Cloud Lake Ecological & Cultural Tourism area and Buffalo Island Ecological & Cultural area are under the project “Vung Tau Big Mountain-Small Mountain & cable car tourism cluster” constructed by Vung Tau Big Mountain-Small Mountain Cable Car Tourism Joint Stock Company (VCCT) and inaugurated on the New Year 2010 (the year of the Tiger). The establishment of these two tourism areas marks a major milestone for Vung Tau Tourism industry – a new height.
Rich in cultural and historical value
Vung Tau City is bestowed with two mountains, known as Big Mountain and Small Mountain, and two beaches (Front Beach and Back Beach). Cloud Lake tourism area, at the top of Big Mountain, covers some 300,000m2 at a height of 250 metres above sea level. Buffalo Island Tourism area is land reclaimed from the sea, near Front Beach, with some 30,000m2 at 3 metres above sea level. Cloud Lake tourism area is connected with Buffalo Island area by a modern cable system. By cable car, it only takes about 5 minutes from Station No 1 (Buffalo Island) to travel 500 metres to Station No 2 (Cloud Lake).
Buffalo Island is a marine eco-tourism area. At Buffalo Island, visitors will enjoy a view of vast blue seas and the salty sea air. The area includes conveniences like a restaurant, station, road system, and landscaped flower gardens and lawns. Besides the unique characteristics of the environment, Buffalo Island has long standing cultural and historical values. Buffalo Island is a natural granite block emerging from the sea surface like a buffalo lying in the water. Buffalo Island has always been an ideal rendezvous for lovers, a selected place for couples to take commemorative photographs before their weddings. They believe that Buffalo Island is a God who stands witness to their faithful love over their whole lives.
Cloud Lake is a forest eco-tourism area. This forested space is verdant and full of flowers all year round; lagerstroemia (crape myrtle) has purple flowers blooming in summer; tectona grandis has yellow flowers blooming in autumn; cherry trees have pink flowers in spring; and in winter, visitors can enjoy the Caribbean pine tree forest. In addition, the whistle of the wind here makes visitors remember “Da Lat city” at the heart of Vung Tau City. On the path to Cloud Hill, Cloud Lake and Buddha temple, visitors can stretch out on green lawns between yellow chrysanthemum gardens or sit on rocks sculptured by nature into sophisticated “dragon thrones”. At the same time, visitors can feed the animals. Animals here include peacock, ostrich and wild boar. Cloud Lake tourism area is surrounded by vast sea, so this area has a cool climate all year round (from 22-25oC).
From the height of over 200 metres, visitors can contemplate Vung Tau city, the vast sea and ships that come and leave the ports. On clear days, visitors can see Saigon City or drilling rigs offshore. The landscape around Cloud Lake tourism area is beautiful, like a water-colour painting, a world away from the noise and bustle of cities. Another characteristic of this area is the investor puts a special emphasis on environmental protection; the restrooms are equipped with modern technology.
Like Buffalo Lake tourism area, Cloud Lake tourism area has cultural-historical values such as Son Than, Me Giau and Me Ngheo Temples with over a history of 50 years. Vi Ba Tower, listed among national level historical monuments, is a huge steel frame over 40m high, standing as a proof of the glorious wartime history of Vietnamese people.
Especially, visitors can enjoy a grotto scene on Christmas Eve, the Hai Dong God or the image of Bernadette female Saint praying in front of the Virgin Mary. However, the most spiritual point is the 30 meter high Maitreya Buddha Statue from India. In addition, a Cambodian Pagoda was constructed a century ago.
Together with well-known historical monuments, service standards are high here. With a young and polite work force, Cloud Lake and Buffalo island tourism areas have created a deep impression among international tourists. Many autographs engraved on stones say “it is very comfortable to be here”.
Pioneering in applying modern technology
Mr Dau Van Hoa, Chairman of VCCT, said that Cloud Lake and Buffalo island tourism areas are international level ones, so VCCT invests a lot in advanced technology from all over the world. VCCT creates many unique tourism products, improving service quality and effectively meeting the demands of visitors. Most notable is the cable car system with capacity of 2000 people/hour. This system is supplied by Doppelmayr – a world leading cable car manufacturer. From the cable car, visitors will enjoy the panoramic view of Vung Tau City, sea, forest, Dau beach, Front Beach and Back beach.
In addition, to create the big Cloud Lake and Water Fall, designers applied a modern waterproof technology from the US (it is the most successful artificial reservoir in Vietnam). Visitors will also have an opportunity to enjoy entertainment like slides, roller coasters, and amusement park facilities from Lye Sanoyas Hishino Meisho Corporation from Japan.
With many unique characteristics of environment, culture and history, Buffalo Island and Cloud Lake Tourism Areas are high potential tourism destinations for Vung Tau in the new era. Visitors here will have the opportunity to experience beautiful natural landscapes and many other interesting discoveries.
Vietnamese
