HCMC confirms plan to transform Can Gio district into coastal resort town

Ho Chi Minh City has issued a new resolution confirming that it will develop Can Gio district into a seaside eco-tourism town by 2030.

The new resolution dealing with the coastal district's development also mentions an annual gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth of 20.7% until 2030.

Other targets include per capita income of VND182 million ($7,500) compared to 2021’s VND69 million; service sector accounting for 75% of the GRDP; lighting on all urban streets; all public transport vehicles using clean energy; and 100% of waste being processed.

The district will focus on developing services, maritime tourism, maritime economy, farming and processing of high-quality seafood. It is set to become a major tourism destination with an annual growth of 12.5% and 49 million visitors during the 2021-2030 period.

International tourism routes will be connected to Can Gio via passenger seaports in the Saigon-Vung Tau water lane. The city will accelerate implementation of the Can Gio sea encroachment tourism and urban area project.

Transport links will be developed to connect the Rung Sac road with Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway.

Investments in logistics infrastructure will be made at general seaports, tourism seaports and international container seaports adjacent to the Long Tau River, the Saigon-Vung Tau water lane, and Cai Mep-Thi Vai water lane.

The capacity of Can Gio-Vung Tau and Can Gio-Can Giuoc ferry lanes will be raised; and two additional ferry lanes connecting with Go Cong Dong district in Tien Giang province will be launched.

Studies will be carried out on the construction of an overground road along Rung Sac road leading to the Can Gio sea encroachment tourism urban area project.

Can Gio district, 50 kilometers to the southeast of the inner city, is the only coastal area of HCMC. It is home to protective forests and mangrove forests recognized by the UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.

The 70,445-hectare district accounts for one-third of HCMC’s total area and is linked with six rivers: Long Tau, Cai Mep, Go Gia, Thi Vai, Soai Rap and Dong Tranh.

The plan to develop Can Gio district into a seaside resort and eco-tourism site was mentioned in April 2021 by the then HCMC Mayor Nguyen Thanh Phong.

Can Gio authorities then urged the city administration to request the Prime Minister’s permission to adjust the planning for the district to include economic transition with tourism and services as top priorities.

Phong had responded later that the Prime Minister had given the go ahead for the Can Gio sea encroachment tourism urban area project to be expanded from 600 to 2,870 hectares.

Earlier in July, HCMC proposed to build a $6 billion international container port in the coastal district of Can Gio, which would have a capacity three times higher than the city's Cat Lai Port, now the country's largest.

The port project, with 7.2 kilometers of wharf, is set to receive ships with a tonnage of up to 250,000 DWT (equivalent to 24,000 TEUs) and feeder ships of 10,000 to 65,000 tonnage DWT. The proposed site covers about 570 hectares.

The project will be implemented in seven stages. Investors estimate that the initial phase will be completed in early 2024 and put into operation four years later. By 2040, the last stage will be finished.