Ho Chi Minh City awakens the "green dragon".

The Saigon River Corridor planning is not simply about infrastructure development; it's a unique urban reconstruction where cultural and historical values ​​along the river will be preserved and blended with modern constructions, waterways, and river tourism services. If this dream becomes a reality, it will not only create a more beautiful and vibrant Ho Chi Minh City but also affirm its position as the most dynamic city in the country.

Vinhomes urban area (Binh Thanh district) reflected in the Saigon River (Photo: Le Toan)

The Saigon River meanders like a "green dragon" embracing Ho Chi Minh City. With the strategic planning of the river corridor, urban areas, and infrastructure projects being accelerated, the dream of a beautiful riverside city, where people live in harmony with nature, is no longer a pipe dream.

The River of History

During those historic April days, when Ho Chi Minh City was bustling with celebrations commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, Bach Dang Wharf Park donned a vibrant new look, adorned with flags and flowers, and filled with lively cultural activities such as parades of illuminated boats, traditional folk music performances, sailing demonstrations, watersports , and jet skiing... Amidst this atmosphere, the Saigon River flowed silently, preserving sacred moments of history.

Viewed from above, the Saigon River meanders gracefully like a "green dragon" traversing the heart of the city. The "green dragon" is not only a metaphor for the beauty of the river, but also a vibrant symbol of over 300 years of formation and development of the Saigon - Gia Dinh - Cholon - Ho Chi Minh City region.

The banks of the river have long been home to bustling craft villages, ports, and markets, creating the characteristic "riverside and waterway" rhythm of life typical of Southern cities.

The Saigon River Corridor planning is not simply about infrastructure development; it's a unique urban reconstruction where cultural and historical values ​​along the river will be preserved and blended with modern constructions, waterways, and river tourism services. If this dream becomes a reality, it will not only create a more beautiful and vibrant Ho Chi Minh City but also affirm its position as the most dynamic city in the country.

Going back in time, the Saigon River also marks significant historical milestones of the nation. It was here, on June 5, 1911, that the young man Nguyen Tat Thanh boarded a ship at Nha Rong Wharf, beginning his journey to find a way to save the country – a sacred event witnessed by the Saigon River.

Over time, the Saigon River has preserved landmarks associated with historical achievements such as Bach Dang Wharf, Rach Tra Wharf, etc., each a piece in the long struggle for national independence and freedom.

Today, that river not only holds historical significance but is also a vital waterway for trade, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the provinces of the Eastern and Southwestern regions and linking it internationally.

With a length of over 250 km, flowing through Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City, the Saigon River also plays a role in providing water for daily life, regulating floods, serving agricultural production and ensuring water security, especially in the context of increasingly evident climate change.

For Ho Chi Minh City, the Saigon River is not just a waterway flowing through the heart of the city, but also embodies the identity of a dynamic metropolis. And now, in this period of rapid transformation, the river is being revived to once again write a new chapter in Ho Chi Minh City's history.

Awakening the "Green Dragon"

No longer silently drifting amidst dilapidated embankments and bustling streets, the "green dragon" is gradually being awakened by strategic decisions and the aspiration to create a riverside city worthy of the region.

Looking at major cities around the world, such as Paris on the Seine River,

London on the Thames, Seoul on the Han River… their development is inseparable from nature. These cities have all fully exploited the advantages of their waterways to create unique identities and develop living spaces, tourism, culture, and transportation.

The same applies to Ho Chi Minh City; the city's development process cannot be separated from nature, especially since nature has bestowed upon the city a priceless gift like the Saigon River.

Recognizing this, in 2020, Ho Chi Minh City officially approved the Project for the Development of River Embankments and Riverside Service Economy for the period 2020-2025, with a vision to 2040. This is one of 52 projects under the four key programs of the 11th City Party Congress, term 2020-2025.

The Saigon River has the potential to become a unique version of the Seine in Paris, not just a scenic landmark, but a multifaceted driving force for cultural, economic, tourism, and environmental development.

(Report by IPR and AVSE)

From here, the plan to awaken the "green dragon" is no longer a vague concept on paper, but begins with very concrete steps. Bach Dang Wharf Park, a symbol of the city by the river, is the starting point for that journey. The park, covering 1.6 hectares, has been renovated into a modern, airy public space, harmoniously connecting history with the rhythm of new life. Completed in March 2022, the project not only transformed the city center's landscape but also provided residents with a truly cultural and tourist destination on the riverbank.

However, the "revitalization" of this river doesn't stop at its landscape. Ho Chi Minh City has taken another step forward by launching the first river bus route, connecting Bach Dang Wharf with Thu Duc City. This is not only a novel mode of transportation but also the first step in building an urban system integrated with the river.

Mr. Nguyen Kim Toan, Director of Thuong Nhat Co., Ltd., who has spent many years researching and directly implementing the river bus route, reiterated that, since ancient times, our ancestors have said: "Follow the river to come, rely on the river to live, and develop thanks to the river." Therefore, developing the riverside economy is not a choice, but a necessity for a riverside city.

According to Mr. Toan, after many years, Ho Chi Minh City has now recognized the value that the river brings. However, the biggest obstacle is not the resources or potential, but rather the lack of clear direction and a lack of truly synchronized approaches. What the city needs now is an effective riverside economic development strategy that saves time and social resources, and most importantly, one that stems from a spirit of respect for the value of the river's flow.

The dream of a beautiful riverside city is no longer out of reach.

The dream of a magnificent riverside city, once a beautiful image on a planning map, is now gradually stepping out of the paper and becoming clearly visible on every inch of land along the Saigon River.

In April 2023, a significant turning point was marked by the special trip of the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Nguyen Van Nen, to Paris (France), where the Seine River meanders through a civilized, modern, and distinctive city. More than just a trip for exploration, this was a journey connecting Ho Chi Minh City and the Paris Institute for Regional Planning (IPR), in collaboration with the Association of Vietnamese Experts Global (AVSE Global), to launch a research and planning program for the development of the Saigon River corridor.

Just a few months later, in October 2023, the first workshop took place in Ho Chi Minh City with the participation of leading experts from both domestic and international fields. By March 2024, the Comprehensive Development Plan Report for the Saigon River Corridor was published, marking the first concrete step in the journey to transform this river into a true "backbone" for Ho Chi Minh City in the new era.

"We believe that the Saigon River can become a unique version of the Seine in Paris, not just a scenic landmark, but a multifaceted driving force for cultural, economic, tourism, and environmental development," the IPR and AVSE report states.

Not stopping at just a vision, a series of concrete investment proposals began to take shape. In October 2024, Sun Group officially proposed a 78.2 km long Saigon riverside road project, extending from Cu Chi to Can Gio Bridge, a new backbone along the river, which would both alleviate traffic pressure and open up a systematic direction for riverside urban development. Along with this is the idea of ​​planning riverside urban areas in Cu Chi and Hoc Mon, contributing to expanding urban space to the Northwest, an area with much untapped potential.

However, for that dream to take shape sustainably, experts believe that Ho Chi Minh City needs to take steady steps. Architect Khuong Van Muoi, former Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Architects Association, frankly pointed out that the city needs to clearly define the function of each area along the riverbank: which is for residential areas, which is for parks, which is for landscape spaces, which is for waterway transportation… and everything must be carefully planned within a scientific urban design framework.

The first riverside urban areas have gradually been completed, from Sala Urban Area in Thu Thiem to Vinhomes Central Park in Binh Thanh, modern urban areas reflecting their image on the Saigon River…

Now, with Ho Chi Minh City accelerating investment in transportation and urban infrastructure, the dream of a riverside city is no longer a pipe dream. It is a well-founded development goal, a future that is drawing near and well worth waiting for!

Source: https://baodautu.vn/tphcm-danh-thuc-rong-xanh-d275218.html