Dong Nai Riverfront Development Plan

The Dong Nai River not only plays a crucial role in providing water and regulating the ecosystem but also possesses exceptional value in terms of landscape, trade, and urban development. However, for many years, the economic potential along the river has not been exploited to its full potential, given the advantages Dong Nai possesses.

Báo Đồng Nai•31/05/2026

A view of the urban area along the Dong Nai River, specifically the section passing through Tran Bien ward.

Dong Nai has entered a new phase as a city, making the need for riverside economic development more evident than ever before.

Great untapped potential

Some experts assess that Dong Nai has many advantages for developing its riverside economy and urban areas, but these advantages have not been fully exploited. Dr. Ngo Viet Nam Son, Chairman of NgoViet Architects & Planners ( Ho Chi Minh City), believes that Dong Nai possesses an advantage that few cities have: a strong industrial and logistics system combined with a large river running through its central urban area.

According to Mr. Son, Dong Nai has become a city, therefore the mindset for riverside development must also change. It is no longer acceptable to view the riverside as merely a place for small-scale housing development or fragmented projects. This must be a strategic space for the formation of a service economy, tourism, landscape, and a modern urban face for the city.

The current reality shows that many areas along the Dong Nai River have not been exploited to their full potential. In many places, there is a lack of coordinated construction, limited infrastructure connectivity, and a shortage of public parks, waterways, and modern service spaces.

Chairman of the Dong Nai Business Federation, Dang Van Diem, commented: "Few localities have the advantage of a river like Dong Nai. Some prominent riverside cities across the country have many iconic bridges spanning the river, but Dong Nai lacks that. According to Mr. Diem, this issue needs to be considered in architectural and landscape planning."

In addition, Mr. Diem also suggested that the city should prioritize investment in riverside roads connecting the administrative center to the Nhon Trach area, as well as landscape parks and tourism infrastructure, which will help increase the value of the entire river basin. This will be a crucial factor in attracting strategic investors to participate in the development of large-scale projects, better exploiting the potential and advantages of the locality.

Rebuilding the riverside landscape.

Recently, it is noteworthy that Dong Nai has implemented many large-scale infrastructure projects in the riverside areas, especially in central areas and areas with prime locations.

The city has invested in key regional transportation projects such as: the Dong Nai Riverfront Road project (section from Hoa An Bridge to Tan Trieu Ward), the central road axis project (from Vo Thi Sau Street to Dang Van Tron Street); the Cai Riverfront Road; and Huong Lo 2… These projects have created a modern riverside transportation landscape, while also enhancing urban connectivity with Ho Chi Minh City.

In the long-term development vision, the river system and natural ecosystem are identified as a strategic landscape axis, creating a distinctive identity for Dong Nai city. The Dong Nai River is the core for the city's development according to a green, ecological, and smart riverside urban model, with high adaptability to climate change.

Along with state infrastructure investment, many large-scale projects by businesses are underway near the Dong Nai River area.
Leading industrial and corporate projects such as the nearly 300-hectare Hiep Hoa urban area, Aeon Mall shopping center, Aqua City urban area, and more recently, the smart riverside urban area in Dai Phuoc commune, have been and are being invested in. In particular, the city is prioritizing the upgrading of the former Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Park into a modern urban, commercial, and service area. These projects open up vast development opportunities, boosting consumption, creating jobs, and improving the quality of life for residents.

To better exploit the inherent advantages of the riverside corridor, along with infrastructure investment, Dong Nai needs to take advantage of its upgrade to city status to build riverside parks, pedestrian streets, commercial centers, marinas, and modern service complexes, instead of allowing riverside land to be fragmented and exploited for short periods. Investing in and attracting businesses to participate in creating the Dong Nai riverside economy is no longer a long-term goal but has become an urgent task to create new growth drivers for the city.

At the meeting of the City's Steering Committee for Business Support and Economic Development on May 28th, Standing Committee Member of the City Party Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Kim Long stated: Recently, the city has adopted a policy to study increasing the clearance height of existing bridges across the Dong Nai River to better utilize waterway transportation and attract more businesses to the locality. “We have invested in several very beautiful riverside roads. However, the issue is to fully exploit the potential of these projects. These scenic routes should not only be for street vendors or a few restaurants, but should also feature modern, landmark projects. This is a crucial task in the planning, construction, and reconstruction of the Dong Nai River's appearance that relevant city units need to consider and implement urgently, especially to meet the requirements and tasks of a dynamically developing riverside city,” affirmed Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Kim Long.

King

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202605/quy-hoach-phat-trien-ven-songong-nai-fba2fb1/