Cam Ranh ready to become tourism-logistics urban area

Cam Ranh city aims to transform itself into a tourism-logistics urban area and an important traffic hub connecting Khanh Hoa and other localities by road, rail, waterway, and air.

The decision, isued at the end of May, pushes Cam Ranh city to develop as an economic, cultural, educational, scientific, and technical centre in the southern region of the province. By 2045, Cam Ranh will become a tourism-logistics urban area and a crucial road, rail, waterway, and air traffic hub in Khanh Hoa province.

Cam Ranh, with its strategic location, ensures national defence and security and will be connected with Cam Lam airport urban area.

Cam Ranh city will have a population of about 320,000 people by 2030, and around 823,000 people by 2045. Regarding land scale, by 2030, construction land in the entire Cam Ranh urban area will reach about 8,400 hectares, expanding to 14,700 ha by 2045.

Cam Ranh will develop linearly with a traffic axis running from north to south, parallel to National Highway 1 - Nguyen Van Cu, Hoang Van Thu, coastal roads, and Le Duan street. The city will develop urban areas to the north and east, upgrading communes into wards.

The urban spatial structure is based on natural and economic spatial structures, including three main landscape areas. The western mountainous region will prioritise conservation and the sustainable development of Hon Rong Mountain Nature Reserve, as well as the protection of water sources like Ta Luong Lake, Suoi Hanh Lake, and Song Can Lake. This area will also focus on enhancing natural landscapes, developing agriculture, and promoting ecotourism and renewable energy production.

Areas to be proud of

The eastern coastal area, located east of Cam Ranh Bay, will focus on developing sea and island resort and entertainment services, while prioritising the protection of the coastal corridor. The central Cam Ranh Bay landscape area will serve as the central coastal and ecological urban landscape of the entire city.

Nguyen Tan Tuan, Chairman of Khanh Hoa People’s Committee said, “Resources will be mobilised and allocated to implement programmes and projects, prioritising the construction of an urban framework technical infrastructure system for Cam Ranh city, including a ring road and main north-south and east-west roads. The development of these infrastructure projects is seen as critical to the city’s growth and connectivity.”

The total planning area of Cam Ranh city exceeds 33,700ha, bordered by the East Sea to the east, Khanh Son district and Bac Ai district to the west, Thuan Bac district to the south, and Cam Lam district to the north. This extensive planning area is divided into several distinct zones to cater to different development needs.

Area 1 will be the central public administrative, commercial, and service urban area located in the current inner-city wards. Area 2, designated for tourism development, culture, and nature conservation, is situated northwest of the city, primarily in the Hon Rong mountain area.

The third area will focus on developing commercial urban areas and logistics services associated with the airport, mainly in Cam Nghia ward, Cam Thanh Nam commune, and part of Cam Phuc Bac ward. Area 4 is designated for the development of a service-tourism urban area, entirely within the administrative boundaries of Cam Nghia.

Meanwhile, Area 5 will be oriented towards tourism services, agriculture, and ecological landscape development, including parts of Ba Ngoi ward and Cam Phuoc Dong commune. Area 6 is set to develop an industrial and logistics urban area, located in Cam Thinh Dong commune and parts of Cam Thinh Tay commune.

Area 7 is intended for the development of urban areas focused on tourism services on the peninsula, including Cam Thinh Dong commune and part of Cam Lap commune; while Area 8 will focus on the western mountainous ecological landscape, including Cam Phuoc Dong commune and part of Cam Thinh Tay commune.

Finally, Area 9 is reserved for national defence and security protection, entirely within the administrative boundaries of Cam Nghia ward. This area plays an important role in protecting national security and defence, belonging to Naval Region 4. Additionally, this area includes a combined military and civil international port under the management of Naval Region 4.

Vibrant logistics

Cam Ranh is the second city in Khanh Hoa province along with Nha Trang city, and is located in the south of the province. Cam Ranh owns the renowned Cam Ranh Bay, surrounded by Binh Ba Island, which shelters it from the wind and keeps it calm.

Le Huu Hoang, Standing Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa People’s Committee, said, “With its special potential and advantages, the province expects the Cam Ranh International Port to develop into a large and busy logistics service centre for the province, the south-central region, and the whole country.”

Hoang emphasised that Tan Cang Petro Cam Ranh Co., Ltd., a member of Saigon Newport Corporation, needs to invest in improving the infrastructure of the Cam Ranh Port. The port, with more than 2,000 metres of wharf and an average depth of 20 metres, can accommodate aircraft carriers, military ships, and cargo ships up to 110,000 tonnes. It can also accommodate 5-star tourist ships up to 225,000 tonnes, and oil and gas drilling rigs with a water depth of up to 200 metres. It is the first port in Vietnam designed to allow safe anchoring of ships in stormy conditions.

Le Ngoc Thach, Chairman of Cam Ranh People’s Committee, said the city will focus on attracting investment in infrastructure projects such as the Nam Cam Ranh Industrial Park, industrial clusters, and the Song Can water reservoir in Cam Thinh Tay commune.

“The city’s logistics development strategy will be built towards 2030, prioritising the development of logistics types suited to the city’s strengths,” Thach said. “The city will closely coordinate with relevant departments and sectors to invest in essential infrastructure projects such as the Cam Ranh Airport, Cam Ranh Port, Khanh Hoa Large Fisheries Centre, urban areas along Cam Ranh Bay, and the road along Cam Ranh Beach.”