Panoramic view of Sapa in 1900sSpeaking of vacation locations in Vietnam,
people would think of Nha Trang, SaPa, Da Lat...But have you ever wondered how
these places looked like hundreds of years ago? were they the same as what you
see today? Let's find the answer through the exclusive photos below.
1 - Sapa (in Lao Cai province)
Sapa (pronounced as Chapa in French) was used by the French as a resort location
since 1915, the name Sapa comes from Chinese Mandarin means "sand" which refers
to a sand field where people opened marketplace
In 1920 when the railway line Hanoi - Lao Cai was completed, Sapa became summer
capital of north Vietnam and a popular resort station of the French colonial
authorities. Nearly 3000 French villas were estimated in Sapa
Sapa town
Sapa park
Bungalows for French troops in Indochina
2 - Tam Dao (in Vinh Phuc province)
Tam Dao was known to the French in 1904 when they found Silver Waterfall at an
altitude 912m above the sea level. The French authorities decided to build a
town in order to make it a hill resort.
Tam Dao from above
An European style resort had reigned here
It is estimated there were up to 163 villas with European architecture were
built in Tam Dao, in only a few years Tam Dao became a famous hill resort for
the colonial authorities
A famous hotel in Tam Dao that time
Silver waterfall in Tam Dao
Tam Dao hill town
According to records, Tam Dao climate was very pleasant, suitable for the summer
vacations from June to September when the heat in north Vietnam was at peak
3 - Do Son beach (in Hai Phong)
Unlike other popular resort sites in Vietnam during 1900s, Do Son was one of the
few places known before the French came to Indochina.
Do Son
Under feudalism, Do Son had been on the map of the British and Dutch maritime
experts arriving at Annam for trade under the name Batsha (Batshaw). In fact,
this is the location of a small fishing village in Son today.
Do Son beach
In The Travel and Discovery published in 1688 by William Dampier, residents of
Do Son not only went fishing but also worked as navigators for foreign merchant
ships to trade in the north of Vietnam.
Do Son
Do Son
However until the French colonial authorities urgently built the resorts for the
officials the potential of Do Son were fully exploited. Along with Sam Son it
became of the most beautiful beaches in Indochina at that time.
4 - Sam Son beach (in Thanh Hoa province)
Sam Son used to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Indochina in early 20th
century. After being put into pilot operation in 1905 and 1906, it was
devastated by a tropical storm, leading to a afterward terrible malaria.
Sam Son
However Sam Son soon recovered it's reputation and attracted a lot of tourists
by the clean, cool sea air, smooth sandy beach.
Sam Son beach
5 - Da Lat (in Lam Dong province)
In 1897, Dr. Alexandre Yersin suggested to the governor of Indochina Paul Doumer
select Lam Vien Plateau as the ideal resort land for the French in central
Vietnam. Since then, the city of Da Lat began to be built in the style of
European architecture.
Dalat city from Xuan Huong lake
Grand Hotel, a popular place for French colonial officials when they came to Da Lat for holiday
Until 1940s, Da Lat stepped into it's golden time, the reason was because the
French in Indochina could not return home due to the world war II was going on.
The road to Dalat - "Little Paris" of Indochina
Dalat quickly became a "Little Paris" - the summer capital of the entire
Indochina Federation - where the French came to enjoy moderate temperate like
home
By VietnamTravelPhotos.com