Khanh Hoa designates Van Phong bay as key economic zone

Khanh Hoa (VNA) - The central province of Khanh Hoa has designated Van Phong bay as a key area for economic, seaport and tourism development thanks to its great sea-based economic potentials.

Van Phong bay, called Port Dayot (Ben Goi) by French people, lies in Van Ninh and Ninh Hoa districts, 50km from Nha Trang city, 35km from Tuy Hoa city and stretching from the foot of Ma Canh mountain to the northern foot of Phuoc Ha mountain.

To the west of the bay is the extension of Truong Son mountain range. To the northeast is Hon Gom peninsula with small mountain ranges and sand dunes. The 27.5km peninsula is shaped like an arm embracing a treasure – Hon Lon island which sprawls over nearly 46 sq.km.  

To the southeast between Hon Gom, Hon Lon peninsulas and Co Co island is a strip of water 200m wide and 25m deep, making it easy for vessels to travel.

Van Phong bay covers an area of nearly 150,000ha, including 80,000ha of water surface and 70,000ha on the mainland. It boasts a system of islands, peninsulas, beaches, sand dunes and a diversified ecosystem such as tropical and mangrove forests, flora and fauna.

Inside the bay, from Co Ma to Dam Mon, there are many beaches and island villages such as Dam Mon, Ninh Dao, Khai Luong, Vinh Yen and Diep Son. The most ideal area is Dam Mon with more than 30 natural beaches such as Son Dung, Bai Tay, Bai Bua, Bai Nhau and Bai Lach.

Experts from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (OMT) and the Vietnam’s Institute of Research and Development of Tourism said Van Phong bay has good conditions to develop tourism.

Project VIE89/003 by the OMT confirmed Van Phong bay as one of the most beautiful landscapes in Asia and the Far East, surpassing Thailand’s Phuket and comparable to beaches in Africa’s Sierra Leone.

Considering the geographical location and natural conditions, Van Phong bay has potential to develop into a general economic zone.

Established in 2006, Van Phong economic zone has scored several significant achievements, laying creating a strong driving force for the province.

As the country’s largest economic zone of up to 150,000ha, Van Phong economic zone is not only significant to Khanh Hoa, but also to the central region and the country.

The province also advocated building a special administrative-economic zone in the north of Van Phong bay. Though a new model, the project seems feasible and promising and has been submitted to the government for approval.

The zone has so far attracted more than 130 projects worth tens of billion USD, notably the 4.3 billion USD Nam Van Phong oil refinery complex with a designed capacity of 10 million tonnes per year, and the 2 billion USD Van Phong I thermal power plant with a capacity of 1,320MW, which have been approved by the government and will be launched soon.

The birth of the Cam Ranh shipbuilding factory invested by the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) has marked the development of Khanh Hoa’s shipbuilding industry. The opening of small and average-scale factories to build ships for tourism and sport has affirmed the capacity of the province’s shipbuilding capacity.

In the foreseeable future, Khanh Hoa will continue accelerating site clearance and completing transport, electrical and water infrastructure projects./.