Vũng Tàu
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Vũng Tàu (''Hanoi accent:'' , ''Saigon accent:'' ) is an important port city in southern
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. It serves as the maritime port of Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam. Vũng Tàu covers of area and consists of 16 urban wards and one commune of Long Sơn Island. Vũng Tàu was the capital of the province until it was replaced by the much smaller
Bà Rịa Bà Rịa () is a city in Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province in the Southeast region of Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of ab ...
city on 2 May 2012. The city is also the
crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring u ...
extraction center of Vietnam.


Administrative divisions

Since April 2015, Vũng Tàu consists of 16 wards (phường): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Thắng Nhất, Thắng Nhì (formerly Ward 6), Thắng Tam, Nguyễn An Ninh, Rạch Dừa, and the commune (xã) of Long Sơn. The wards are divided into quarters (khu phố), which are divided into smaller groups (tổ dân phố). The commune is divided into hamlets (thôn).


History

According to archeological excavations in 2002 and 2005 in Giồng Lớn, a coastal sandbank in Long Sơn island, humans have existed about 2000 BCE. Evidence of burial sites, working tools, clay pots, jewelleries, weapons and other tools suggested close connections with Óc Eo Culture and trade activities with nearby countries. Between 1st and 7th centuries, Vung Tau was ruled by
Funan Funan (; , ; , Chữ Hán: ; ) was the name given by Chinese cartographers, geographers and writers to an ancient Khmer-Mon Indianized state—or, rather a loose network of states ''( Mandala)''—located in Mainland Southeast Asia covering ...
, who were replaced by the Chenla Kingdom. Little is known of Vũng Tàu during the Funan and Chenla period. In 1295, Zhou Daguan (), a Yuan Chinese diplomat serving under Temur Khan, passed by Vũng Tàu on his official voyage to Angkor, Chenla. In his book '' The Customs of Cambodia'' (, literally ''Chenla Culture and Land Report'') referred to Vũng Tàu as Zhenpu 真蒲, which he described as the border of Chenla.
自溫州開洋,行丁未針。歷閩、廣海外諸州港口,過七洲洋,經交趾洋到占城。又自占城順風可半月到真蒲,乃其境也。 Since departing from Wenzhou, it has not done anything yet. It traveled through the ports of
Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
and
Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...
, crossed the Qizhou Sea, and reached Champa via the Jiaozhi Sea. Moreover, if the wind blows from
Champa Champa (Cham language, Cham: ꨌꩌꨛꨩ, چمڤا; ; 占城 or 占婆) was a collection of independent Chams, Cham Polity, polities that extended across the coast of what is present-day Central Vietnam, central and southern Vietnam from ...
, you can reach Zhenpu in half a month, which is its territory.
During 14th and 15th centuries, the cape that would become Vũng Tàu was a swamp which European trading ships visited regularly. The ships' activities inspired the name Vũng Tàu, which means "
anchorage Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolita ...
". The Portuguese referred to this place as ''Oporto Cinco Chagas'' or simply ''Cinco Chagas'' in their maps. Apres de Mannevillette (1707–1780), one of the greatest French chart-publishers, mentioned Saint Jacques in his book ''La Neptune Oriental''. This term was later adopted by Europeans and the French. The French Indochinese government later named it Cap Saint-Jacques (''Cap Xanh Giac'', in Vietnamese). The cliff of Vũng Tàu is now called Mũi Nghinh Phong (literally meaning "Cape of breeze welcome" or "Cape of greeting the wind").


Vietnamese settlement

During the 16th and 17th century, conflicts caused by the opposing clans in the
Trịnh–Nguyễn War The Trịnh–Nguyễn Civil War (; chữ Hán: 鄭阮紛爭, lit. Trịnh–Nguyễn contention) was a 17th and 18th-century lengthy civil war waged between the two ruling families in Vietnam, the Trịnh lords of Đàng Ngoài and the Nguy ...
led to emigrations of Vietnamese people from Thuận Quảng to the coastal area near Vũng Tàu. Vũng Tàu was originally referred to as Tam Thắng ("Three Boats") in memory of the first three villages in this area: Thắng Nhất, Thắng Nhị, Thắng Tam, within the province of Biên Hòa under the
Nguyễn dynasty The Nguyễn dynasty (, chữ Nôm: 茹阮, chữ Hán: 朝阮) was the last List of Vietnamese dynasties, Vietnamese dynasty, preceded by the Nguyễn lords and ruling unified Vietnam independently from 1802 until French protectorate in 1883 ...
. Under the reign of king
Gia Long Gia Long (Chữ Hán, Chữ hán: 嘉隆) ( (''Hanoi, North''), (''Ho Chi Minh City, South''); 8 February 1762 – 3 February 1820), born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (阮福暎) or Nguyễn Ánh (阮暎), was the founding emperor of the Nguyễn dynas ...
(1761–1820), when Malay pirates built a base here and subsequently became a danger to traders in Gia Định city, the king sent 3 army detachments to crack down on the pirates. The pirates were defeated and the troops were given the land as an incentive to continue to protect the area. The villages, then named Thắng Nhất 勝一, Thắng Nhì 勝二, Thắng Tam 勝三 occupied arable areas at the southern tip and along the western shore of the peninsula. The kings Gia Long,
Minh Mạng Minh Mạng (), also known as Minh Mệnh (, vi-hantu, 明 命, lit. "the bright favour of Heaven"; 25 May 1791 – 20 January 1841; born Nguyễn Phúc Đảm, also known as Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu), was the second emperor of the Nguyễ ...
and
Thiệu Trị Thiệu Trị (, vi-hantu, wikt:紹, 紹wikt:治, 治, lit. "inheritance of prosperity"; 6 June 1807 – 4 November 1847), personal name Nguyễn Phúc Miên Tông or Nguyễn Phúc Tuyền, was the third emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty. He was th ...
invested heavily into Vũng Tàu's protection, by opening various defensive facilities. A military barrack, Phước Thắng bảo 福勝堡, on the hill slope overlooking the Buffalo Cape, then called was built in 1839. The barrack was operated as a fortress and armed with 6 bronze cannons


French colonisation

10 February 1859 marked the first use of cannons by Nguyễn's army, when they fired at French battleships from the fortress of Phước Thắng, located 100m from Vũng Tàu's Front Beach. This marked an important period in Vietnam's war against French invaders in southern Vietnam (then called
Cochinchina Cochinchina or Cochin-China (, ; ; ; ; ) is a historical exonym and endonym, exonym for part of Vietnam, depending on the contexts, usually for Southern Vietnam. Sometimes it referred to the whole of Vietnam, but it was commonly used to refer t ...
). In 1876, according to a decree by the French government, Vũng Tàu was merged in Bà Rịa county per
Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
's administration. During the 1880s there were talks about moving Saigon's port facilities to Vũng Tàu, but this came to nothing due to Saigon's better infrastructure. On 1 May 1895, the governor of Cochinchina established by decree that Cap Saint Jacques would thereafter be an autonomous town. In 1898, Cap Saint Jacques was merged with Bà Rịa county once again, but re-divided in 1899. In 1901, the population of Vũng Tàu was 5,690, of which 2,000 persons were immigrants from northern Vietnam. Most of the town's population made their living in the fishing, farming and service industries. On 4 April 1905, Cap Saint Jacques was made an administrative district of Bà Rịa province. In 1929, Cap Saint Jacques became a province, and in 1934 became a city ( commune). Between 1885 and 1934 period, the French designed the town centre along the Front Beach, then named ''Baie de Cocotiers'', along with several notable architectural works for the administrative function such as ''l'Hôtel de l'Inspection'', the Post Office, Grand Hotel and the Lighthouse. In 1898, the French governor of
Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia (historically known as Indochina and the Indochinese Peninsula) is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to th ...
, Paul Doumer (who later became president of France), built the ''Villa Blanche'' in Vũng Tàu that is still a prominent landmark. A national route was paved in 1896 (then called Colonial route 15), as well as a jetty in the Front Beach to connect Cap with Saigon. In the
First Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam, and alternatively internationally as the French-Indochina War) was fought between French Fourth Republic, France and Việ ...
Vũng Tàu's military hospital facility was used by French soldiers on
sick leave Sick leave (or paid sick days or sick pay) is paid time off from work that workers can use to stay home to address their health needs without losing pay. It differs from paid vacation time or time off work to deal with personal matters, because ...
. On 21 July 1952
Viet Minh The Việt Minh (, ) is the common and abbreviated name of the League for Independence of Vietnam ( or , ; ), which was a Communist Party of Vietnam, communist-led national independence coalition formed at Pác Bó by Hồ Chí Minh on 19 May 1 ...
fighters disguising themselves in French military uniforms and armed with machetes, grenades, and Sten submachine guns snuck into the building's R&R centre, where a number of unarmed French officers were having dinner with their families. The rebels threw a grenade from the kitchen killing the Vietnamese bartender, then shot the cook Nguyen Van Loc who was trying to play dead. Attackers stationed in the hallway found the four children of Air Vietnam President Jean Perrin—Christian, Elysabeth, Michel, and Nicole—who were playing a game of hide-and-seek. Elysabeth, Christian and Nicole were gunned down by the Viet Minh, and Michel who tried to run away was hacked to death with machetes. Now that the coast was clear they entered the dining room where the French customers were attacked with gunfire and grenade attacks. Twenty people including four Vietnamese civilians were killed in the attack, and 23 were injured. The only people to survive unharmed were a boy who hid behind a chair and a lieutenant who covered himself in a dead woman's blood to make it appear he was dead.


South Vietnam

After the Geneva Agreement was signed, the State of Vietnam and
Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with it ...
resettled 1 million people from the North to southern Vietnam, including more than 800,000 Catholic Christians. Three temporary resettlement camps were established in Vung Tau. The local government placed these new residents at key locations along Route 15 such as Ben Da, Thang Nhi, Thang Nhat, Rach Dua, Phuoc Thang and Phuoc Thanh, forming many religious Catholic parishes throughout the region. With a strategic location right at the sea route close to the capital city of Saigon, the government of the Republic of Vietnam and its allies in the United States, Australia, and South Korea consolidated and developed Vung Tau into a strategic defense spot. After taking over French military facilities here, the
Army of the Republic of Vietnam The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; ) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. Its predecessor was the ground forc ...
established many large training facilities such as the Training Center for Rural Construction Officers, the Communications School, and the Military Police School, Cade School and Military Hospital. During the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, the 1st Australian Logistics Support Group was based in Vũng Tàu – as were various United States military units at different times. Vũng Tàu also became popular for R&R, among in-country US, Australian and New Zealand personnel. Due to its rising significance as a military base and coastal beach resort, Vung Tau attracted a large number of residents during the war time. Its population rose from 29,390 in 1955 to a whopping 119,300 in 1973.Gauthier, Julien. ''L'Indochine au travail dans la paix française''. Paris: Eyrolles, 1949. Tr 198


The fall of Vũng Tàu

In the last days of April 1975, many South Vietnamese troops retreated to Vũng Tàu as the communists closed on southern Vietnam. After the capture of Bà Rịa and Phước Tuy province on 27 April, the 3rd NVA Division forces began their attacks on Vũng Tàu. However, the Cỏ May bridge had been destroyed, and strong defense from ARVN Airborne at the south end of the bridge proved fatal to the northern forces. The Division's 12th Regiment was then landed by fishing boats behind the Airborne lines and this, together with a renewed attack by the 2nd Regiment, forced the Airborne to retreat into Vũng Tàu. At 01:30 on 30 April the Division began its attack on Vũng Tàu forcing the Airborne into the city center where they eventually succumbed at 11:00.:chapter 6 A fierce armed hostage crisis took place between the ARVN officers and the communists at Palace Hotel ended with the final surrender at 13:30.


Reunified Vietnam

After the reunification of Vietnam, Vũng Tàu was administered as a city under the Republic of Southern Vietnam. Potilically, it is governed by the Military Administration Committee of Vũng Tàu City, led by Phạm Văn Hy (Tư Hy), Chairman, who is also the secretary of the Communist Party Committee of the City. In January 1976, a major adjustment of administrative boundary in southern Vietnam saw the merger of Vũng Tàu and three nearby provinces into Đồng Nai. Vũng Tàu then became a district-level town (thị xã) of this new province. After the war, due to Vietnam being put under debilitating trade embargoes by the United States and failing economy, Vũng Tàu was a common launching place for the " Vietnamese boat people" – refugees escaping the post-war Communist regime. The government-led nationalisation of private entreprises, collectivisation of the economy, central planning and money changes carried out in the post-war years brought in hardships for the majority of people.


Special zone

After oil was discovered in southern Vietnamese waters, the Vietnamese government pushed for the exploitation and extraction of this new resource. On 30 May 1979, Vũng Tàu was merged with Côn Đảo Islands to form Vũng Tàu-Côn Đảo Special Zone in a bid to facilitate the new service and logistics hub for the oil industry. Between 1980 and 1982, the city saw drastic changes in infrastructure and demographically was transformed into a service and logistics hub for the new industry. Politically, the Special zone was given the same status as provinces and centrally-run cities. Administratively, it was divided into 1 district (Côn Đảo) and 5 wards: Châu Thành, Thắng Nhất, Thắng Nhì, Thắng Tam, Phước Thắng and Long Sơn commune. The central government assigned nearly 10,000 officers and professional engineers from many non-business units, industries, construction and the military. A seaport logistics service area serving the import and export of technical materials and petroleum products was established in a swamp area along the shore of Ganh Rai Bay. After the signing of Soviet-Vietnam agreement on oil exploitation and establishment of Vietsovpetro, the city welcomed more than 2,000 Soviet officials and experts to work in the joint venture. To create comfortable accommodation for the new workers, in 1985 the special zone government and the General Department of Petroleum built a separate dormitory for these people, often called the "5-storey area". Currently, this apartment complex still has more than 520 households with about 1,000 Russians living and working.


Provincial city

On 12 August 1991, the Special Zone was dissolved by a governmental decree.
Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu (abbreviated BRVT) was formerly a province of Vietnam. It was located on the coast of the country's Southeast region. It bordered Đồng Nai to the north, Bình Thuận to the northeast and Ho Chi Minh City metropolit ...
was officially created from this former zone and nearby districts of Đồng Nai Province. Vũng Tàu once again was re-established as a ''thành phố'' (city). Success from Đổi Mới and profits from seafood and petroleum exports brought a large budget source to Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, creating positive changes to repel the socio-economic crisis. The production value of economic sectors across the city only reached 271 billion VND at the time of establishment, by 2021, it reached 70,500 billion VND (260 times than the origin). The tourism and industrial production sectors began to thrive. In 1996, the city inaugurated Dong Xuyen Industrial Park. In the late 1990s and 2000s, the city carried out a spectacular transformation with the construction and improvement of inner city roads, and the expansion of many key projects such as Le Hong Phong Road, Martyrs Memorial and Nga Nam roundabout. Ba Thang Hai Road (National Highway 51C) was also built and inaugurated during this period, replacing 30 Thang 4 (National Highway 51A) as the main road leading into the centre. As of 2023, 100% of roads and alleys were paved and solidified. The openings of Gò Găng and Cửa Lấp bridges helped connect Vũng Tàu with nearby districts faster. Numerous commercial and urban developmental projects were established during the 2000s such as Vung Tau City Commercial Centre, Chi Linh Urban Area, Dai An Urban Area and A Chau Urban Area. In 2012, the provincial administrative centre moved to
Bà Rịa Bà Rịa () is a city in Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province in the Southeast region of Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of ab ...
.


Economy and tourism


Shipping and oil exploration

The city is located in the south of Vietnam, situated at the tip of a small
peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
. 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. Vũng Tàu is the only petroleum base of Vietnam where
crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring u ...
and natural gas exploitation activities dominate the city's economy and contribute principal income to Vietnam's budget and export volume. Vũng Tàu shipyard's reconstruction was scheduled to be completed in 2008, supplied with up-to-date anchor handling supply vessels of Aker.


Industry

PEB Steel operates several factories in Vũng Tàu.


Beaches

Vũng Tàu has 4 extensive beaches, including Back Beach (Bãi Sau), Front Beach (Bãi Trước), Strawberry Beach (Bãi Dâu), Pineapple Beach (Bãi Dứa).


Resorts and theme parks

A big resort project has just been licensed by the Vietnamese government, the Saigon Atlantis. Upon completion, this entertainment project worth US$300 million in capital investment will include resorts, shopping and sailing. The investor of this project is proposing to raise the investment capital to US$4 billion. Two other noteworthy entertainment projects awaiting licensing are Vũng Tàu
Aquarium An aquarium (: aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. fishkeeping, Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquati ...
, which will cost US$250 million, and Bàu Trũng, a
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...
-like entertainment park which will cost US$250 million. The project includes Landmark Tower, an 88-story skyscraper proposed to be built and completed by 2010 in Vũng Tàu by a USA-based company, Good Choice Import – Export Investment Inc, once built will likely be the highest building in Vietnam. The project is under consideration for approval by the local provincial government.


Culture

Vũng Tàu boasts a rich and diverse culture thanks to its unique location and history of foreign influences and domestic immigration.


Local traditions and festivals

As a coastal city, Vũng Tàu's culture is deeply rooted in its connection to the sea and maritime heritage. Descendents of the original Tam Thắng villages in Vũng Tàu usually celebrate temple feasts, which are hosted once a year. A sizeable number of fishermen, particully those living near Thắng Tam village temple also celebrate holidays related to fishing and the sea, with Lễ hội Cá Ông (Whale Festival) or Lễ hội Nghinh Ông (Whale Celebration Festival) being most prominent. Other festivals in the region include the Kite Festival and World Food Festival Culture. Sea Festivals are vibrant modern festival activities including a wide range of activities such as beach sports competition, seafood fairs, music concerts and cultural exhibitions. Contrary to traditional feasts, this festival is usually held in summer months and aims to promote tourism and foster community spirit. Australian tourists come to Vũng Tàu in August to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tân.


Religion

As in most provinces and cities in Vietnam, Buddhism is the predominant religion.
Mahayana Buddhism Mahāyāna ( ; , , ; ) is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices developed in ancient India ( onwards). It is considered one of the three main existing branches of Buddhism, the others being Thera ...
, the dominant form of the religion in Vietnam, was brought to Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu by the Vietnamese settlers from the north at the beginning of the 17th century during the expansion of the
Nguyễn lords The Nguyễn lords (, 主阮; 1558–1777, 1780–1802), also known as the Nguyễn clan (; ), were Nguyễn dynasty's forerunner and a feudal noble clan ruling southern Đại Việt in the Revival Lê dynasty. The Nguyễn lords were membe ...
. When they came bringing their original religion they built many Buddhist pagodas, temples and statues in the city. Three Buddhist temples in particular, Thích Ca Phật Đài, Phổ Đà Sơn Quan Âm Bồ Tát Tự Temple, and Niết Bàn Tịnh Xá temple, draw pilgrims from around the country. Before the area was settled by ethnic Vietnamese, the Khmer people practiced
Theravada Buddhism ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' ( anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or '' Dhamma'' in ...
. The area has some 14
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
wards with active services. A notable monument in the city is the Christ of Vũng Tàu, a large statue built by Vietnam's
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
minority. It was completed in 1974, with the height of 32 metres and two outstretched arms spanning 18.4 metres. It is among the tallest statues of Christ in Asia. There has been a Russian village in Vũng Tàu ever since the Soviet era; these Russians generally worked for the Russian-Vietnamese joint venture Vietsovpetro. It is believed that these "Russians", or "citizens of the former Soviet Union", were once the most dominant group of foreigners in Vũng Tàu. Some have remained in Vũng Tàu after the
dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...
. They formed a parish of the
Russian Orthodox Church The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...
. One of the Vietnamese whale worship sites, the Lăng Ông Nam Hải Whale Temple, hosts a skeleton of a whale, being respected in the name of ''Nam Hai General'', a whale god. Nam Hai General is said to govern the ocean and protect people from evils, monsters, and disasters, and an annual festival is held in recognition.


Cuisine

Vũng Tàu's local culinary scene presents a strong emphasis on fresh seafood and local flavours. Bánh khọt are small round savoury pancakes made from rice flour, coconut milk and turmeric, usually topped with shrimps, green unions and shrimp powder. Vung Tau has its own variety that is more crispy and has shrimp added on top. Bánh xèo Vũng Tàu are pancakes famous for its taste which cannot be found in anywhere. Ingredients include rice flour, shrimp, pork, bean sprouts but it tastes is more significant thanks to the crust made from fresh chicken eggs, and the filling full of onions and mushrooms. Lẩu cá đuối (stingray hotpots) is a hotpot dish featuring stingray as the main ingredient. This is usually cooked with various vegetables, herbs and a tangy broth. Snails and sea snails: are street food dishes comprising various snails that are often steamed or grilled and served with a variety of dipping sauces.


Art and music

Traditional music in Vũng Tàu reflect the cultural heritage and history of the southern Vietnamese region. Common traditional music includes đờn ca tài tử,
cải lương ''Tuồng cải lương'' (, Hán-Nôm: 從改良) often referred to as ''Cải lương'' (Chữ Hán: 改良), roughly "reformed theater") is a form of modern folk opera in Vietnam. It blends southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, ''h ...
, tuồng and various
folk songs Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has be ...
.


Climate


Transport

From Hồ Chí Minh City, it takes about two hours to reach Vũng Tàu by road (51A Expressway), and two and a half hours by high speed ferry, or one and a half hours by car on the freeway. The city does have a own its
airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
but only provides helicopter services to the island of Côn Đảo. However, the nearest domestic and international airport is Hồ Chí Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport which is located 92 km north west of the city.


Twin towns – sister cities

Vũng Tàu is twinned with: *
Battambang Battambang (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ) is the capital of Battambang province and the List of cities and towns in Cambodia, third largest city in Cambodia. The city is situated on the Sangkae River, which winds its way through t ...
, Cambodia *
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
, Azerbaijan * Ganja, Azerbaijan *
Ha Long Ha may refer to: Agencies and organizations * Health authority, a former type of administrative organisation of the NHS in England and Wales * Hells Angels Motorcycle Club * Highways Agency (renamed ''Highways England'', now ''National Highways ...
, Vietnam *
Padang Padang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of West Sumatra. It had a population of 833,562 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 909,040 at the 2020 Census;Bad ...
, Indonesia *
Parramatta Parramatta (; ) is a suburb (Australia), suburb and major commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney. Parramatta is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, on the banks of the Parramatta River. It is co ...
, Australia * A street in Baku is named after Vũng Tàu, while Vũng Tàu has a street named Baku. This commemorates the cooperation in petroleum extraction between Soviet Azerbaijani and Vietnamese specialists in Vũng Tàu in the 1980s.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vung Tau Cities in Vietnam Districts of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province Populated places in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province