The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is capturing strong attention from investors, local and foreign alike, with trillions of Vietnam dong pledged by investors at a conference there on Friday.The provincial government awarded licenses to nine projects worth VND3.2 trillion, or nearly US$180 million, and signed 15 other memorandums of understanding with investors, who pledged to pour VND10.8 trillion more. The results were announced at the first-ever investment promotion conference in Tien Giang, some 50km southwest of HCMC, which drew the participation of senior leaders and nearly 1,000 entrepreneurs.

Among the new investors are HCMC-based Khang Thong Construction, Trading, Service Joint Stock Company, which will spend VND1.1 trillion developing Binh Dong Industrial Park in the province, and Dai Ngan Co., Ltd., which will build a new urban center worth more than VND740 billion.

Hong Kong-based Golden Resources Development International Ltd. obtained an investment certificate for a tap water distribution project worth VND368 billion for the eastern part of Tien Giang Province. This company has invested in several projects in the country and Tien Giang Province over the past 20 years.

Tran The Ngoc, chairman of the province, noted that the development of industrial park infrastructure, new urban centers, tourism, ports, services and manufacturing are areas of great potential in the province.

At the conference, graced by State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, investors also showed their keen interest in these sectors, as manifested in memorandums signed at the event.

The would-be investor Hoang Quan Mekong, for example, has plans to develop infrastructure of Tan Phuoc II industrial park worth VND1.2 trillion, while Tien Giang Industrial Park Infrastructure Development Joint Stock Co. has plans to pour VND1.5 trillion to develop infrastructure of some other IPs in eastern Tien Giang Province.

There were also four memorandums in the housing development sector, with Tien Giang Construction and Investment Joint Stock Co. alone pledging to develop Tan Phuoc villa project worth 1.05 trillion.

President Nguyen Minh Triet in addressing the event called on the province to provide an open business climate, and urged investors to tap advantages of the promising land.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai recommended the southern province to offer more incentives for investors in terms of land allocation, services and qualified labor force.

Tien Giang is becoming a hotspot for investors given the many infrastructure projects being developed that will highly benefit the province and thus investors.

The agriculture-based locality has the HCMC – Trung Luong highway project under construction. Once opened to traffic this Wednesday, the highway will shorten the distance between HCMC and the Mekong Delta province, thus reducing transport costs while boosting trade between the two localities.

It boasts a geographical and landscape diversity, with mountains, forests, hills, rice fields, salt fields, ponds, lakes, rivers, sea, islands and peninsulas.

The city has a coastline of 42 km and a rich marine biodiversity.

Its economic sectors are industries, trade, trade, seaport services, aquaculture, and tourism.

The city targets to become a centrally-administered city by 2020 and an industrial, trade and service center which plays an important role in the central key economic region.

The Housing and Urban Development Corp (HUD) officially started construction project of Phu My new urban area in Nghia Chanh Ward, Quang Ngai City, Quang Ngai province on January 30, 2010.

The new urban area will be built on an area of 170 hectares, including Green Park, lake, apartment buildings, and villas. In addition, in the new urban area, there will be a resettlement area, social houses, and apartments for low-income residents with the total floor area of 1.2 million square metres.

The project’s total investment capital is calculated at 1.25 trillion dong. The construction of this new urban area is expected to last until 2013.

Hau Giang, which borders Can Tho city toward to the northern is a center of arriving force to attract human resources of Mekong Delta. In the south, it borders Soc Trang province. In the east, it borders Hau River. There are many big potentials about supplying fresh water, shipping, and Vinh Long province, the main waterway to International Port Cai Cui, Can Tho. In the west, it borders Kien Giang and Ba Lieu province.

Geographical position of Hau Giang is determined a small center in the west of Hau River, a gateway at the north of Ca Mau Peninsula. It is very advantageous to develop industry. After it had been established, many leaders of central come to visit, survey and affirm role, economic position of Hau Giang, a new province, for Mekong Delta.

In addition, Hau Giang is also planned a development strategy in the future in order to improve economic of the land of the west Hau River.

Hau River industrial urban section in Chau Thanh district:

With the area of 3,200 ha, Chau Thanh, which is one community to be projected, consist of industrial building land, urban building land, sporting ground land, business service land, tourism, villa area, park land…

It lines along Hau River and national road in the south of Hau River to go to Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau; it borders Cai Cui international port, Can Tho City, is far from 5 km Can Tho bridge, from 15km Can Tho airport in the south-east. The area of industrial land which is 1,900 ha, consists of one industrial zone and four industrial areas.

Hau River gathering Industrial zone: The area in the first stage is 291 ha; it lies along Hau River and National Road in the south of Hau River go to Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau. It borders Cai Cui international port, Can Tho City, is far from 5 km Can Tho bridge, from 15km Can Tho airport in the south-east.

This is a generally industrial section with many fields to attract investors such as mechanics, making and amending ships, cement production, material construction, informatics, electronics, telecommunication, garment textile, aquatic products, agriculture products, plastic, wood and light industry another one…

Situation of developing and implementing: the general and detailed plan, some projects approved, deployed and will call investors on infrastructure building. Now, some big projects in the domestic and oversea are started and prepare to start.

Nowadays, Hau Giang needs building “worker house project”, Hau River industrial zone, stage III with the area of 4 ha.

Dong Phu gather Industrial zone: The area in the first stage is 229 ha; it lines along Hau River and national road in the south of Hau River go to Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, it borders Cai Cui international port, Can Tho City, is far from 5 km Can Tho bridge, from 15km Can Tho airport in the south-east.

This is a generally industrial section with many fields to attract investors such as mechanics, aquatic products, farm products, cattle and poultry food and other light industrial fields.

Situation of deploying and implementing: the general and detailed plan, some projects approved, deployed and will call investors on infrastructure building. Now, some big projects in the domestic and oversea are started and prepare to start.

Chau Thanh A industrial sectors and zones:

Tan Phu Thanh gather industrial section – The common area planned is 201 ha; it lies Ba Lang river and national road 1A, it borders Can Tho City, is far from 10 km in the south, from 5 km Can Tho bridge, from 20 km Can Tho airport in the south-east.

This is a generally industrial section with many fields to attract investors such as industrial mechanics, making and amending ships, cement production, informatics, electronics, industrial production for agriculture-forestry-fishery, garment, sea products, automobile and assembling, house and other light industrial sectors…

Deploying and implementing: the general and detailed plan, some projects approved, deployed and will call investors on infrastructure building. Now, some big projects in the domestic and oversea are started and prepare to start. Because of unperfect infrastructure, Hau Giang is calling to invest infrastructure at this gathering industrial zone.

The industry and handicraft sections of Vi Thanh town:

With the area of 53 ha, Vi Thanh will be enlarged. It lies along Xa No canal and National road 61, the main waterway to Ho Chi Minh City and Ca Mau province.

Fields which area prior to attract investors such as agricultural products, sea products (frozen food, canned food, dried food, concentrated food, processing of rice for exporting…), processing cattle food, chickenfeed, food production for husbandry, family facilities, traditional products by modern technology, agricultural mechanics and light industry another one…

Deploying and implementing: the general and detailed plan, some projects approved, deployed and will call investors in infrastructure building. Now, some big projects in the domestic and oversea are started and prepare to start.

Vi Thanh town:

Vi Thanh town is administrative reform, economy, culture, technological science center and it is a traffic key of Hau Giang province, the west Hau River, the northern of Ca Mau Peninsula.

Economic structure of Vi Thanh town is developing quickly in the direction of industry – service – agriculture.

Vi Thanh town prepared a project with large capital investment demand to call for investment, upgrade economy – society infrastructure and Vi Thanh will become the city graded III.

Nga Bay town:

Nga Bay town is industrial clue for processing agricultural product, goods traffic, business service, tourism of the south-east Hau River and next area along National road 1A.

Economic structure of Nga Bay town is developing quickly in the direction of industry – service – agriculture.

Nga Bay town prepared a project with large capital investment demand to call investment, upgrade economy – society infrastructure and Nga Bay will become the city grade IV.

Beside there are many towns, urbans such as Long My district, Vi Thuy, Mot Ngan, Nga Sau, Cay Duong, other towns are planned to call for investment.

The rural construction:

Hastening to build upgrade centre cities, towns, social economic sectors rural social economic infrastructure system.

Hau Giang encourages economic components to invest rural traffic network, electricity and water supply system, telecommunication, environment sanitation, education, public health care, relaxing sections, sporting sections, creating many training courses suitable with the special characteristics of rural laborers.

With huge potential development, Binh Dinh is proving its role in pushing economic development in the central region. According to the Binh Dinh People’s Committee, the province’s economic growth in 2009 reached 7.96 per cent.

Of which, the agriculture, forestry and fishery sector grew 7.3 per cent, the industrial and construction sector grew 7.43 per cent and the service sector grew 11 per cent.

“Binh Dinh kept high growth last year amidst the economic difficulties in the country. This implies that our province is emerging as an economic hub in the central region,” said Le Huu Loc, vice chairman of the Binh Dinh People’s Committee.

Binh Dinh is 300 kilometres south of Danang and 600km north of Ho Chi Minh City. The province is said to have huge potential to be a driving force for economic development in the overal central region. According to the annual Provincial Competitiveness Index conducted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the United States Agency for International Development, which reflects the quality of provincial investments and their business climate, Binh Dinh was ranked 11th in 63 provinces nationwide in 2008 and it jumped to the 7th position in 2009.

Binh Dinh’s Quy Nhon seaport is one among the busiest ports in Vietnam. Last year, the port was reported to handle about 4 million tonnes of cargo, much higher than Danang port—the existing largest port in the central region. Due to its favourable geographic position, Binh Dinh is on the radar of many domestic and foreign investors.

“With its advantageous geographical position and bright economic oultlook, Binh Dinh is a good place to make investments,” said Nguyen Thanh, director of the An Phu Thinh Joint Stock Company. Thanh’s company is now developing a large commercial centre in Binh Dinh. Furthermore, his company plans to build a multi-million dollar residential and tourism project in the province.

According to the Binh Dinh Planning and Investment Department, the province has so far received 33 foreign invested projects with total registered capital of about $420 million. The projects’ investors are from the United States, Japan, China, Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, Thailand and Australia.

The Hong Kong-based Hong Yeung Company is also developing a $30 million industrial park in Binh Dinh’s Nhon Hoi Economic Zone. So far—although the park is still under construction—four foreign investors have registered to build their factories inside the park, with total investment capital of about $100 million.

Wood processing is an attractive industry in Binh Dinh. The province has 400,000 hectares of forests that can provide materials for wood processing plants. So far, more than 110 enterprises have invested into this industry in Binh Dinh and they can export about 22,000 containers of wood furniture on average each year.

Binh Dinh government announced that it would continue encouraging investors to invest in wood processing industry over the next few years. Loc said that the province was also expanding public investments in infrastructure projects to improve its investment climate.

“Although we have been actively improving the infrastructure network and business climate in Binh Dinh, the quality of licenced projects are still below our expectations and the development of some investment projects remain at slow pace,” Loc said. According to the Binh Dinh Planning and Investment Department, some domestic and foreign investors were delaying construction of their projects due to the impacts of the economic slowdown.

Binh Dinh authorities recently revoked investment certificates of the Gemadept Corporation, which had registered to build Nhon Hoi seaport. “In the future we will be very careful in selecting investors for developing projects in Binh Dinh,” Loc said.

Economic expansion, population growth and the increasing number of non-State enterprises operating in Can Tho have lead to an increased demand for real estate property in the country’s southern city, reported Savills Viet Nam Company.

There is currently a shortage of commercial property for rent in Can Tho because the city is continuing to attract domestic and foreign travellers and businesspeople.

Can Tho currently has about 160 hotels with nearly 4,000 rooms available in the city. Next year, there will be four new hotels built and the city is asking for more investments into several projects.

According to Savills Viet Nam Company, rental property has several opportunities to develop because foreign enterprises are expanding their business operations in the city.

A report from the municipal Statistics Department said that in 2009, Can Tho had more than 140 branches and representative offices from foreign companies operating in the city.

The average price of rental property is US$8.6 per square metre, which is 50 percent lower than the average rental costs in HCM City.

Currently, 87 percent of the rental property in Can Tho is occupied.

According to a report from Savills Viet Nam Company, the city has a total of 15,000 building plots and 25,000 houses offered to clients, of which 7,000 building plots and 9,000 houses have been sold.

The average price of a house is approximately $705 per square metre, while that of a building plot is $235 per square metre.

To meet the demands for housing, the city’s real estate market had invested in 26 new projects, reported the municipal’s Investment and Planning Department.

Huynh Thanh Su, Deputy Director of the Can Tho city’s House Business and Development Comapny, said that in 2010, many of the city’s projects would commence, including the Can Tho Bridge, an international terminal at the city’s airport and the construction of the Mau Than–Tra Noc Highway.

The Southern Hau River Street will also be improved and Quang Trung–Cai Cui Street expanded.

Development of the real estate market in Can Tho appears to be expanding in the next few years.

The gust of cool wind that whispers softly through the pines greet people who come to the remote Mang Den in Kontum Province, making them feel they are in the renowned resort city of Dalat to the south in Lam Dong Province.Many people call Mang Den the second Dalat in the Central Highlands region because this little-known area also has pine-covered hills and mountains, a cool climate, lakes, rivers and waterfalls.

They have a sound reason to make such a comparison when talking about Mang Den, which is more than 50 kilometers northeast of Kontum City. However, Mang Den and Dalat also have many differences.

It is no doubt that Dalat has been famous for decades and has earned much reputation from its attractions and the major annual tourist events, including the Festival of Flowers which happens early next year and expects a large number of visitors, including international visitors.

Dalat is not as quiet as it used to be in the good old days because many new villas and hotels have been up and running in recent years to cater to the demand of many tourists who are coming from near and far for relaxation, golf, mountain climbing and business. Certainly, Dalat is now a thriving city.

On the contrary, Mang Den has just been known to tourists for very few years. Central tourism authorities have revealed its charms and announced Mang Den as a new destination for travelers. Travel companies and individuals have come in to build villas in anticipation of a tourism boom in the area.

Here and there in the area of Kon Plong District, several villas have been put into service and tens of new villas are being constructed by the sides of hills, under the shade of pine trees and along the main road, which lies between Mang Den Pass in the south and Biolac Pass in the north.

Situated between the passes, Mang Den is not easy to reach as approach roads are not as good as those leading to Dalat, but this is a safe place to live and holiday. It goes without saying that Mang Den offers a haven of peace and serenity away from the bustle of the city.

There’s more for visitors to explore in the virgin charms of the area.

Mang Den is still a remote area but worth visiting for a weekend vacation. Here, visitors can open their eyes wide to view and feel the beauty of nature, inhale fresh air, trek in the forest and up the hills and mountains, and chat with the hospitable locals.

Mang Den can be reached by motorcycle and car. If you are not sure how to drive a car or ride a motorcycle there, do not hesitate to ask a taxi motorcycle driver or the people you happen to meet in Kontum City for the way to the haven of peace and serenity.

Like the property market in HCMC, Hanoi and recently Danang, where high demand has kicked off strong development in the residential, office building and retail space segments, the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has witnessed its property market heat up in all sectors as demand is on the rise. Among the segments, the land plot sector is dominating the emerging market, according to a report of the property market research firm Savills Vietnam.Savills says available land plots in the Can Tho market have exceeded the number of villas, townhouses and apartment units, as the former are recorded at around 15,600 units, nearly seven times higher than the total number of villas, townhouses and apartment units of about 2,300 units.

Cai Rang District in the South Can Tho Urban Zone, where most of the projects are located, is the most sought-after area for residential development thanks to its location, some three kilometers from the city center and separated by the Can Tho River. For instance, the total number of land plots put up for sales in the primary market in Cai Rang District is nearly four times higher than in Ninh Kieu District.

The market research company says among sold-out projects, there are about ten merely offering land plots with nearly 7,000 pieces. Meanwhile, in the secondary market, three projects are for villas, townhouses and apartments for sale with a total of 900 units.

“Due to high economic growth combined with a slow but steady growth in population, there may be considerable demand for medium quality finish housing from local residents in Can Tho,” the company foresees the market in the southern city.

According to the report, the average primary price for the villa and townhouse sector was much higher than for land plots. The average asking primary price for villa or townhouse in the whole market in Can Tho was recorded at US$705 per square meter, three times higher than the average price for land plots, which was recorded at US$235 per square meter in November.

Savills records a total of 26 residential projects covering a total area of over 1,000 hectares to be launched in Can Tho market in the next few years. This forthcoming supply would be a huge supply to a market with a population of around one million people like Can Tho.

The office building sector is witnessing non-state enterprises dominating the market, implying potential demand for office space in Can Tho from the private sector.

The company says as of the third quarter this year, there are no new office buildings in Can Tho, and six existing office buildings provide 15,000 square meters of net area. The central district of Ninh Kieu has the most office buildings which dot main streets such as Tran Hung Dao, Hung Vuong and Cach Mang Thang Tam.

The average office rent in Can Tho was recorded at US$8.60 per square meter, equal to half of Grade C rents in HCMC, which were averaging US$22 per square meter as of last quarter. This segment sees average occupancy of 87%, according to Savills.

The company cited the Can Tho Department of Planning and Investment saying there will be more office projects in the city, mainly in Ninh Kieu District.

Can Tho’s retail space segment offers 65,500 square meters, a low figure for a city of around one million people. All supermarkets and wholesale markets in the city are in Ninh Kieu District.

Savills predicts demand for international-standard retail centers will rise in the next three years, and some 61,000 square meters of retail space is expected to come online in the period. The Tay Do Plaza with a total area of approximately 3,500 square meters is expected to open at the end of this year.

Lo Dieu and Tan Thanh are accessible by motorcycle or car from Bong Son Town on National Highways 1A, a beginning point of a coastal road that runs by these two beaches and other obscure but tranquil beaches in the province.

Nestled in a small hamlet between two passes named Lo Dieu, the beach of the same name in Hoai My Commune looks like a giant bow and its yellow sand tempts sea lovers to at least sit or lie leisurely on the beach or else jump into the turquoise waters.

As the beach is rather remote, it is quiet most the year round except for Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, when locals and visitors from Bong Son put on parties on the beach in the late afternoon to enjoy local foods and the joys of the biggest holiday of Vietnam.

We did not have any party during our visit to Lo Dieu Beach over the weekend as we arrived after breakfast and before noon, so it was not an appropriate time to have a party. Furthermore, we had a long way ahead and more beautiful beaches to explore.

We got into our hired nine-seat car after touching down on the sand and taking photos to move on to other unspoiled beaches along the way, a drive that put a few of our group to sleep. But, they were awakened when our car ran over some holes on some sections of the road.

After traveling more than 50 kilometers of rough road we reached Tan Thanh, a beach that can attract both sea lovers and those who are afraid of the scorching ocean side sun. Breezes from the ocean welcome all visitors.

Tan Thanh Beach is bounded by lines of pine trees, naturally creating a wonderful area for visitors to take a siesta or rest while listening to the gentle waves clapping against the shore and the bells hung on the cows and oxen grazing the weeds in the far distance.

For lovers of swimming in the sea, they cannot miss their chance at Tan Thanh Beach to cool down, shrug off the tiredness and be revitalized after hours of sitting in a car.

There are no showers here and some may be scared of not being able to rinse their skin with fresh water after the sea water. Never mind. A good towel and a change of clothes is enough to be comfortable on the way to Quy Nhon City for a proper bath.

Before leaving Tan Thanh, ask the locals to point out the mountain whose peak has a boulder that looks like a woman waiting for her husband. Visitors can see this landmark attraction even from the car on the way to Quy Nhon, the capital city of Binh Dinh Province.

HCMC – The Central Highlands province of Dak Nong will organize an investment forum in HCMC next week to call for investment into 30 projects with total capital of VND9 trillion.Do The Nhu, vice chairman of the province, told a press meeting in HCMC on Tuesday that Dak Nong Province was promoting investment in a range of sectors including tourism, new urban and infrastructure development, manufacturing and construction. Preferential policies will apply, he said.

On the list to be put forth to investors at the investment forum scheduled for December 17 at the Reunification Palace will be 14 manufacturing projects needing VND3.1 trillion, seven infrastructure development projects worth VND3.2 trillion and five tourism projects requiring VND2.6 trillion, Nhu said.

The province will also call for VND200 billion for projects in culture, agriculture, trading and education, he said.

The province, some 200 kilometers from HCMC, has more than 200,000 hectares of agricultural land and a population of 486,000.

Some investors appreciated the potential of the province but were put off by poor infrastructure and human resources. Preferential policies will be needed to hook them up.

“The province creates the most favorable conditions for investors. Dak Nong is considered one underdeveloped locality, so we will introduce a series of incentives to lure more investors at the coming conference in HCMC,” Nhu said.

Incentives include infrastructure facilities to be developed at the expense of the local government.

Nhu said the province would announce specific policies to attract investment such as building main infrastructure like electricity, water, roads and communications and barriers at zoned industrial parks, industrial complexes and tourist sites.

Investors investing outside industrial parks and tourism areas will also be offered many incentives, he said.

The seminar is expected to draw over 300 local and international companies.

Local authorities will explain the economic potential, the strengths and the investment policies of the province which has so far attracted only six projects from foreign investors capitalized at US$18 million.