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Travel Guide >
| Vang Tau City Guide |
Statue of Jesus
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The enormous 28m figure of Jesus gazing across the East Sea with outstretched arms is located at the southern end of Small mountain.
Built in 1971, this Giant Jesus rests on a 10m high platform. The interior of the statue is hollow and contains a spiral staircase of 129 steps, ascending from the foot of the statue to its neck. The two shoulders of the figure are balconies, each able to accommodate up to six people, which offer a splendid view of the surrounding landscape.
This is the largest sculpture in the South of Vietnam. Recent construction of a pathway has made the 30-minute hike up the mountain more pleasant and the panoramic view from various vista points along the way is magnificent. |
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Con Dao Island
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The island of Con Dao is 230 km from Ho Chi Minh city. Originally it was used by the French to incarcerate revolutionary prisoners. Nowadays Con Dao is considered an historical vestige where fighters for independence were held and tortured.
The prison, built in 1861, covers a total area of 347,140 sq.m. Part has been transformed into a museum where tiger cages, set up during the period of colonialism, still remain. One kilometre behind the prison is Hang Duong Cemetery where several prisoners were buried.
Con Dao island is part of an archipelago comprised of 14 islets. The area providing facilities for tourists is now a national park with beaches, crystal-clear waters and coconuts groves. |
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Binh Chau Hot Springs
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The Binh Chau Hot Springs are located 70 km west of Vung Tau. Covering an area of 1 sq.km, Binh Chau consists of many lakes and ponds joined by an underground pool of mineral water that has been created from a network of 70 main sources.
The hot water, which has a temperature of 80oC (163.4oF, is directed into pools where it is used for its medicinal values, such as treating skin disease and rheumatism. They belong to a protected area that also features numerous forests, coasts and lakes. Hotels and restaurants have been built to accommodate visitors who go there for health as well as recreational purposes.
Binh Chau Hot Springs is an attractive site for those who love nature and who want to relax in an enchanting environment. The admission fee is about 15,000 VND. |
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Bach Dinh
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Bach Dinh or the White Mansion was built during the French occupation. The mansion sits at the bottom of Nui Lon overlooking the South China Sea and is one of Vung Tau's major landmark. Work on the mansion began in 1898 and was completed in 1916.
At the time, no expenses were spared as the amount of work and manpower involved in laying the road leading to the mansion were done almost completely by manual labor. Commissioned by French governor Paul Doumer, this mansion has served as summer retreat for Emperor Bao Dai as well as vacation home for vietnamese heads of state.
The mansion is 50 m above sea level and is designed in the style of 19th century French architecture. The grounds of the mansion still show signs of a once glamorous lifestyle of the French governor who commissioned this building. |
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The garden has an open air dance floor and many statues and details of Greek mythology. In terms of historical significance, Bach Dinh was where King Thanh Thai of the Nguyen Dynasty was under house arrest before he was finally exiled to Reunion island in Africa.
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