Bao Dai Palace, Nha Trang

From the center of Nha Trang city, walk south along Tran Phu beach road to near the end, close to the harbor, and you will find a small mountain on the left with a small road leading up to it. Follow this road up the mountain, and a space full of colorful flowers and beautiful natural scenery unfolds. Charming architectural structures are hidden behind the trees. This is the Cau Da Villa area, also commonly known as Bao Dai's Palace - Nha Trang.

From Cau Da Villa - Flowers by Nha Trang Bay

In the early 1920s, the French administration in Indochina implemented a strategy for marine research in the South China Sea and Southeast Asia. This laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Indochina Maritime Academy (later the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography, in Khanh Hoa province). However, before the Indochina Maritime Academy was established and built, the French had already set up another infrastructure and architectural facility in this coastal city to serve as accommodation, work, and rest areas for Western scientists and oceanographers. This was the Cau Da villa complex on Canh Long mountain, located near the coast, close to Cau Da port, now in Vinh Nguyen ward, Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province.

Cau Da Villas is the collective name for a complex of five villas and several other auxiliary structures built in 1923 on Canh Long Mountain (also known as Chut Mountain). Canh Long Mountain is a small but very famous mountain in Nha Trang due to its unique location. Canh Long is likened to a green dragon stretching along and embracing the Nha Trang sea. Cau Da Villas is located on a promontory jutting out into the sea, covering an area of ​​approximately 12 hectares and rising 50 meters above sea level. The five villas are situated on three high hills of Canh Long Mountain, and were given romantic names by the French after five types of trees and flowers that are widely planted in the villa complex. The first villa, located on the last hill of the promontory closest to the sea, is named "Les Agaves" – Cactus; the second villa, on the next hill further inland, is named "Les Frangipaniers" – Frangipani; The remaining three villas, located on the third hill, are named "Les Bouguinvillés" (Bougainvillea), "Les Flamboyants" (Flamboyant Trees), and "Les Badamniers" (Banyan Trees), respectively.

Dr. Armand Krempt (a French national of German descent), who later became the first director of the Indochina Naval Academy, was the one who directly supervised the design and construction of the Cau Da villa project. After its completion, the French continued to build the Indochina Naval Academy in 1925, located right next to it.

The designers skillfully blended Western architecture with Eastern garden art, creating harmony between the buildings, gardens, and natural landscape. The five Cau Da villas are likened to beautiful flowers by Nha Trang Bay, adding to the beauty of the coastal city.

That's it. Dr. Armand Krempt was also the first owner of the Cactus Villa - the villa with the most beautiful location and architecture.

The architecture of the five villas is small and charming, with two floors, built in the classic French style. Although each villa has a different architecture, they share a common, unified style: simplicity in form with moderate, elegant decorative details—not overly ornate, but also not rigid or monotonous. All the windows are double-layered, with glass on the inside and shutters on the outside, suitable for the tropical climate. The designers skillfully combined Western architecture with Eastern garden art, creating harmony between the buildings, gardens, and natural landscape. The five Cau Da villas are likened to beautiful flowers beside Nha Trang Bay, adding to the beauty of the coastal city.

Visiting Bao Dai's Palace - Nha Trang

In 1926, Bảo Đại ascended the throne as Emperor, becoming the last king of the Nguyễn Dynasty – the last feudal dynasty in Vietnamese history. Amidst significant political and diplomatic turmoil, the French transferred two villas, Xương Rồng and Bông Sứ, to the Nguyễn court and Emperor Bảo Đại to gain political advantages. Between 1940 and 1945, Emperor Bảo Đại and Empress Nam Phương, along with their family, frequently visited these villas for relaxation and other recreational activities such as fishing and swimming. For this reason, the Cầu Đá Villa complex is collectively known as Bảo Đại's Mansion in Nha Trang.

The name Bao Dai Palace (or Bao Dai Residence) is a general term referring to the private residences of Emperor Bao Dai, in addition to his properties in the imperial capital of Hue. Due to historical circumstances and a lifestyle heavily influenced by Western culture, Emperor Bao Dai had many "palaces" and "mansions" in all three regions of Vietnam: Central, Southern, and Northern. These Bao Dai residences share the common characteristic of being designed and built by the French, featuring a classical style, and being situated amidst scenic natural landscapes in forests and coastal areas. They were built for the purpose of both relaxation and work. Examples include the Bao Dai residences in Da Lat, Vung Tau, Dak Lak, and Hai Phong. Bao Dai Palace in Nha Trang (also known as Thua Luong Palace) is also among them.

The Cactus Villa and the Frangipani Villa – two of the most beautiful villas – were used by King Bao Dai and Queen Nam Phuong for a considerable period of time, leaving a lasting impression. According to historical records, the ground floor of the Frangipani Villa served as a meeting room and reception area for guests, the upper floor was the resting place for the king and queen, and the rooftop was a place to enjoy the breeze and admire the moon. The east-facing entrance of the Frangipani Villa leads to the Cactus Villa, which is transformed into a flower garden. The Cactus Villa, on the other hand, is a fantastic viewpoint as it sits on a hilltop overlooking the sea. From here, one can admire the vast expanse of Nha Trang Bay and the gracefully curved coastal city. The Cactus Villa faces directly east, welcoming the morning sun and the refreshing sea breeze. From here, there is also a path leading to the pier and a beautiful beach called Hoang Hau Beach. Although small, Hoang Hau Beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Nha Trang. On the road leading to the beach, near the rocky outcrop, there is a large rock where King Bao Dai often sat to fish.

In 1954, after the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu, the Geneva Accords were signed, and Vietnam was temporarily divided into two regions at the 17th parallel in Quang Tri province. Following power struggles in the South, Ngo Dinh Diem became president of the First Republic. King Bao Dai gradually lost his political role and real power in the country. President Ngo Dinh Diem's ​​family became the new owners of the Cactus and Porcelain Flower villas. Mrs. Tran Le Xuan, wife of advisor Ngo Dinh Nhu (the younger brother of President Ngo Dinh Diem), renamed the Cactus villa to Nghinh Phong (welcoming the wind) and the Porcelain Flower villa to Vong Nguyet (gazing at the moon). These new names were more or less related to the lifestyles of King Bao Dai and Queen; and they have been retained to this day. And among the many names for this architectural complex, such as Cau Da Villa, Cau Da Palace, Bao Dai Palace - Nha Trang, Bao Dai Palace - Nha Trang… the name Bao Dai Pavilion is the most popular and widely used.

Where is the spirit of the past in the Bao Dai Tourist Area today?

After the reunification of the country in 1975, the Cau Da Villa - Bao Dai Palace complex became a tourist attraction. Through many changes in management and operation, the Cau Da Villa or Bao Dai Palace complex is now officially called the Bao Dai Tourist Area. The former Cau Da villas are now used for hotel business. Several other structures have been newly built, such as the Bao Dai Restaurant (capacity 200 guests), the Hoang Hau Restaurant (capacity 1000 guests), several additional guesthouses, and other supporting facilities. The Bao Dai Tourist Area is a 3-star resort with 45 rooms and various services including restaurants, sightseeing, and tourism.

The Cau Da Villa and Bao Dai Palace are beautiful architectural structures in a beautiful setting. However, they would be mere soulless shells, houses lacking emotion, without the depth of time and history. And if that were the case, they couldn't be a strong attraction for tourists to visit or relax. Therefore, in April 2009, the Bao Dai Tourist Area officially opened a gallery showcasing documents, images, and artifacts related to King Bao Dai. The gallery is located on the ground floor of the most beautiful villa – the Nghinh Phong Villa.

Visitors can learn about the history of the Nguyen Dynasty, the life of Emperor Bao Dai, Empress Nam Phuong, and other members of the Bao Dai family through images and related stories. As the last emperor to live during a period of significant interaction with Western people and culture, Emperor Bao Dai and his family are also depicted in many authentic photographs. The exhibition also features some of the items used by the Emperor and Empress, such as a set of tables and chairs for receiving guests, a telephone, a work desk the Emperor used while staying here, and the Empress's dressing table and mirror set. Particularly noteworthy is a valuable, original artifact: a large wooden platform measuring 2.5m x 1.4m and 18cm thick, carved from a single ancient tree. It is said that the Emperor and Empress often sat on this platform – placed in the hallway by the window – to enjoy the breeze…

Although the current exhibition space is still quite modest, it has accomplished something important and meaningful: reviving history and recalling the past of an architecture that has weathered the ups and downs of time and circumstances.

The five villas are nearly a hundred years old. Time and human impact have altered them to some extent, but overall, their structure and form have been preserved. The commercial exploitation of these nearly century-old villas and the construction of other buildings within the grounds show signs of negatively impacting the landscape and architectural space. Furthermore, the development of tourism services is also creating negative environmental consequences. These are two different effects that these famous architectural works leave in the minds of tourists.

The Thanh