With construction based on 19th-century European architecture, Bach Dinh Vung Tau - the White Palace - is notable for its longstanding, ancient beauty tinged by time. The palace is located 10km from the centre of Vung Tau city, on the side of Big Mountain, overlooking Bai Truoc (Front Beach).
With a poetic view of the coastal city and the sea from above and leaning against Big Mountain, Bach Dinh was recognised as a National Historical Cultural Relic in 1992 and is a must-see site for tourists to Vung Tau.
French architectural works mark a period of development in Vung Tau during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and are in harmony with traditional local architecture works, which have preserved their longstanding cultural values with unique folk beliefs and spirituality.
Among the unique architectural works, tourists should visit Long Son Big House (also known as Ong Tran Temple), a national historical cultural relic located on the eastern slopes of Nua Mountain in Long Son island commune. The Long Son Big House was built from 1910 to 1929, boasting architecture that blends folk beliefs with Confucianism and Taoism.
In the complex are many houses built in the architectural style of Vietnamese communal houses, featuring rare colour tones such as light blue, yellow, and bright red, creating a unique style in Vietnam.
Ba Ria-Vung Tau has something for everyone. Besides luxury resorts and beach activities, historical relic sites and temples and pagodas add to its appeal among tourists. They can enjoy interesting stories about local culture and history, while visiting destinations such as Thich Ca Phat Dai, a Buddhist complex worshipping Shakyamuni Buddha.
The complex is located on the northern slope of Nui Lon (Big Mountain) on an area of 28 hectares, and features several temples and a Zen garden.
Thich Ca Phat Dai is especially captivating to Buddhist followers as well as culture and history buffs.
With diverse natural landscapes and rich cultural and historical values, Ba Ria-Vung Tau has major potential to develop various tourism products that encourage visitors to explore different facets of the coastal province.
To make use of local historical and cultural values in developing tourism, Ba Ria-Vung Tau has exerted every effort to preserve and promote local relic sites and cultural practices.
Such distinctive traits are expected to set Ba Ria-Vung Tau apart from other seaside localities and see the province become a tourism magnet.
Currently, the southern province is strongly investing in infrastructure development, with many projects being accelerated such as the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway.
Additionally, Road 994, traversing nearly all administrative units of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, has undergone expansion and upgrades since mid-April 2023. In particular, the completion of Long Thanh International Airport in neighbouring Dong Nai province is expected to give Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s tourism sector a huge boost.
With transportation as well as many tourism projects underway, Ba Ria-Vung Tau is confident about building its tourism brand as a world-class destination./.
