Vung Tau history in one page
Vung Tau history is easy to read in the landscape. The town sits on a peninsula with two hills: Nui Nho, the Small Mountain, which carries the Christ statue and the lighthouse, and Nui Lon, the Big Mountain, where Villa Blanche (Bach Dinh) and the Thich Ca Phat Dai temple stand. The colonial era, the religious sites and the oil industry each left a mark you can still visit or see from the road.
The local museum records the founding of the colonial town of Cap Saint-Jacques on 1 May 1895. Later chapters add an oil field offshore and, in 2025, a new administrative status. This page walks through them in order. For the climb itself, see the Christ statue and lighthouse page, and for more places to visit, the things to do guide.
Our pick: Long Tan, Nui Dat and the beach
This tour visits Long Tan and Nui Dat with Vung Tau beach as one part of the day; it is not a history walk through Vung Tau itself.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Day trips to Vung Tau with sights and a beach stop
Day tours from Saigon to Vung Tau, including a Long Tan and Nui Dat combination that also stops at the beach.
Cap Saint-Jacques
The name the French gave the headland.
Before it was Vung Tau, the cape was known to the French as Cap Saint-Jacques, a name still used in historical writing. The local museum documents the founding of the colonial town on 1 May 1895. Several of the landmarks on this page, the lighthouse and the white villa among them, date from the French period.
The lighthouse of 1862
The French lighthouse on Nui Nho was inaugurated on 15 August 1862, according to the museum's historical account. The national tourism database gives the tower a height of 18 m. The route to it is a winding mountain road. For practical details about the visit, see the lighthouse and Christ statue guide and check conditions on the day.
Villa Blanche (Bach Dinh)
Villa Blanche, known in Vietnamese as Bach Dinh, is a colonial building from 1898 at 6 Tran Phu. It has been a national monument since 1992 and today it is a museum. The museum's current fee page lists 30,000 VND for admission, with a reduced rate of 15,000 VND. Check opening hours locally before you go.
Thich Ca Phat Dai
The Buddhist temple Thich Ca Phat Dai stands on Nui Lon at 610 Tran Phu. It has had national protection since 1989. It is a religious site, so ask locally about visiting times and entry before you go.
Oil and gas since 1986
The industry that changed the town's economy.
Vietsovpetro dates the first oil production at the Bach Ho field to 26 June 1986. On 4 June 2026 the operator reported a cumulative milestone of 255 million tonnes in block 09-1. That is a total over the life of the field, not a yearly output. The national tourism database also describes Vung Tau as a base for the oil and gas business and for a Russian community of experts around Vietsovpetro.
Part of Ho Chi Minh City since 2025
Resolution 202/2025/QH15 of 12 June 2025 merged the former city-province of Ho Chi Minh City with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. The new administrative structure took effect on 1 July 2025. Vung Tau remains the name of the town and the destination, though older maps and guidebooks may still show the former province.
Worldwide Arms Museum
The Robert Taylor Worldwide Arms Museum is a private collection of historical weapons and uniforms, and the national tourism guide lists it as a place to visit. A 2016 news report says it opened on 21 April 2016. Hours and prices from that time should not be taken as current, so ask locally before you go.
Vung Tau history: frequently asked questions
What was Vung Tau called under the French?
Cap Saint-Jacques. The local museum records the founding of the colonial town on 1 May 1895.
When was the Vung Tau lighthouse built?
The museum's historical account gives its inauguration as 15 August 1862. The tower is 18 m tall according to the national tourism database.
What is Bach Dinh?
Bach Dinh, or Villa Blanche, is a colonial building from 1898 at 6 Tran Phu. It has been a national monument since 1992 and is now a museum.
When did oil production start near Vung Tau?
Vietsovpetro dates the first oil at the Bach Ho field to 26 June 1986.
Is Vung Tau still in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province?
Since 1 July 2025 the former province is part of the merged Ho Chi Minh City under resolution 202/2025/QH15. Vung Tau remains the name of the destination.