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The $390 Million Airport that Vanished from Vietnam’s Aviation Map

21 June, 2025

Removal of Go Gang Airport from Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s Master Plan

The People’s Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has issued Decision No. 1680/QD-UBND approving adjustments to the “Master Plan of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050,” introducing new strategic orientations for urban, transportation, and aviation infrastructure development.

A significant change is the removal of Go Gang Airport from the master plan to prioritize urban and service development in the area. The land will be reassessed during the adjustment of the Vung Tau city master plan and the Go Gang urban sub-zone plan. Meanwhile, the existing Vung Tau airport will continue its operations with its current functions.

Additionally, Con Dao airport will continue its development as per the nation’s master plan until 2030, with a vision towards 2050. Simultaneously, Dat Do airport is planned as a specialized airport with a 4C grade, covering an expected area of 244.3 hectares.

Go Gang Airport was planned to be located on Go Gang Island. Image source: https://vnrep.com

Ba Ria-Vung Tau also aims to develop its urban areas based on the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model. This approach integrates the urban system with the Ho Tram-Long Thanh International Airport highway, enhancing regional connectivity and improving access between coastal cities and the national logistics center.

The Ho Tram-Long Thanh expressway is included in the list of priority projects, with a scale of 4 to 6 lanes. It is expected that after 2030, the entire route will be expanded to 6 lanes to accommodate the growing transportation needs and demands.

Along with the strategic expressway development orientation, the province also aims to complete a synchronized transportation system, creating a comprehensive network with vital national highways such as Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway, Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4, National Highways 55, 56, 51, and the new 51C. By 2030, the province will have 23 provincial roads, including 21 existing ones and 11 newly added routes.

A Look at the Previously Planned Go Gang Airport Worth VND 9,000 Billion

According to the previous master plan, the new Go Gang Airport would have been constructed entirely on Go Gang Island, in Long Son Commune, Vung Tau city, spanning an area of 1,400 hectares. The total area of the airport was estimated at 248 hectares, with an investment of over VND 9,000 billion. Approximately VND 1,258 billion would have been allocated for land clearance.

Once realized, Go Gang Airport would have been a 3C airport according to ICAO standards, with a runway length of about 2,400 meters and an expected capacity of 100,000 passengers and 500 tons of cargo per year.

Its primary function would have been dual-use, serving both military and civilian purposes. The airport’s boundaries were defined as follows: the northeastern side bordering the Go Gang-Long Son road; the southwestern side bordering Ganh Rai Bay; the southeastern side marked by the island’s internal road; and the northwestern side bordered by Cha Va River.

According to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Newspaper, research and assessments on the potential of establishing an airport on Go Gang Island indicated a relatively high demand for air transportation in the province. Specifically, the estimated passenger volume for the period up to 2030 was approximately 14.7 million passengers per year, with a vision towards 2050 of around 28.6 million passengers annually (excluding Con Dao Airport).

AI-generated illustration of Go Gang Airport.

However, the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction) opined that the proposed location for Go Gang Airport is very close to the Long Thanh International Airport. The distance between the two sites is approximately 45 kilometers, and more than 99% of the province’s population can reach the Long Thanh airport within one hour. “With such accessibility, especially considering the ongoing development of the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway, Long Thanh International Airport can fully meet the air transport needs of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province,” stated the Ministry of Transport.

Moreover, the Ministry of Transport highlighted that during the preparation of the Feasibility Study Report for the construction of Long Thanh International Airport, specialized aviation units conducted preliminary studies and established flight procedures for this location.

In the context of regular public aviation operations, the position of Go Gang Airport would fall within the airspace of Long Thanh International Airport. Currently, as Long Thanh airport is not yet operational, the airspace surrounding Go Gang is a holding pattern for aircraft approaching Tan Son Nhat International Airport, resulting in a high density of civilian aircraft in this area.

Establishing a civilian aviation facility at Go Gang would significantly impact the operational capacity, air traffic control, and throughput of Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat international airports. It would also affect the efficiency of ongoing investment projects.

Go Gang Airport is located approximately 14 kilometers southwest of Ba Ria city. The proposed layout for Go Gang Airport included a runway oriented towards the city’s center. Operating civilian aviation at Go Gang Airport would directly impact the city’s urban planning and development due to restrictions on airspace, environmental concerns, and noise pollution in the urban area.