Cows take up residence in deserted Vietnam coastal resort

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The coastal resort town of Phan Thiet, 207km from Ho Chi Minh City, was once famous for its wild sandy beaches and fresh seafood, but now all that is left to greet tourists are deserted coastal resorts and villas.

Local fishermen said that in 2000, provincial authorities called on investors to pour hundreds of billions of dong (VND1 billion is equivalent to $45,000) into the construction of luxury resorts and villas in Mui Ke Ga (Ke Ga Cape), a poor fishing village at that time, to promote tourism in the province.

“This brought a bustling atmosphere to the village,” said a local.

In 2007, the ministry suddenly outlined a plan to build a $550-million deep water port that would incorporate Ke Ga. 12 investors and local residents were forced to halt construction to make way for the national seaport project.

The port project, however, remained on paper until 2013 when the then Prime Mister Nguyen Tan Dung decided to scrap it.

More than a decade has gone by and investors have yet to receive compensation, while their developments stand abandoned and derelict.

A representative from the Department of Planning and Investment in Binh Thuan Province said the projects had been suspended due to a lack of investment capital, and the province is thinking about revoking the land to reallocate to other investors.

Construction at Orchid Hill started in 2004 but was halted in 2007 after 90 percent of the work had been completed. The resort has been abandoned since 2007.

A building with a sea view has fallen into decay, and only wooden frames and pillars remain.

Located next to Orchid Hill Resort was Green World. The resort had been open for three years before it was shut down, and now local people take advantage of it to raise cattle.

Electrical equipment is useles after being left unused for so long.

Two ventilation systems have been destroyed by rain and sun.

A luxury room at Green World is covered in grass.

Furniture has been severely damaged. Binh Thuan’s People’s Committee said that Green World is the most affected resort out of the 12 projects.

Adjacent villas are wrapped with layers of weeds so thick that the entrances cannot be seen.

From the far side, the buildings and villas look like haunted houses. The investors said they hope to receive compensation from the government soon so they can restart their projects.

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