6-11-2023 (HANOI) Public outcry has erupted in Vietnam as concerns escalate over the environmental impact of a massive residential complex being constructed on the outskirts of Ha Long Bay, a Unesco World Heritage Site. On Monday, the public voiced their concerns about the development of the bay, renowned for its stunning turquoise waters and limestone islands covered in lush rainforests. Ha Long Bay is a popular tourist destination, attracting over seven million visitors in 2022.
The surrounding shoreline and town are already heavily developed, but recently, state media published images of an extensive construction site that extends into the waters of Bai Tu Long Bay, which is adjacent to Ha Long. The development is being undertaken by Do Gia Capital and is intended to house a residential and hotel complex on an area exceeding 318,000 square meters, as reported by Tien Phong newspaper.
It is noteworthy that the construction site is located within the “buffer zone” of Ha Long Bay, designated by Unesco to provide an additional layer of protection to the World Heritage property. Once completed, the complex will comprise 451 villas and houses, multiple seven-story hotels, along with service and trade areas, according to Tien Phong.
Former deputy head of the Culture Ministry’s heritage department, Mr. Truong Quoc Binh, expressed his concern, stating that “the boundaries of Ha Long Bay had been seriously violated.” This sentiment was echoed on social media, where thousands of users shared and liked posts by historical researcher Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dien, who described the development plans as “a direct threat” to the world heritage site and lamented that the limestone karsts had been transformed into playthings for the newly affluent.
Prominent conservationist Ms. Trang Nguyen also shared her views on Facebook, decrying the negative consequences of such development, including the impact on wildlife and the environment. She observed, “The mountains are turned into cheap amusement parks, painted with green and red. The sea and its sand are exploited. Beautiful places are auctioned off.”
In response to the mounting criticism, authorities in the northern Quang Ninh province, where the construction site is located, ordered a prompt review of the project on Monday, despite the project having received official approval in 2021.
The rapid expansion of Ha Long City, which now boasts a cable car, amusement park, luxury hotels, and thousands of new homes, has taken a toll on the bay’s ecosystem. Conservationists estimate that the bay originally hosted around 234 types of coral, but now, only half of those remain. Additionally, there are substantial issues with both human and plastic waste.
Unesco’s Vietnam office and the Ha Long Bay management board have yet to respond to requests for comment. State media have also recently reported on several other construction projects in Vietnam that pose threats to protected areas.
