VietNamNet Bridge - Visitors to Van Don today will be impressed by the animation in the locality: convoys of trucks laden with building materials, machines and equipment head toward major construction sites on which airport, highway and high-end resorts will arise in the future. 


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A bustling urban area, the site will be an SEZ in the future.

Van Don, covering an area of 550 kilometers and comprising 600 islands in southeastern Quang Ninh province, was a commercial port which prospered well throughout the three dynasties of Ly, Tran and Later Le. After many changes over the years, Van Don still is referred to as a location with great potential.

Van Don, covering an area of 550 kilometers and comprising 600 islands in southeastern Quang Ninh province, was a commercial port which prospered well throughout the three dynasties of Ly, Tran and Later Le.
Economists compare Van Don with a princess sleeping on the sea who needs to be awakened to show her beauty. The opportunity has finally come as PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed on a plan to develop Van Don into an SEZ. So, Quang Ninh’s dreams for the last 10 years are being realized.

Quang Ninh is gathering its strength to develop infrastructure items for Van Don SEZ in the future. It has mobilized VND40 trillion, including VND30 trillion from domestic and foreign investors in a plan to build Van Don into an international sea city, an entertainment industry center with a casino and gateway for international trade.

Van Don is a district the same size as Singapore, encompassing Bai Tu Long Bay and linked with Ha Long Bay, one of the world’s natural wonders. It has been chosen by Vietnamese and foreign conglomerates as strategic destination points. 

Ten years ago, the government identified it as one of a number of luxury resort centers. This prompted big conglomerates in the world to visit there to develop real estate projects. The US-based Rockingham Group once suggested building an international airport there. Later, it withdrew from the project, but the project has been developed by Sungroup.

In the latest report to Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue, Quang Ninh provincial authorities said roughly $2 billion has been raised for infrastructure projects, including large ones with investment capital of VND5-7 trillion.

The first phase of the Van Don international airport alone VND4 trillion. It is located on an area of 320 hectares in Doan Ket commune of Van Don district, 50 kilometers from Ha Long City and 20 kilometers from Cam Pha City.

Van Don will have a high-end integrated resort complex, comprising residential quarters, conference center, hotels, casinos, golf course, and horse race course, to cover an area of 2,500 hectares on the islands of Cai Bau and Tra Ngo. This will be a huge project, capitalized at $2.1 billion.