Ho Chi Minh City to spend $60mn on waterway transport, tourism network

The announcement was made during a conference on ‘Developing Waterway Transport for Passenger and Tourism Connectivity in Ho Chi Minh City in 2025-30,’ organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies on Tuesday.

The project, which will be implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP) model under a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) contract, will not rely on government subsidies.

Revenue is expected to come primarily from auxiliary commercial services, making land allocation and port planning approvals crucial to the project’s viability.

Speaking at the event, Tran Thanh Binh from the institute emphasized the new city boasts natural advantages, with a dense, interconnected network of rivers that offers enormous potential for the development of inland waterway transport.

Under the national merger strategy, which took effect on July 1, new Ho Chi Minh City was formed by merging the city with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces.

Binh acknowledged that the current waterway and riverside tourism infrastructure remains fragmented, underdeveloped, and inefficiently utilized.

“This requires an urgent, well-planned, sustainable, and modern strategy to fully capitalize on the city’s precious riverine resources,” Binh stated.

Presenting the city’s official proposal, Le Thanh Hai, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Economic Application Consulting Center under the institute, noted that while water-based tourism has emerged in old Ho Chi Minh City, former Binh Duong, and former Ba Ria-Vung Tau, the services remain disconnected and lack regional cohesion.

Existing attractions such as the Saigon River waterbus route from Bach Dang to Linh Dong, river cruises, and floating restaurants mainly cater to inner-city tourism.

Interprovincial services are still absent.

In former Binh Duong Province, trial agricultural tourism tours along the Saigon River remain limited in scale and lack complementary services.

Meanwhile, the express boat service between old Ho Chi Minh City and former Vung Tau City sees peak usage on weekends, but has yet to spawn integrated riverside or coastal tourism products.

Some experts pinpointed key obstacles, including slow administrative procedures, insufficient port infrastructure, and a lack of diversified, eco-cultural tourism offerings along the riverbanks.

The waterway transport development plan for 2025-30 is aimed at establishing a seamless inter-regional transport network linking old Ho Chi Minh City with the two former provinces.

Also, waterway routes will enhance connections to rapidly growing urban areas such as Thu Thiem and Phu My Hung, densely populated residential areas, and key city gateways.

Intercity routes, including upstream, downstream, and coastal ferry services, are expected to form vital transport corridors linking major industrial centers in former Binh Duong Province, urban hubs in old Ho Chi Minh City, and coastal tourist destinations in Can Gio and former Vung Tau.

Existing wharves such as Bach Dang Wharf in old Ho Chi Minh City and Cau Da Wharf in former Vung Tau will be upgraded into modern regional passenger transport hubs.

Moreover, several new ports are planned for strategic locations, including Thu Dau Mot, Phu My Hung, Hiep Phuoc, and Long Son.

A supporting network of riverfront tourism stops, featuring restaurants, local specialty markets, and sites for photo shoots, will also be developed along the routes.

The plan includes eco-tourism and community-based experiences in Can Gio and Lai Thieu, cultural and historical tours of fishing villages like Long Son, and themed inter-regional tourism packages centered around culture, cuisine, and heritage.

A combined river bus and tourism model will also be introduced, offering regular transportation and private charter options.

In the initial phase from 2025 to 2030, the city will focus on completing its intra-city waterbus system and establishing initial connections with former Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces.

From 2030 to 2050, the network will be expanded with longer routes, a modernized fleet, and a fully integrated riverside and coastal service ecosystem.

Experts at the conference stressed that to ensure the project’s success, Ho Chi Minh City and relevant units must pursue bold administrative reforms and establish efficient coordination mechanisms.

Such efforts will be essential to transforming the river system into a sustainable transportation and tourism asset.