,000 VN?"></listing>
  • Reliable inter-provincial bus service in Vietnam, esp. Southern Vietnam. Operates every 30 minutes. The journey from the bus depot in Ho Chi Minh City to the bus depot in Vung Tao takes approximately 2.25hrs during the day. A bottle of water is provided to every passenger. Using the toilet at the bus depot at HCMC costs 1000VND.

  • <listing name="Hoa Mai Tourist" alt="" directions="" address="Pho ??c Chinh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City" phone="+84 909 200 200" email="" fax="" url="" hours="4am - 5pm" price="55,000 VN?"></listing>
  • Operated every hour. Seats are reserved by telephone only. If you are in Vung Tau, you are picked up wherever you want.

    By Hydrofoil

    "Tau canh ng?m" aka "Hydrofoil fast ferry" in Vietnam is a quick way to get to and from V?ng Tau. Taking the Hydrofoil is a good way to see the commerical maritime areas as the boat runs through the Saigon River to the sea. After one hour and 15 minutes, V?ng Tau peninsula appears with it's two mountains (conveniently called "Big Mountain" and "Little Mountain") at the waterfront. This is a little more comfortable way to get to Vung Tau rather than taking the bus. It's a little more expensive at 160,000 VN?/person (US$9.5). On the weekends, be sure to get your tickets at least a day early. You will be lucky to get a ticket if you wait till the day of.

  • <listing name="Petro Express" alt="" address="Ham Nghi Road, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="160,000 VN?" lat="" long="" email="" fax=""></listing>
  • <listing name="Greenlines" alt="" address="Ham Nghi Road, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="160,000 VN?" lat="" long="" email="" fax=""></listing>
  • <listing name="Vina Express" alt="" address="Ham Nghi Road, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="160,000 VN?" lat="" long="" email="" fax=""></listing>
  • Get around

    By taxi

    Taxis are rather expensive in V?ng Tau. Prices are 30% higher than Saigon companies, especially along the beaches. Major companies are Gili Taxi, Petro Taxi and Mai Linh.

    By motorbike

    As an ordinary Vietnam urban area, V?ng Tau has plenty of ''xe om'' (motorbike) drivers who are professional (and unfortunately seek out foreigners). Tourists coming to V?ng Tau may find out that traffic is slower here, especially during the week. As of December 15th, 2007 all riders in Vietnam are now required to wear helmets an this is strongly enforced. As such, the driver should supply you with a helmet. If he doesn't - find another one, as you'll be the one stuck with the fine. Remember : always agree on a price before you set off.

    By double-bike

    Xe ??p ?oi or double-bike has been popular among youth and teenagers of Vung Tau. You can see groups of at least four riding along the windy and green streets and along the coast. A standard double-bike can carry 3 people in which 2 take the ride. You can rent a double bike at the Bai Tr??c (Front Beach) Area beside Nha thi?u nhi (Children Cultural House) or on pavements along the Bai Sau (Back Beach) near hotels area.

    Walking

    V?ng Tau is rather small in size, so don't hesitate to take a walk. Recommended ways are : Bacu street (the city's downtown), ?? Chi?u Street (food center), Tr?ng Tr?c and Tr?ng Nh? Square, Cong vien Bai tr??c (Front Beach park) and pavements along the coastline. The only drawback; foreigners are constantly sought after by motorbike drivers, especially if walking alone.

    See

  • V?ng Tau Lighthouse. n top of Small Mountain. rice. First built in 1907 on the lower peak of Small Mount, it burned kerosene in its lamp. In 1911, it was rebuilt to 3 meters in diameter and 18 meters in height, and moved to the higher peak where it stands today. The V?ng Tau Lighthouse projects light as far as 35 sea miles (64.75 km) and is equipped with telescopes to follow and direct ships at sea.

    Next to the platform, 4 old French cannons (about 10m long and weighing several tons) were once used to defend the area from naval attacks.

    The lighthouse affords a panoramic view of the whole of Vung Tau and is a really interesting site. No ticket is needed, but tourists are required to pay 4,000 VND per visit.

  • ?inh Th?n Th?ng Tam (Th?ng Tam Temple). h?ng Tam Ward, Vung Tau City. rom the Front Beach, follow Truong Cong Dinh St. to Tran Hung Dao Park. Here take Hoang Hoa Tham Street to Thang Tam. Aka Thang Tam_fs Local Gods Communal House, is a special feature in V?ng Tau. According to legend, it was built in the Minh M?ng dynasty (1820-1840) as a place to worship the three men who set up the 3 villages of Th?ng in V?ng Tau. Visit this site to discover the story of the three men who led three villages_fs inhabitants to V?ng Tau and started a new way of life. The architecture is particularly interesting around the Tam Quan gate, the sanctum, the public commune, the meeting room and the scene for military opera stage that is skillfully engraved.

    The sanctum is roofed with yin-yang tiles and is in the shape of _ga couple of dragons joking upon the moon_h and the pillars are engraved wit the shapes of dragons. This commune stores twelve pieces of sanction of Nguy?n dynasty.

    On the right of Th?ng Tam commune is the Whale tomb where there is a set of great bones of whales picked up from 100 years ago and on the left is Ng? Hanh Temple (5 elements of the space: metal, wood, water, fire and the earth).

  • ?ai Li?t S? (Martyr's Memorial). e H?ng Phong Street. A stone obelisk on a hill-top, located on the way to the sea, the Martyr's Memorial hill is said to be the biggest traffic circle in Indochina. A cool hang-out place for lovers.

  • Statue of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms. n top of Small Mountain.

    The enormous 28m figure of Jesus gazing across the East Sea with outstretched arms is located at the southern end of Small mountain.

    Built in 1971, this Giant Jesus rests on a 10m high platform. The interior of the statue is hollow and contains a spiral staircase of 129 steps, ascending from the foot of the statue to its neck. The two shoulders of the figure are balconies, each able to accommodate up to six people, which offer a splendid view of the surrounding landscape.

    This is the largest sculpture in the Southern Vietnam. Recent construction of a pathway has made the 30-minute hike up the mountain more pleasant and the panoramic view from various vista points along the way is magnificent. Definitely a must do!

  • Beautiful pagodas. mall Mount top. Ni?t Ban T?nh Xa and Thich Ca Ph?t ?ai are most popular among the pagodas and temples in V?ng Tau.

  • B?ch Dinh (Villa Blanche). long Tr?n Phu Street. Built by the French (1898-1916) 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 coincides its appearance, for that season, the local people call it B?ch Dinh (White palace).

    Later, some Indochina-French Governors used this summer house occasionally so it_fs also called _gVilla du Gouverneur_h (Dinh Toan Quyen).

    Both Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Van Thieu used it as well for recreation and holiday. It made the name Dinh Ong Thuong (Palace of Lord appear).

    Villa Blanche is located on the slop of Big Mountain, along Tran Phu St., 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 (1909-1910)

    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. 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.

    Do

    Swimming

    Seaside status makes Vung Tau a nearby paradise for Saigonners. There are four beaches in the city center located in different positions.

  • '''Bai Tr??c''' (Front Beach)
  • Located on the center of Vung Tau and stands between Big and Small Mount. Restaurants, kiosks, and hotels are close to the beach. Front Beach is connected through a small park called Front Beach Park. As this lays on the tourist center of the city, most people come here to visit the park and view the sunset.

  • '''Bai Sau''' (Back Beach)thumb|right|Bai Sau (Back Beach)
  • Bai Sau aka "Thuy Van Beach" is the only standard beach for tourism in Vung Tau. It is 3 kilometer long and streches from the Small Mount to Paradise Park. All beaches here are free although you may cross some "water park" to get to the beach. There are services for keeping your belongings, usually 15,000 VND each person. Fresh water bathe costs 8,000 VND. Sea parachute with canoeing available all day.

  • '''Bai D?a''' (Pineapple Beach)
  • Small beach located along H? Long street, by Small Mount.
  • '''Bai Dau''' (Mulberry Beach)
  • Small beach located on the western side of Big Mount.

    Bai D?a and Bai Dau are actually beaches along Mountains, thus you must go downstairs to get to the waterfront. There's less sand and no safeguard.

  • <listing name="Climbing the mountains" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></listing>
  • <listing name="Riding double-bikes" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="15,000 VN? / hour" lat="" long=""></listing>
  • <listing name="See greyhound racing" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="" email=""fax="" url="" hours="" price="25,000 VN?"></listing>
  • <listing name="Golf" alt="" directions="" address=Chi Linh golf course"" phone="" email=""fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></listing>
  • Buy

  • Handicrafts. rung Vuong Square.

  • '''Ch? V?ng Tau''' (V?ng Tau Market), new central market built in 1985. Vietnamese day meals start with market. Goods in markets are cheaper and fresher than in shops and that's why a market is very familiar with every Vietnamese, esp. housewives.
  • ATMs

    Almost all banks' ATMs are available in Vung Tau. Most of them are located in commercial roads such as Le H?ng Phong, Ba Cu and Tr?ng V??ng Square.

    ''Here is a list of banks and their ATM locations''

  • '''Vietcombank :''' 27 Tr?n H?ng ??o (main office), 8 Thuy Van (Sammy Hotel), 143 Thuy Van, Rex Hotel, 8 Hoang Di?u (Petro Tower).
  • '''Dong A Bank :''' 207 Le H?ng Phong (in front of Vung Tau Post office), 120 H? Long (in front of the Hydrofoil Ferry Port), 34 Hoang Hoa Tham, 155 Nguy?n Thai H?c (in front of Coop Mart Vung Tau).
  • '''ACB :''' 3A Tr?n H?ng ??o, 09 H? Long (Hydrofoil Port), 205 Nguy?n V?n Tr?i.
  • '''Agribank :''' 103 Nam K? Kh?i Ngh?a.
  • '''Sacombank :''' 67A Le H?ng Phong.
  • '''BIDV :''' 24 Tr?n H?ng ??o, Vung Tau Post Office, 72 Tr?n H?ng ??o.
  • Visa and Mastercard are also accepted with a minimum fee of 50,000 VN? to 70,000 VN? for each withdraw.

    Eat

    Banh kh?t

  • G?c Vu S?a. 4 Nguy?n Tr??ng T?. 23465. :00am - 0:00am. 8,000 VND.

    An ideal place to enjoy your breakfast is at "Banh kh?t". The restaurant is always crowded on weekends.

  • Ba Hai's small restaurant. 2 Tr?n ??ng Street. 064)3531255 - 0907303836. :30am - 11:30am. 8,000 - 20,000 VND. A small banh kh?t restaurant run by a family. Not all tourists know it due to its location in a busy street but they find tastier fish sauce (n??c m?m).

    Restaurant

  • Quan 95. 6 Tr?n H?ng ??o. 56394. :00am - 11pm. Well-known midrange restaurant for Vietnamese meals and variety of seafood. Tiger Beer and Pilsner Urquell available.
  • Lan R?ng. r?n H?ng ??o Park. 56394. :00am - 11pm. Well-designed landscape
  • V??n Bang. 7/4 Nguy?n Thai H?c. 70607. :00am - 11pm. Largest indoor restaurant, ideal place for parties. Special food include ssashlyk (Russian fried pork) and Russian salad.
  • Hotpot restaurants. r??ng Cong ??nh street, in front of "Ph? Binh. 56394. ll day till 11pm. An area of four pavement restaurant beside each other. Come here to enjoy the Vietnamese hotpot in different styles. Hotpot is a must in every Vietnamese parties and group meetings (with 3 people and more). Beer is encouraged.
  • Plein Sud Restaurant. 52A Ha Long street,. 64511570. rom 10am to 2 pm and 5pm until 10pm. Mediteranean Restaurant with French and Italian Specialities .Price start at 24.000 vnd . Colonial House and tropical garden with a great view on the golf . Home made delicious Ice Cream and a very large selection of imported wines . Wood pizza oven and home baked french bread . Pizzas , BBQ , Fish , Imported Meats . Home delivery .Free Wi Fi access .

    Drink

  • Plein Sud. 52A Ha Long. 64511570. 0am-2pm. 5pm-10pm. Expresso , Cappucino and Home Made French Ice Cream . Seaview .

    Coffee

  • B?ch Dinh. r?n Phu, near Bai Tr??c. ll day till 11pm.
  • O C?p. long Bai D?a. ll day till 11pm.

  • Saigon Icecream. y Th??ng Ki?t street. ll day till 11pm. Little icecream spot with soft music. Well-known for 20 years.

    Sleep

    Budget

    Vung Tau features the largest cheap guesthouses and hotels in Vietnam. Rooms range from electic fans and public bathrooms to air-conditioned with hot water. All located in Thuy Van Street, in front of Bai Sau (Back Beach) at the foot of Small Mount. Lowest prices from 120,000/room (on weekdays) to 200,000 VN? (weekend).

    Midrange

  • Thang M??i Hotel. 51 Thuy Van. 064)852665. 064) 859876. ww.thangmuoihotel.com.vn. Situated in front of Bai Sau, Thang M??i has 92 comfortable bedrooms with cable TV, airconditioners and minibars... Just a few walks to the beach. Prices range from 300,000 VN? - 500,000 VN?.

    Splurge

  • Cap Saint Jacques. 5 - 101 USD. International 3-star Hotel, one of the most beautiful and luxurious Hotel in Vung Tau, located in the strategically tourist place (the Back Beach ) with private beach. Only 200 meters to the Paradise golf course and 5 minutes access to the central City. Offers 133 guest rooms and suites with air-conditioner, satellite television, IDD telephone, high speed internet access, mini bar, in-house music, dressing table, bath-tub.
  • Palace Hotel. 1 Nguy?n Trai. 064)856411. alacevt@hcm.vnn.vn. 064)856878. ttp://www.palacehotel.com.vn. 5 USD - 165 USD. The 4-star Palace is located in the heart of Vung Tau.It has 94 guest rooms and provides a variety of comfortable accommodations that match a wide range of business and travelers'' needs. The Palace Hotel is also the ideal venu for seminars, conferences, banquet group dinners and cocktail parties. Its restaurants offer extensive a la carte menus of award-winning Vietnamese, Asian and Western cuisines. Private dining rooms are also available. The main hall can accommodate up to 800 banquet style and includes bars and coffee lounges. There is a Casino within the Hotel premises. An adjourning Bar at the Casino allows relaxation and listening pleasures to the evergreens of the '70s. Rate per night range from 65 - 165 USD.

  • M? L? Hotel. 7 - 59 Thuy Van. 064)852177. ylehotel@hcm.vnn.vn. 9 USD - 115 USD.

    Get out

  • '''Long H?i Town :''' a seaside town in nearby Long ?i?n District about 20 km north of Vung Tau. The beach here is smaller but the town owns a local goddess temple called "Dinh Co" which holds annual cultural festival called "Dinh Co Festival". It is one of the three well-known traditional festivals in Southern Vietnam. The town also features Minh ??m Tunnel, a former revolunary base of Viet Minh during the war-time period.
  • '''Binh Chau Hot Stream :''' located in Xuyen M?c District.
  • '''Con ??o Islands :''' far-way archipelago in the southern sea. Best known for Con ??o Prisons, Con ??o National Garden. Hydrofoil Fast Ferry costs 350,000 VN?, set off at Con ??o Port (April 30 Road).
  • '''Long S?n: ''' for the wooden Nha L?n Long S?n complex dating from the 19th century.
  • Stay safe

    Emergency numbers

  • Police : 113
  • Fire : 114
  • Ambulance : 115
  • The city hospital is "Le L?i" Hospital (22 Le L?i Street. 832667). Tell the taxi "benh vien" and he'll understand.

    Contact

  • High-speed Internet is available in all streets in Vung Tau. They are called in many names e.g. "Internet cafe", "Game Online" or "Chat". Pay 3000 - 4000 VN?/hour. Most stores provide Internet dialing cards, so it's advised that you use it to make international calls.
  • Use 171 and 178 with your calls: Make you domestic and international calls with 171 or 178 as following, you'll save up to 40% of bills
  • 171 (178) + 00 + National code + Area code + Phone number. ''Note :'' This method is not available with cellphones.
  • '''Vung Tau Post Office''' : 45 Le H?ng Phong.
  • General info service : (064) 1080.