White Palace (Bach Dinh)
Bạch Dinh
A French-style white villa at the foot of Big Mountain, facing the sea. It was once the seaside residence of the French Governor-General of Indochina and features antique displays and a garden with sea views.
Bach Dinh, also called the White Palace, was built between 1898 and 1916 under the name Villa Blanche. It was ordered by Governor-General of French Indochina Paul Doumer as a seaside residence. Emperor Thành Thái of the Nguyễn dynasty was once confined here, and later it served as a presidential villa of South Vietnam. The two-story white building features arched windows and colorful mosaic decoration. Inside are Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain, antiques recovered from shipwrecks, and old furniture. The garden has ancient trees, and from the terrace you can look out over the bay of Front Beach. Admission is about 15,000 Vietnamese dong. It is open roughly from 07:00 to 17:00. It is located on Tran Phu Street, about a 15-minute walk from Front Beach.
Opening hours
About 07:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Front Beach (Bai Truoc)
- Ho May Park & Cable Car
- Xom Luoi Seafood Market
- Thang Tam Temple & Whale Temple
- Vung Tau Lighthouse
- Our Lady of Bai Dau
- Niet Ban Tinh Xa (Nirvana Vihara)
- Thich Ca Phat Dai Pagoda