Vung Tau is the tourist and commercial center of Ba Ria - Vung Tau|Bà R?a - Vung Tàu (an industrial province in Southeastern Vietnam). The whole city area lies on a peninsula which is separated from the mainland by a gulf river called Co May river.During 14th and 15th centuries, the cape that would become Vung Tàu was a swamp which European trading ships visited regularly. The ships' activities inspired the name Vung Tàu, which means "anchorage". The Portuguese navigators passed Vung Tàu many times and named it after Saint Jacques. The French invaded Vietnam afterwards and called it Cape Saint Jacques. The cliff of Vung Tàu is now called Mui Nghinh Phong (literally means “Cape of greeting the wind”). Vung Tàu was originally referred to as Tam Th?ng ("Three Boats") in memory of the first 3 villages in this area: Th?ng Nh?t, Th?ng Nh?, Th?ng Tam. It was within the province of Biên Hòa under the Nguyen dynasty. 10th February 1859 marks the first use of cannons by Nguyen’s army, when they fired at French battleships from the fortress of Phu?c Th?ng, located 100 m from Vung 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 Tàu was merged in Ba Ria|Bà R?a 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 Vung 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 Vung Tàu that is still a prominent landmark in the city.During the Vietnam War, Vung 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, Vung Tàu was a common launching place for the Vietnamese Boat People fleing the communists.On May 30th 1979, Vung Tàu town was made the capital of Vung Tau-Con Dao|Vung Tàu-Côn Ð?o Special Admistrative Zone.On August 12th 1991, the province of Bà R?a-Vung Tàu was officially founded and Vung Tàu town officially became Vung Tàu city. http://wikitravel.org/en/Vung Tau