The Northern Star: Vân Đồn’s Economic Renaissance

Infrastructure Connectivity – The Springboard for Vân Đồn Island’s Leap Forward

On April 14, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Hòa Bình signed Decision No. 759/QĐ-TTg, approving the proposal for administrative reorganization and the development of a local government model with two administrative levels. Accordingly, Vân Đồn has been identified as a key area in Quảng Ninh Province to develop into a special economic zone, with the goal of forming new growth poles in the northern coastal region.

This is not just an administrative decision but a strategic turning point, elevating Vân Đồn beyond a mere tourist destination and towards a breakthrough development model – a hub for open economic sectors such as premium tourism, financial services, ecological technology, and international logistics.

What are the bases for expecting a “new-style special economic zone” in the North? It’s location, infrastructure, and vision. Located in the key economic region of Bắc Bộ, Vân Đồn enjoys direct connections to Hanoi, Hải Phòng, and China via modern expressways. It is also the only island district in Vietnam that boasts all three strategic transport types: air (Vân Đồn International Airport), sea (Ao Tiên Port), and road (Hạ Long – Vân Đồn – Móng Cái Expressway). This infrastructure system has created a “core axis” linking tourism, investment, and international trade.

Vân Đồn is the only island district in Vietnam with all three strategic transport types: air, sea, and road.

This foundation has attracted a strong wave of investment. According to the Vân Đồn Economic Zone Management Board, up to now, the area has attracted 64 investment projects using non-budget capital, with a total registered capital of VND 62,900 billion.

Large corporations such as Sun Group and CEO Group have chosen Vân Đồn as a strategic investment destination. The top priority sectors include premium resort tourism, coastal urban areas, high-tech parks, and comprehensive trade services. Vân Đồn – once a land of potential – is truly becoming a bustling development site.

Growth comes not only from capital but is also evident in practical results. In the first quarter of 2025, Vân Đồn district’s economy recorded a growth rate of 29.4% – exceeding the set scenario by 7.4%, with most of the indicators showing positive growth. In 2025, the total public investment capital allocated for Vân Đồn reached VND 336 billion, focusing on upgrading technical infrastructure to create momentum for the next development phase.

A Strategic Piece in the Puzzle of the Future Vân Đồn Special Zone

In this development picture, the Sonasea Vân Đồn Harbor City complex, developed by CEO Group, stands out as an important highlight. With a scale of 385.8 hectares, the project is planned to become an international-standard resort-tourism-entertainment complex, including hotels, sea-view apartments, resorts, and coastal commercial townhouses, meeting diverse accommodation needs of tourists.

A notable feature within this complex is the high-rise sea-view apartment building named Sonasea Sparkling – developed as a product that leads the trend of modern living in the special zone urban area. With its spacious high-rise architecture, direct view of Bái Tử Long Bay, seamless connection to the central square, commercial street, and sports and entertainment facilities, Sonasea Sparkling offers a liberating and dynamic living experience, combining relaxation with flexible investment and operation.

What sets Sonasea Sparkling apart is not just its location or design but its ability to connect with the overall development rhythm of the entire region. When Vân Đồn becomes a special zone, the demand for long-term stays, flexible rentals, and living-working-experiencing spaces connected with nature will become the norm. Products like Sonasea Sparkling not only meet the demand for owning quality living spaces in developing coastal areas but also cater to investors seeking a second home that allows them to enjoy life daily and has efficient exploitation potential.

As Vân Đồn transforms into a special zone, the demand for long-term stays, flexible rentals, and living-working-experiencing spaces connected with nature will become the norm.

According to statistics from CEO Group, in just one year of operation, Wyndham Garden Sonasea Vân Đồn Hotel – located within the Sonasea complex – has welcomed nearly 100,000 guests. During the 2025 April 30 – May 1 holiday alone, the hotel recorded more than 11,000 guests. These impressive figures indicate a substantial and stable growth in the demand for premium resorts in Vân Đồn. They also clearly demonstrate the attractiveness of the market and provide a solid basis for investors to confidently choose real estate products within an already proven ecosystem rather than relying solely on future expectations.

Mr. Nguyễn Văn Đính, Chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Brokers Association, stated: “If Vân Đồn is operated as a special zone with full incentives, it will be one of the most attractive long-term investment markets in the North. However, it is crucial to choose the right timing and products closely linked to infrastructure, with practical exploitation potential and belonging to an already proven ecosystem.”

Sonasea Sparkling makes its mark right as Vân Đồn is undergoing a powerful transformation. As the special zone story shifts from expectation to realization, and as the demand for long-term living, vacationing, and investing converges towards lands with clear potential, a product located in the heart of a developing center like Vân Đồn holds a unique appeal. It offers not just a mere accommodation space but also a novel coastal living experience, connected to a thriving tourism and entertainment ecosystem, thereby creating sustainable growth values for the future.