| Long independent, Vietnam was colonized by France from the mid 1800s until 1941, when the country was invaded and conquered by Japan. After the end of World War II in 1945, French attempts to re-establish control triggered 30 years of warfare, leading to the reunification of the country in 1975. Fortunately, the lighthouses were not usually seen as targets during the Vietnam War, and most of them survived the fighting without major damage. A few of the historic French lighthouses have been replaced, but most remain in service and are regarded as historic monuments. In general, Vietnamese lighthouses have resident keepers. Vietnam is long and narrow, with a coastline measuring some 3000 km (1875 mi) in length. The northern third of the coast faces the Gulf of Tonkin, and the rest faces east and southeast on the open waters of the South China Sea. Aids to navigation are maintained by the two Maritime Safety Companies (Cong Ty Bao Dam Dam An Toan Hang Hai, or MSC). MSC I maintains lights in the northern half of the country and MSC II the lights of the southern half. I am indebted to Klaus Huelse for locating the web sites of the two companies. Note: Vietnam also operates a number of lighthouses in the Spratly Islands. The Vietnamese words for a lighthouse are hai dang or den bien. Dao or hon is an island, mui is a cape, cua is a river. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. What's Hot: |
Northern Coast (Gulf of Tonkin) Lighthouses
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![]() Co To Light Vietnam National Administration of Tourism photo |
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![]() Long Chao Light; Hai Phong City photo |
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![]() Lach Giang Light MSC I photo |
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![]() Cua Nhuong Light; MSC I photo |
Central Coast Lighthouses
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![]() Ly Son Light MSC I photo |
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![]() Hon Nuoc Light Maritime Safety Company II photo |
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![]() Hon Khoai Light Maritime Safety Company II photo |
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![]() Nui Nai Light Maritime Safety Company II photo |
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
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Posted April 24, 2006. Checked and revised October 7, 2007. Lighthouses: 79. Site copyright 2007 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.