VietNamNet Bridge - More than 15 years ago, investors flocked to the coastal area of Da Nang – Hoi An to build resorts and hotels, but many have been left deserted as ‘ghost villas’, with strong sea waves attacking the multi-million dollar properties.

Nguyen Duc Tam, a fisherman, said the ‘resort village’, from Da Nang to Hoi An, 30 kilometers long, was a poplar protective forest 18 years ago, which helped to prevent damage from sea waves and wind in the stormy season.

Some years ago, the land facing the sea was allocated to big investors. Thousands of local families had to leave their houses, making room for investors to build villas and hotels. Each land plot covers tens of hectares and has a front with 500 meters in length.

To develop tourism, a coastal road linking Da Nang and Hoi An has been built, called a ‘5-star road’, because of the number of upscale resorts and hotels.

In an area in Quang Nam province adjacent to Da Nang City, there are tens of high-end resorts built with investment capital of tens of millions of dollars.

However, in stormy season, the resorts are attacked by strong waves and soil erosion which can wash houses away.

More than 15 years ago, investors flocked to the coastal area of Da Nang – Hoi An to build resorts and hotels, but many have been left deserted as ‘ghost villas’, with strong sea waves attacking the multi-million dollar properties.

In order to save Cua Dai Beach and multi-million dollar resorts, Quang Nam provincial authorities and resort owners have built embankments to prevent waves. 

However, Hoi An residents think they are ‘throwing money into the sea’, because they don’t think the embankment will help.

The embankment construction began in 2009. The resort owners spend tens of billions of dong to throw stones into the sea. Meanwhile, local authorities have put up embankments with bamboo stakes and sand bags.

As a result, the Cua Dai Beach now looks like a roughly patched shirt. However, erosion continues attacking the resorts and strong waves tear at Cua Dai coast.

According to Hoi An City’s Mayor Nguyen Van Dung, the state, provincial and municipal budgets have spent VND82 billion to build the embankment on Cua Dai Beach, while Hoi An is considering spending VND25 billion more to build soft embankments in the area where 650 meters of the coast is eroding.

The city authorities are also considering pumping sand into the area to save Cua Dai seaside. The work is estimated to cost VND80 billion. The total amount of money, including by businesses, to be spent will be even higher.

Vu Trung