Vung Tau is
a resort town in the province of Dong Nai 125 km from
Saigon. The town is a long strip approximately 14 km
long and 6 km wide. Where the southern tip of town
meets the ocean stand two famous mountains Nui Lon
(Truong Ky) and Nui Nho (Tao Phung) or Large mountain
and Small mountain.
Historically, Vung Tau used to be part of Bien Hoa.
The first settlements in this area occurred during the
reign of King Gia Long. During this period, there were
many Malay bandits in this region. They often enter
the area through Song Be entrance from the ocean. This
created a threat for merchants in the Gia Dinh area.
King Gia Long sent three garrisons of troops to the
area to quell the disturbance and to clear this area
for settlement. A few years later, the bandits were
driven away and in 1822, King Ming Mang rewarded the
three officers who led the army to this region. The
soldiers were allowed to retire and brought their
families to this area to make a living. The first
three successful settlements in this area were under
the leadership of the three officers who originally
led the troops here. Thang Nhat (first win) township,
Thang Nhi (second win) township and Thang Tam (third
win) township were led by Mr. Pham Van Dinh, Mr. Le
Van Loc, and Mr. Ngo Van Huyen respectively. Ever
since then, this area is known as Tam Thang or Three
Wins. The name Vung Tau came about because the
geography in this area also forms a natural bay where
many merchant ships would stop to seek shelter. In
time, this area became known as Vung (puddle) Tau
(ships). Another name for this area is Cap Saint
Jacques or Au Cap in French. The Vietnamese
Vung Tau is
the first seaside resort for the elite in Vietnam. The
first hotel, the Arduzer, was built in the 1870's and
was a spa for the French leadership at the time. Over
time, many more bungalows and vacation homes were
built by the well to do of Saigon. Today, Vung Tau has
many large and modern hotels on its 3 main beaches.
Vung Tau is also known for its abundance of pagodas
and temples, most of them lean against the mountains
and face the ocean.
serpentine road 6 km long hugging Small Mountain
starts from Bai Truoc (Front Beach), passes by Nghinh
Phong (Windy Point) and leads to Bai Sau (Rear Beach).
Named Ha Long (Descending Dragon), the winding road
goes up and down along the shore, offering a
spectacular view of the skyline and refreshing ocean
wind. Facing the ocean on three sides, Vung Tau is
windy all year round and has 2 distinct seasons, rainy
from May to October and dry from November to April.
Average temperature is 28 deg. C.
winding road 10 km long circling Big Mountain starts
from fishing village Ben Dinh, passes through Bai Dau
and ends at Front Beach. Traditionally a weekend
get-away spot for city dwellers from Saigon, Vung Tau
has also a significant fishing industry. With oil
riggs only 70 km off shore, the city is a center of
services for the exploitation of gas and oil.