New eco-resort plans to pick up southern traffic

“My Khe Beach has all the prerequisites to become a top resort and international tourism site considering its natural beauty and geographical convenience,” said Le Trung Kien, Ha Thanh director.
“For decades, My Khe Beach has been a popular place for local people to relax. During the holidays, thousands of people from the town of Quang Ngai flock to the beach to enjoy its waves, white sand, sunshine and fresh, affordable seafood.”
Located eight kilometres northeast of Quang Ngai Town, 25 km south of Dung Quat Economic Zone and 12 km southeast of Van Tuong City, My Khe is one of the province’s most visited beaches. Sa Huynh is also a nearby hot spot.
In addition to its natural beauty, My Khe is an ideal stopping point for travellers between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
“Normally, a driver who departs from Ho Chi Minh City at six am, for example, will spend the first night in Nha Trang.
“The next stopover is usually Quy Nhon City, which he’ll reach early the next afternoon.
“But just a few hours further, and he’d reach My Khe in the evening, a more logical resting place given the traveller’s biorhythm,” Kien explained, adding that the beach also connected a chain of eco-cultural tourism sites including An Mountain, Thien An Pagoda, Chau Sa Old Citadel and Son My Relic.
However, like other areas in the Quang Ngai province, My Khe does not have an adequate infrastructure system for high-class tourism development. Hotel rooms and entertainment facilities have not yet been built there.
But this is set to change with the arrival of the Hang Duong Marine Eco-tourism Project.
The complex will be built in three phases, with the first component, a three-star, 52-room resort, slated to open by the end of the year.
It would include a dining area that seats 2,000, 200 bungalows, a 250-seat restaurant, a 250-seat conference centre, a tennis court, a swimming pool, a water sport area and other entertainment facilities.
“This component is designed to satisfy the demands of local people and visitors, including those who pay as little as VND10,000 ($0.6) to enjoy a nice holiday. The provision of services to the mass public, on the other hand, will give us a competitive edge over future developers,” Kien said.
The second component would involve a five-star, 100-room resort, the 250-seat My Khe Restaurant, a therapy centre, a tennis court, sand-court volleyball, a water sport area and other amenities specifically designed for businessmen, investors and specialists working in the Dung Quat Economic Zone.
“We are negotiating with some investors in the Dung Quat Zone on a long-term leasing contract for the second component. We plan to start construction late this year,” Kien said.
The third component would entail 20 villas for long-term lease, with interiors ranging from 400 sqm to 700 sqm.
Kien said the project would be very lucrative considering the area’s long dry season, from January to August, and availability of local materials.
The abundance of cheap construction materials would help reduce construction and operational costs while ensuring nice architecture.
“The combination of rough granite stones, which are widely available in Quang Ngai, and red tiles, palm and coconut trees will create a natural beauty for the entire area,” he said.
Kien also claimed that developing eco-tourism in the area would help fill a gap in the central region’s tourist route, which connects the popular spots of Binh Thuan, Nha Trang, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Danang and Hue. The project would also provide 150 jobs to the province.