Vung Tau

Vung Tau (Vietnamese: Vũng Tàu) is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, and is a well-known tourist destination in Vietnam.

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. The French governor of Indochina, Paul Doumer (who later became President of France), built a mansion in Vung Tau that is still a prominent landmark in the city. Today, the city's importance as a shipping port has diminished, but it still plays a significant role in Vietnam's off-shore oil industry.

To most tourists, however, Vung Tau is more interesting for its extensive beaches. The majority of people visiting Vung Tau's beaches are Vietnamese, often from Ho Chi Minh City. As Vung Tau is only 130 km away from Ho Chi Minh City, it is a favourite resort destination for those wishing to get away from the city for a time. In recent times, the number of foreign tourists visiting Vung Tau's beaches increased. Vung Tau is also home to one of Vietnam's most well known golf courses.

Vung Tau is also of interest for religious reasons. The most notable monument in the city is a large statue of Jesus, constructed on a hill-top by Vietnam's Catholic minority. It was completed in the early 1970s. The Thich Ca Phat Dai pagoda and the Niet Ban Tinh Xa temple, both Buddhist sites, are also significant, drawing pilgrims from around the country.

Vung Tau was founded in 1822 by retiring soldiers and their families. The soldiers had been given the land by the King as a reward for clearing the area of Malay pirates, who were using the Vung Tau peninsula to prey on shipping along the Vietnamese coast.

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