Viewed from above, the Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe Canal is now considered one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most successful canal rehabilitation projects. Photo: Van Trung / Tuoi Tre
Once heavily polluted and foul-smelling waterways, many canals have now been transformed into cleaner, greener, and more modern public spaces, helping improve both the city’s appearance and its residents’ quality of life.
Seen from above, Ho Chi Minh City is crisscrossed with a dense network of rivers, canals, and streams running through crowded residential areas.
The city was originally formed and developed along these waterways.
However, rapid urbanization, encroachment, and prolonged pollution turned many canals into black, foul-smelling waterways prone to flooding.
Over the years, the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and the municipal People’s Committee have identified flood prevention, wastewater treatment, and urban renewal as key priorities.
Canal rehabilitation has been viewed not only as an environmental solution but also as part of sustainable urban development and efforts to improve living spaces.
Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe Canal
One morning in May 2026, the Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe Canal in Ho Chi Minh City appears clear and peaceful.
Activities from the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival are held along the canal. More than 20 years ago, the area was considered one of the city’s most severely polluted places. Photo: Van Trung / Tuoi Tre
Workers from Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment Company regularly collect water hyacinths and garbage from the canal to maintain its landscape.
'Ngo' boat races, a traditional Khmer rowing competition, are also organized along the canal.
The Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe Canal rehabilitation project began in 2002 with a total investment of more than VND8.6 trillion (US$326.3 million). The years-long project required the relocation of tens of thousands of households living along the canal. After completion, the nearly-10-kilometer canal was not only environmentally restored but it also became a major urban landscape corridor. Photo: Van Trung / Tuoi Tre
Tan Hoa–Lo Gom Canal
A section of the Tan Hoa–Lo Gom Canal near Ong Buong Bridge and Phu Lam Roundabout has also undergone major changes.
A resident jogs at Lo Gom Park alongside the Tan Hoa–Lo Gom Canal in Binh Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, May 22, 2026.
Previously a heavily polluted canal filled with garbage, the Tan Hoa–Lo Gom Canal has been transformed into a waterway that has eased congestion in densely populated areas.
In 2011, Ho Chi Minh City launched a rehabilitation project for the canal using a combination of open canal sections and underground box culverts. The canal was upgraded while new roads were built along both sides, contributing to changes in the urban landscape in the city’s western area.
Tham Luong–Ben Cat–Nuoc Len Canal
Construction workers work on package XL-01 near Nuoc Len Bridge in An Lac Ward, one of the fastest-progressing sections of the Tham Luong–Ben Cat–Nuoc Len Canal rehabilitation project.
Beyond restoring the canal itself, the project is expected to revive waterways that were once considered a major transportation advantage for Ho Chi Minh City.
The canal plays an important role in connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the former Long An Province through the Cho Dem River, as well as with the former Binh Duong Province and Dong Nai Province through the Saigon River.
Two roads running alongside the canal from the Vam Thuat River to Binh Dien Bridge have gradually taken shape. Once completed, they are expected to link the western and northern parts of the city while reducing pressure on inner-city roads.
Xuyen Tam Canal
With new policies, especially special support policies for compensation and resettlement, along with proactive investment planning, many urban renewal projects in Ho Chi Minh City have accelerated and gained public support.
The city’s approach is also shifting from purely infrastructure-focused solutions to integrated models combining urban renewal, environmental improvement, and living space development.
The Xuyen Tam Canal project, stretching 8.8 kilometers from the Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe Canal to the Vam Thuat River, was launched in 2025 with a total investment of VND17.2 trillion ($652.5 million).
Other canals
Ben Nghe Canal flowing through central Ho Chi Minh City has also seen improvements.
Tau Hu Canal has gradually become less polluted following the operation of phase two of the Binh Hung wastewater treatment plant.
In addition to restoring major canals, the city has also reopened waterways that had previously been filled in, including Hang Bang Canal, an area closely associated with the trading history of Cho Lon.
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