Every morning when I open the window, I see Ha Long Bay. Limestone peaks float in the mist, and a single fishing boat slowly crosses the horizon. It has been almost the same scenery for years. However, on December 19, 2025, something began to change.
When I first saw the news about the groundbreaking on the local news, I honestly thought, "It's just another plan announcement." In Vietnam, it is not uncommon for development plans spanning hundreds of hectares to be announced only to quietly disappear. However, this time was different. VinGroup personally hosted the groundbreaking ceremony, and top officials from the Quang Ninh provincial government attended one after another. Above all, the scale of the numbers was different.
$18 billion. 456 trillion VND. This money is being invested next to Ha Long Bay. Vinhomes Global Gate Ha Long—the scale is as global as its name. Looking at the figures, one can judge whether the 'global' attached to the complex's name is an exaggeration or not.
Ha Long Bay Development Scale — Vinhome Global Gate in Numbers
If you break down the figures one by one, you get the hang of it.
Total area of over 4,100 hectares. It is approximately 14 times the area of Yeouido. On this land A city with 244,000 residentsIt is being built. There are over 48,000 housing units alone, along with commercial, business, tourism, and cultural facilities. It is a picture of transplanting an entire already completed city right next to Ha Long Bay.
An investment of $18 billion is a scale that is difficult to recoup simply by selling apartments. VinGroup defines this project as an urban development initiative that transforms Ha Long from a mere tourist destination into an international business, financial, and logistics hub. It is a project with strong national characteristics, aligned with the Quang Ninh province's metropolitan development plan.
And there is one key point in this series. The terminal station of the Hanoi-Ha Long Bay High-Speed Rail is located right inside this Vinhomes Global Gate complex.It is installed there. It is a structure where the high-speed railway and the new city are bundled into a single package. When the train departing from Hanoi opens its doors at the terminal station, Vinhome Global Gate is right in front of it.
What does this development mean to travelers?
To get to Ha Long Bay now, you have to drive at least two and a half hours from Hanoi by bus or car. You can find a complete comparison of transportation methods between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in this article. It is a manageable distance once you get used to it, but for first-time travelers, the movement itself becomes a barrier to entry.
Once the high-speed rail opens and Vinhomes Global Gate is completed, accessibility will change completely. It takes only tens of minutes from Hanoi to the station, and the complex is right there as soon as you get off. Day trips will become possible, accommodation patterns will change, and the very types of people visiting Ha Long Bay will change.
This is not to say that change is a good thing. Any travel destination changes its character once it becomes more accessible. No one knows yet how the current character of Ha Long Bay—the dawn fish market, the hustle and bustle of local restaurants, and the daily life outside the tourist area—will be maintained next to a new city of 244,000 people.
If you want to properly experience Ha Long Bay as it is today before development begins in earnest, Kakao ChannelPlease contact us. We offer small-group local tours.
Expectations and concerns, honestly
I have lived here for 10 years, so I am writing honestly.
There are definitely aspects to look forward to. If infrastructure improves, the nature of travelers visiting Ha Long Bay could change. There is a possibility that the number of well-prepared individual travelers will increase, rather than the current structure where budget package tour buses arrive in droves. As a resident, I welcome improvements in medical, educational, and convenience facilities.
There are also concerns. It is currently difficult to accurately gauge the impact of the 4,100-hectare development on the nearby marine ecosystem. Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Even though the complex is not a directly reclaimed area, the water quality and marine environment will be affected if a city with 244,000 residents is built right next to it. The key factor is the standards by which the Vietnamese Ministry of Environment manages and supervises the project.
There are also practical questions regarding the real estate aspect. The $18 billion investment must eventually be recouped through presale profits and land development. The demand for 48,000 households cannot be met solely within Quang Ninh Province. This complex is effectively targeting a metropolitan satellite city that absorbs the populations of Hanoi and Hai Phong. If that demand is actually met, Ha Long Bay will become a completely different city from what it is today.
It is not a matter of good or bad, but of the direction and speed of change. And that change has already begun.
I have been living in Ha Long Bay for 10 years and operating a tour. If you would like to experience Ha Long Bay in depth with a local guide now, before this change comes... Private Tour InquiryPlease leave a comment.
In the final installment, I honestly write about the future of Ha Long Bay as seen through the eyes of a resident of 10 years. What development brings and what is lost, and what Ha Long Bay means to travelers at this very moment.
The author resides in Ha Long Bay and works as a tour guide, operates a travel agency, and engages in local investment. For private tour consultations and travel inquiries, please use the 'Tour Inquiry' option in the top menu.