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

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

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

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

Van Phong bay coversan area of nearly 150,000ha, including 80,000ha of water surface and 70,000haon the mainland. It boasts a system of islands, peninsulas, beaches, sand dunesand a diversified ecosystem such as tropical and mangrove forests, flora andfauna.

Inside the bay, fromCo 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 withmore than 30 natural beaches such as Son Dung, Bai Tay, Bai Bua, Bai Nhau andBai Lach.

Experts from theUnited Nations World Tourism Organisation (OMT) and the Vietnam’s Institute ofResearch and Development of Tourism said Van Phong bay has good conditions todevelop tourism.

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

Considering thegeographical location and natural conditions, Van Phong bay has potential to developinto a general economic zone.

Established in2006, Van Phong economic zone has scored several significant achievements,laying creating a strong driving force for the province.

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

The provincealso advocated building a special administrative-economic zone in the north ofVan Phong bay. Though a new model, the project seems feasible and promising andhas been submitted to the government for approval.

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

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

In theforeseeable future, Khanh Hoa will continue accelerating site clearance andcompleting transport, electrical and water infrastructure projects./.