Villas on HCMC's golden land plot left to the elements

The guesthouse has seven villas, spanning around 7,000 sq.m. There are several trees and gardens surrounding them. Plant life has flourished in the area after years of abandonment.

Nguyen Ngoc Thao, vice director of the HCMC Department of Finance, on Oct. 14 said the land plot belongs to central authorities based in HCMC.

The HCMC People's Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have reached an agreement to report to the Ministry of Finance on handing over properties to city authorities. As planned, the land plot would be developed into a complex. After procedures are completed, city authorities would devise a detailed plan to carry out the project.

The abandoned villas degrade over time, with plant life invading the premise.

The main gates of the guesthouse on Ly Thai To Street are always closed. Rust and moss can be seen covering the area.

A guard's room is full of trash.

Plant life cover both sides of the main path of the guesthouse.

Flourishing plant life makes the area looks like a forest.

A row of toilets is left abandoned and severely degraded.

An area of the guesthouse for restaurants has also been degraded. There are guards at the place, and the front yard is used to raise chickens.

The premise is surrounded by degraded fences. A part of the sidewalk is used as a trash collection point.