Vũng Tàu - the petroleum center in Vietnam

Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is 140 km² (54 square miles) including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, and is the petroleum center in Vietnam.

History

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". The Portuguese navigators passed Vũng Tàu many times and named it after Saint Jacques. The French invaded Vietnam afterwards and called it Cape Saint Jacques. The cliff of Vũng Tàu is now called Mũi Nghinh Phong (literally means “Cape of breeze welcome”).

Vũng Tàu was originally referred to as Tam Thắng ("Three Boats") in memory of the first 3 villages in this area: Thắng Nhất, Thắng Nhị, Thắng Tam. It was within the province of Biên Hòa under the Nguyen dynasty. Under the reign of king Gia Long (1761–1820), when Malay pirates built a base here and subsequently became a danger to traders in Gia Dinh city, the king sent 3 troupes of army to crack down on the pirates. The pirates were ousted and solders of these troupes were given the land as a reward.

10th February 1859 marks the first use of cannons by Nguyen’s army, when they fired at French battleships from the fortress of Phước Thắng, located 100 m from Vũng Tàu's Front Beach. This marked an important period in Vietnam’s war against French invaders in South Vietnam (then called Cochinchina).

In 1876, according to a decree by the French colonialists, Vung Tau was merged in Ba Ria 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 Vũng Tàu 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 Vũng Tàu that is still a prominent landmark in the city.

During the Vietnam War, Vũng Tàu 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, Vũng Tàu was a common launching place for the Vietnamese Boat People fleing the communists.

On May 30th 1979, Vũng Tàu town was made the capital of Vung Tau-Con Dao Special Admistrative Zone.

On August 12th 1991, the province of Ba Ria-Vũng Tàu was officially founded and Vũng Tàu town officially became Vũng Tàu city.

Economy and tourism

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.

Vung Tau shipyard is scheduled to be completed reconstruction in 2008 and supplied with up-to-date anchor handling supply vessels of Aker.

To most tourists, however, Vũng Tàu is more interesting for its extensive beaches. Tourists always prefer sightseeing at Front Beach (Bai Truoc) but go swimming in Back Beach (Bai Sau). Back Beach is well-known for its over 10 km of fine sand seaside. As Vũng Tàu 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. In recent times, the number of foreign tourists visiting Vũng Tàu's beaches increased. Vũng Tàu is also home to one of Vietnam's most well known golf courses. From Ho Chi Minh City, one needs two hours to reach Vung Tau by road (51A Expressway) or an hour and fifteen minutes by hydrofoil express ferry.

A big resort project has just been licensed by the Vietnamese government - the Saigon Atlantis. Upon competition, this entertainment project which requires USD 300 million in capital investment will include resorts, shopping, sailing.[2]. The investor of this project is proposing to raise the investment capital to 4 billion USD. Two other noteworthy entertainment projects awaiting licensing are Vung Tau Aquarium, which will cost USD 250 million, and Bau Trung, a Disneyland-like entertainment park which will cost USD 250 million. This project includes Landmark Tower, a 88-story skyscraper proposed to be built and completed by 2010 in Vung Tau 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.

Cuisine here is characterized by fresh seafood (loster, crab, fish), German beer, and Russian cuisine.

Vũng Tàu is also of interest for religious reasons. It has about 14 Catholic wards with active services. A notable monument in the city is a large statue of Jesus, constructed on a hilltop by Vietnam's Catholic minority. It was completed in the early 1970s with the height of 32 m and two outstretched arms spanning 18.4 m. It is considered to be among the tallest statues of Jesus Christ in Asia. The Thich Ca Phat Dai pagoda and Niet Ban Tinh Xa temple, both Buddhist sites, are also significant, drawing pilgrims from around the country.

There has been a Russian village in Vung Tau ever since the Soviet Era; these Russians generally worked for the Russian-Vietnamese joint venture Vietsopetro. It is believed that these "Russians", or "citizens of the former Soviet Union", were once the most dominant group of westerners in Vung Tau. Some have remained in Vung Tau after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Source: Wikipedia

Vietnam - Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, (Vietnamese: Vương Cung Thánh Đường Sài Gòn or Nhà thờ Đức Bà Sài Gòn), is a cathedral located in the downtown of Saigon, Vietnam. Established by French colonists, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet).

Following the French conquest of Cochinchina and Saigon, the Roman Catholic Church established a community and religious services for French colonialists. The first church was built on Rue 5 (today's Ngo Duc Ke Street). This had been a Vietnamese pagoda, which had been abandoned during the war. Bishop Lefevre decided to make this pagoda a church.

The first church was too small, thus in 1863, Admiral Bonard decided to build a wooden church on the bank of Charner canal (Kinh Lớn). Lefevre put the first stone for construction of the church on 28 March 1863. The construction was completed in 1865 and was called "Saigon Church". When the wooden church was damaged by termites, all church services were held in the guest-chamber of the French Governor's Palace (this palace would later be turned into a seminary until the Notre-Dame Cathedral was completed.)

In August 1876, the Governor of Cochinchina M. Duperré held a design contest for a new cathedral. Apart from creating a religious building for the Catholics, the cathedral, by some estimations, was also aimed at displaying Christianity and the greatness of French civilization. The design by architect J. Bourad defeated 17 others and was chosen by the contest organizers. J. Bourad's design was in a revised Roman style mixed with Gothic elements. The chosen design was the most beautiful one in a French colony at that time.

After the design competition, bids were accepted for construction. Again, J. Bourad was the successful bidder and became supervisor of construction.

Originally, there were 3 proposed sites for construction:

1. On the site of the former test school (today, this is at the corner of Le Duan Boulevard and Hai Ba Trung Street).

2. At Kinh Lon (today it is Nguyen Hue Boulevard)

3. At the present site where the cathedral is situated.

All building materials were imported from France. The outside wall of the cathedral was built with bricks from Marseille. Although the contractor did not use coated concrete, these bricks have retained their bright red color until now.

On 7 October 1877, Bishop Isidore Colombert laid the first stone in an inaugural ceremony. The construction of the cathedral lasted 3 years. On Easter Day, 11 April 1880, a blessing ceremony and ceremony of completion were solemnly organized in presence of the Governor of Cochinchina Charles Le Myre de Vilers. One can see the granite plate inside the main entry gate commemorating the start and completion dates and designer. The total cost was 2,500,000 French francs (at that time price). At the beginning, the cathedral was called State Cathedral due to source of the construction cost.

In 1895, two bell towers were added to the cathedral, each 57.6 high with 6 bronze bells with the total weight of 28.85 metric tonnes. The crosses were installed on the top of each tower of 3.5 m high, 2 m wide, 600 kg in weight. The total height of the cathedral to the top of the Cross is 60.5 m.

In the flower garden in front of the cathedral, there was a bronze statue of Pigneau de Behaine (also called Bishop Adran) leading prince Canh, the son of Gia Long by his right hand. The statue was made in France. In 1945, the statue was removed but the foundation remains.

In 1959, Bishop Joseph Pham Van Thien, whose jurisdiction included Saigon parish, attended Holy Mother Congress held in Vatican and ordered a Peaceful Notre Dame statue made with granite in Rome. When the statue arrived in Saigon, on 16 February 1959 Bishop Pham Van Thien held a ceremony to install the statue on the empty base and presented the title of "Regina Pacis". It was Bishop Pham Van Thien who wrote the prayers "Notre-Dame bless the peace to Vietnam". On the next day, Cardinal Aganianian came from Rome to chair the closing ceremony of the Holy Mother Congress and solemnly chaired the ceremony for the statue, thus the cathedral was then-on called Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Source: Wikipedia

Where the morning sun first shines on Vietnamese land

Dawn begins as early as 4:30 a.m. when the first light shines in the sky before the sun emerges on the horizon at 5:20 a.m. By 5:45 a.m. the sun is twin cape), which is part of Hon Gom Peninsular in Khanh Hoa Province.

Many tourism documents identify Dai Lanh or Dien Cape, in the central coastal province of Phu Yen, as the easternmost inland part of Vietnam. The reason is that this cape is easily accessed by coaches and cars, particularly since an 11-kilometer-long road linking National Highway 1A to the cape was opened to traffic three years ago. But geographical documents and our GPS Garmin 60CS x instrument confirm that Mui Doi is indeed the eastern tip of Vietnam, as it is located at 109° 27’ 53.94" E and 12° 38’ 56.46" N, while the Dien Cape is situated at 109° 27’ 42.24" E and 12° 53’ 40.92" N.

Mui Doi is also where visitors can see the first light of day. Unfortunately viewing this magnificent scene is rare experience as there are no tours to the area due to the difficult accessibility.

To reach Mui Doi in Van Thanh in Van Ninh District, one must hire and board a fishing ship or vessel for a two or more hour journey on the bubbling waters of Van Phong Bay and the East Sea from Mon Lagoon. The alternative is a two hour trek through sand dunes under the scorching sun.

Since Mui Doi is rarely visited there are no facilities for tourists. Visitors who plan to stay overnight must bring water, food, sleeping bags or tents and other necessities with them, as did participants of an exploratory tour organized by VietmarkCo. to the cape early this week.

Approval is required from the coastguards who oversee the area before departing for Mui Doi. lt is preferable to arrive at the twin cape long before the sun sets to ensure adequate time for setting up camp on the unspoiled Rang Beach and to collect dried wood from the forest for a fire to cook dinner and provide warmth at night.

Visitors to the cape should travel in groups of two or more to share the work that must be done on arrival. They can then get an early night and be up before dawn to watch the sun-rise, or spend a sleepless night by the fire and see the moon rising, and the wonderful scene of lit fishing boats in the distance.

There is a famous lighthouse at the Dai Lanh Cape which stands 112 meters above sea level. The top of the lighthouse offers a base for visitors to view the beautiful beaches, including Mon, and rock formations along the coastline. Moreover, the lighthouse, which was reopened for the third time in 1997, is also a great location to see the sunrise and sunset.

In fact the easternmost land in Vietnam is actually an additional 30 minute trek from Rang Beach. For visitors who have made it to Hon Gom Peninsular, the hike along the coast, climbing up and down the different shaped boulders and rocks after watching the sun rise is an experience not to be missed.

Source: vietnamtourism

Vietnam - Saigon’s One-Pillar Pagoda

Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City is a place that can alleviate the homesickness of migrants from the North.

It also gives southerners and tourists an opportunity to experience the charm of the real One-Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi.

This pagoda, at 100 Nguyen Van Bi Street in HCMC’s Thu Duc District, is a replica of Hanoi’s famous Mot Cot (One Pillar) Pagoda.Designed by architect Nguyen Gia Duc, the Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda was built in 1958 by Buddhist monk Thich Tri Dung.

Its rafters, tile roofs, floral patterns and the arrangement of altars are the same as the Hanoi original.

The Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda is perched above a square lake of about 600 square meters.

It sits on a 12-meter-high cement pillar in the middle of the lake.

Inside, there are altars for Sakya Muni Buddha, Wan Yin Boddhisattva and other sacred beings.

Behind the main section is a tower and a commemorative room.

The lake has a lot of fish and turtles.

The staircase up to the pagoda is decorated with ornamental plants.

In the compound of the Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda, there are big statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas (Buddhist deities) in different postures.

The view of the pagoda gives visitors a feeling of comfort and relaxation.

An original sanctuary

The original Mot Cot Pagoda, or One-Pillar Pagoda, is located in Ba Dinh District in Hanoi.

It is also known as Lien Hoa Dai (Lotus Calyx) and Dien Huu (Long-Term Good Luck).

The original One-Pillar Pagoda was built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong, who ruled between 1028 and 1054.

The Mot Cot Pagoda has become one of the symbols of Hanoi.

It also appears in the logo of Vietnam Television Station (VTV) and on the VND5,000 coin.

On May 4, 2006, the Mot Cot Pagoda was included in the Book of Vietnam Records as “the pagoda with the most original architecture in Vietnam.”

Source: Thanh Nien News

Vietnam - Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

Nowhere does one feel the dynamic changes occurring in Vietnam more than in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. This city rightfully exists in most people's minds as an exciting, exotic part of the lure of Southeast Asia. The reality of Vietnam's largest city is not disappointing!

Despite an estimated seven million residents when all of the transients are counted, the central urban districts will give you the feeling of a small, intimate city. However, in the nearby rural districts that make up approximately 90 precent of the nearly 2,000 square miles covered by the city, rice paddies and the tranquility of the timeless countryside surround you.

The myriad rivers, canals and ditches that cross the city not only add charm but also contribute to the extensive traffic jams in the endless flow of motorcycles, bicycles, and other vehicles. While the traffic can be intimidating to visitors it is a sight never to be forgotten.

The center of the city with many of the tourist attractions is known as District 1. Stretching away from the promenade overlooking the river with its numerous ferries and ocean-going ships are several of the wide boulevards that put most of the major attractions within an easy walk or cyclo ride from the major hotels in this area (Rex Hotel, Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon and the Saigon Prince Hotel). Many of the more interesting museums are nearby, including the former Presidential Palace, now known as Reunification Palace and famous for the 1975 pictures of the tanks crashing through the gates. Across the street is the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City which along with the History Museum near the City Zoo will entertain you with the unique art form of Vietnamese water puppets.

Among the new large office buildings of this area you will find upscale modern shopping (Diamond Department Store and Saigon Center). Tourists will delight in browsing on Dong Khoi Street, running from the Saigon River to the famous and beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, completed in 1883. Nearby is one of the city's most beautiful buildings, the French colonial-style General Post Office. Dong Khoi and the adjoining small streets are where you can wander through the many shops offering local handicrafts, find Western books (Bookazine) or relax in the many fine restaurants featuring Vietnamese traditional fare or cuisine from around the world

Nguyen Hue Boulevard runs from the riverfront to the classic European-style City Hall that today is the HCM People's Committee Building for the city administration. Where Dong Khoi Street meets Le Loi Boulevard sits the beautiful Municipal Theatre, the classic opera house built in 1900, where frequently you will see wedding couples posing for photos. Moving east past the shops along the broad boulevard of Le Loi you will come to the Ben Thanh Market, one of the most popular and large markets in the city, where you can find almost anything available in Vietnam and have the opportunity to try your bargaining skills.

Passing the New World Hotel Saigon takes you into the area frequented by backpackers. This is centered on De Tham Street and many budget hotels (Hai Duong Hotel and Hai Ha Guesthouse, for example) and restaurants (such as Kim Cafe and Cappuccino) can be found here.

District 5 is the former town of Cholon (big market) and is the center of the Chinese community. The Binh Tay market covers much of the district and here you will find everything from traditional Chinese herbs and medicines to whatever you could imagine needing for sewing and tailoring. Nearby is the Cha Tam Church where President Diem took temporary refuge after being toppled from power in 1963.

Adjacent to District 1 is the quieter District 3 with many beautiful French architectural-style homes. Visit the War Remnants Museum and some of the most beautiful and interesting pagodas, including Xa Loi Pagoda and Chua Vinh Nghiem.

Ho Chi Minh City is a major seaport with ships coming 70 miles up the Saigon River from the sea. Immediately across the bridge from the riverfront area of District 1 is the main port area, which also features the Ho Chi Minh Museum in an historical customs house with many of the late leaders artifacts.

North of the city is the large district of Cu Chi, much of which was totally devastated during the American War in a vain attempt to eliminate the guerillas living in tunnels beneath the ground. Today the vegetation and agriculture has returned and there are fascinating tours offered of some of the Cu Chi Tunnels that have been preserved. Continue north and you will arrive at the town of Tay Ninh and the very interesting Cao Dai Temple, home to the religion of the All-Seeing Eye and its colorful daily ceremonies.

From Home Travelling

Source: Wikipedia, hcmgov

Welcome Vietnam

Vietnam (Vietnamese: Việt Nam), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Cộng hòa Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, and Cambodia to the southwest. On the country's east coast lies the South China Sea. With a population of over 85 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.

Vietnam (Vietnamese: Việt Nam), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Cộng hòa Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, and Cambodia to the southwest. On the country's east coast lies the South China Sea. With a population of over 85 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world. Through the centuries, Vietnam has been called by many different names: Văn Lang during the Hùng Vương Dynasty, Âu Lạc during the An Dương Vương dynasty, Van Xuan during the Anterior Lý Dynasty, Đại Cồ Việt during the Đinh dynasty and Anterior Lê Dynasty. Starting in 1054, Vietnam was called Đại Việt (Great Viet). During the Hồ Dynasty, Vietnam was called Đại Ngu. Then, in 1804, King Gia Long planned to use the name of Nam Việt for Vietnam but the Qing dynasty of China disagreed and changed it to Việt Nam. In English, the two syllables were written into one: Vietnam. From 1839 to 1945, Emperor Minh Mạng renamed Việt Nam to Đại Nam (literally "Great South"). The name Việt Nam had been used for this country before it became the official name in "Dư địa chí" of Nguyễn Trãi written in 1435 and perhaps even before. "Việt" is the name of the largest ethnic group in Vietnam: the Kinh (người Kinh) and "Nam" means "the South", affirming Vietnam's sovereignty from China (usually called "North country" to Vietnamese people).

Main Tourism Cities
From Home Travelling
	Hanoi Capital Area: 921,8 Sq. km Population: 3.216,7 thousand inhabitants Haiphong Area : 1,520.7 Sq. km Population: 1,803.4 thousand inhabitants Ho Chi Minh City Area: 2,098.7 Sq. km Population: 6,105.8 thousand inhabitants Quang Ninh Area : 6,099 Sq. km Population: 1,091.3 thousand inhabitants Lam Dong Area: 9,776.1 Sq. km Population: 1,179.2 thousand inhabitants Thua Thien Hue Area : 5,065,3 Sq. km Population: 1,143.5 thousand inhabitants Khanh Hoa Area: 5,217.6 Sq. km Population: 1,135 thousand inhabitants Danang City Area : 1,257.3 Sq. km Population: 788.5 thousand inhabitants Quang Nam Area: 10,438.3 km² Population: 1.472,7 thousand inhabitants Baria - Vung Tau Area: 1,989.6 Sq. km Population: 926.3 thousand inhabitants Can Tho Area: 1,401.6 km² Population: 1,139.9 thousand inhabitants

Source: Wikipedia