A guide to District 2, Ho Chi Minh City – Thu Thiem New Urban Area

District 2 in Ho Chi Minh City is one of the biggest urban development areas in Southeast Asia. The show case redevelopment project is the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, which is touted to become the new central business district of Ho Chi Minh City.

New cities are usually built far from the city centre. In the case of District 2 it’s opposite the historic old city, on the other side of the Saigon River. Ho Chi Minh City has an opportunity that is unparalleled for a city this size. To give you an idea of the area involved, this 360 degree image shows the Saigon River at District 1 and the riverfront development area of District 2.

[View image online.]

Thu Thiem is located on a peninsula of land where the Saigon River meanders into an almost full circle. It’s planned to be the new financial district of HCMC, taking the pressure off the buildings and roads of old Saigon.

Thu Thiem has drawn comparisons with Shanghai, where the new city of Pudong was built on the other side of the river of old Shanghai (The Bund). Like Saigon, Shanghai was once referred to as “the pearl of the east” or “pearl of the orient”. And like Shanghai, Saigon is building a new city across from the old. This similarity has likened Thu Thiem as “the Pudong of Southeast Asia”.

[Will Thu Thiem one day resemble Pudong?]

Pudong (which means “The East Bank of the Huangpu River”) was mostly farmland until it became a Special Economic Zone in 1993. Thu Thiem was also under-developed land on the east bank the river (and dong is also east in Vietnamese). Similarities end there though. Thu Thiem is not an SEZ, and so far it has not been built with the singular focus that the Chinese government has put into turning Pudong in the the financial capital of China.

There have been plans to develop Thu Thiem that go back decades. Originally French colonialists had drawn up a map, and plans were made again in the 1960’s and 70’s.

Planning began again in the late 90’s, and land clearance began in 2002. An international design competition was held, and in 2003 the master plan by Sasaki Associates was selected.

Since then the project has become mired in delays. While District 2 was under-developed compared to District 1, it was not unoccupied. In fact there were thousands of homes in Thu Thiem. Resettlement of land owners has been an issue, and important land title maps went missing.

Most of the prime land on the Saigon River waterfront has now been cleared, giving the impression that not much has happened. If you are looking from the riverbank of District 1, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that nothing has happened yet. Go beyond the riverfront and you will see there are already many completed projects in District 2, with more big projects underway.

There are other names that are also used in relation to District 2 which you may sometimes encounter. Districts of Ho Chi Minh City are broken up into wards. There are 11 wards in District 2, one of which is Thu Them. As you will see in this post, some developments in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area aren’t technically in Thu Thiem, but the name Thu Thiem New Urban Area is becoming interchangeable with new city area of District 2.

East Ho Chi Minh City generally refers to the districts east of the Saigon River (District 2, District 9, and Thu Duc). East Ho Chi Minh City is sometimes referred to in relation to the new smart and innovative city, though news reports about what this means is lacking in detail. Given how big this area encompasses it’s not smart that there isn’t a bigger plan for public transport.

This article is a comprehensive guide to every major project in District 2. It includes apartment towers, mixed use developments, public transport and infrastructure, along with public buildings and architectural landmarks. Projects are listed by ward and in no particular order.

District 2 Development Map

This map shows all of the projects mentioned in this article. It includes proposed metro stations that are within District 2.

[View map of District 2 Ho Chi Minh City.]

Thu Thiem

Empire City

Address: Thu Thiem, District 2, HCMC.
Developers: Tien Phuoc, Keppel Land, Tran Thai, Gaw Capital.
Official Website: empirecity.vn
Status: Under construction.

Empire City is one of the signature projects of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, being on prime riverfront land next to the Thu Thiem tunnel. The development is being built in stages by four developers. The Empire 88 Tower is designed by Büro Ole Scheeren, and this 88-storey tower is currently the tallest building planned for District 2 (over 300 metres). This is by the same architect that designed the MahaNakhon Tower in Bangkok.

Thu Thiem Eco Smart City

Address: Thu Thiem, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: LOTTE Property & Development.
Status: Preparation.

Thu Thiem Eco Smart City (formerly Lotte Eco Smart City) is a mixed-use development on one of the two plots of riverfront land that faces Downtown District 1. This project has been delayed for years but it appears that an official design announcement will be made in 2019. Lotte said that there will be “an iconic tower” in the plan, so with the Empire Tower next door it would make the waterfront look like a mini Pudong.

Further details at: Thu Thiem Eco Smart City.

Thu Thiem Square and Riverside Park

[Image via deso-architecture.com.]

Address: Thu Thiem, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Dai Quang Minh Corporation.

The central point of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area will be Thu Thiem Square. This is opposite Me Linh Square in District 1, and will be connected by a pedestrian bridge. The square (or trapezium if we are being geometrically correct) is wedged between Lotte Eco Smart City and the City Planning Exhibition Center.

Part of this development package also includes Riverside Park, which will be a pedestrian area between the two new bridges connecting Districts 1 and 4 to District 2. The square and riverside park will have the capacity of accommodating up 500,000 people for cultural events.

According to the developers website, the Central Square & Riverside Park is scheduled to be completed before April 30, 2020 to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Vietnam’s unification.

City Planning Exhibition Center – HCMC

[Image via deso-architecture.com.]

Location: Thu Thiem New Urban Area, District 2.
Status: Stalled.

The City Planning Exhibition Center will be a public information space about urban development in Thu Thiem and the city in general. This project has since stalled without notice.

Next to the exhibition center is this project by the same architects titled River Terrace Tower.

An alternative vision for this section is the 36-storey Thu Thiem Tower by DCM Studios.

The plan shows a modern city streetscape that looks more like Singapore or Seoul than Saigon. There hasn’t been updates about this section of Thu Thiem, so this might be one of the many never built projects.

Vinhomes Thu Thiem

[Image via batdongsanhungthinh.com.vn.]

Location: Thu Thiem New Urban Area, District 2.
Developer: Vinhomes.
Status: Unknown.

At the southern end of the Thu Thiem riverfront is the parcel of redevelopment land that is allocated to Vinhomes. There hasn’t been any meaningful update for years regarding what will be built here, and there is no reference to it on the Vinhomes website. Old renders have a sports stadium and leisure featuring an observation wheel. Seeing that there will be a sports area in An Phu this may no longer be the case.

[Image via sasaki.com.]

Thu Thiem Parish Church

Location: Thu Thiem New Urban Area, District 2.

There used to be a settlement on the Thu Thiem riverbank until the land clearance began in preparation for the new urban development. One of the few remaining buildings is the Thu Thiem Parish Church compound. The future of the church had been uncertain for over a decade, but it now appears that the church will remain. The church is in front of the Lotte development area.

Near the church used to be the ferry that connected District 1 to Thu Thiem, which was discontinued after the Thu Thiem tunnel opened in 2011.

Riverfront Temple

Another place of worship that remains in Thu Thiem is this temple on the riverfront, near the Thu Thiem tunnel.

Opera House / Performing Arts Centre

[Image via deso-architecture.com.]

Next to the future Thu Thiem 2 Bridge is a proposed opera house or performing arts centre. There is no official design yet, so various renders are online of what it might look like. Ho Chi Minh City authorities have approved over US$64.3 million for the project, due to begin construction in 2020.

Sala City

Address: Thu Thiem, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Dai Quang Minh Corporation.
Official Website: khudothisala.vn
Status: Under construction.

Sala City is a mixed-use development by Dai Quang Minh Corporation. It’s the biggest development in terms of land footprint, taking up the lower half of the Thu Thiem peninsula.

Approximately half of the area includes the Southern Delta ecological park. This wetland will be conserved and integrated into flood mitigation of the peninsula.

The rest of the project is divided into different sections of villas, shophouses, apartment towers, parks, and schools.

[Sala Petal at Sala Park.]

At the centre of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area is the Dai Quang Minh Corporation office tower. It’s on the prominent corner of Mai Chi Tho and Nguyen Co Thach, and from District 1 it’s a useful landmark as the geographical centre of the peninsula.

DQM Corp are building this development as part of a Build Transfer (BT) program. They are building the four main roads of Thu Thiem, the central square and riverside park, Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, and the D1-D2 pedestrian bridge, in exchange for land.

The Metropole Thu Thiem

Address: Core Area (zone 1), Thu Thiem New Urban Area, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: SonKim Land.
Official Website: themetropolethuthiem.vn
Status: Under construction.

Mixed-use development consisting of luxury residences, premium shopping and F&B outlets and international-standard office space. The development is located next to the Thu Thiem Bridge 2, which is next to the planned landmark opera house.

Thu Thiem River Park

Address: Corner Nguyen Co Thach and Dai Lo Vong Cung, District 2, HCMC.
Developers: CII and Hongkong Land.
Official Website: theriverin.vn
Status: Preparation.

Thu Thiem River Park (also referred to as The Riverin Thu Thiem) is next to the Thu Thiem Bridge and will house around 1,140 units and include swimming pools, public green areas, and supermarkets.

Xi Thu Thiem

Address: Corner Nguyen Co Thach and Dai Lo Vong Cung, District 2, HCMC.
Website: xithuthiem.vn

Xi Thu Thiem is a development area covering three blocks of land along Nguyen Co Thach, at the entrance to the Thu Thiem Bridge. The project includes apartments, townhouses, and shophouses.

Thu Thiem 2 Bridge

Thu Thiem 2 Bridge is – as the name suggests – the second bridge connecting Thu Thiem (the first bridge from Binh Thanh District being completed in 2008). Thu Thiem 2 will connect District 1 to Disctrict 2 and it will become a prominent landmark on the waterfront.

It’s being built by Dai Quang Minh Corporation as part of the BT contract.

Thu Thiem Pedestrian Bridge

[Image via sdesign.com.vn.]

The Thu Thiem Square and Riverwalk will be connected to District 1 by a pedestrian bridge. There is no official design yet, so there are some different proposals online of what it might look like.

Thu Thiem 3 and Thu Thiem 4 Bridge

Two more bridges are planned for Thu Thiem, with Thu Thiem 3 Bridge from District 4, and Thu Thiem 4 Bridge from District 7.

Thao Dien

Thao Dien Ward is an enclave formed by the Saigon River and the Hanoi Highway. In the space of a few years Thao Dien has become one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in Saigon. Much of that has to do with the construction of metro Line 1. A canyon of apartment towers has sprung up along the path of the metro line, which is due to open at the end of 2020 (though more likely later given the current delays).

d’Edge Thao Dien

Address: Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Capitaland.

d’Edge Thao Dien by CapitaLand is an apartment development featuring 273 units with a skyline infinity swimming pool connecting the two towers.

Gateway Thao Dien

Address: 2 Le Thuoc Street, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: SonKim Land.
Official Website: gatewaythaodien.com.vn
Status: Completed.

King Crown Village

Address: 200 Nguyen Van Huong, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Bamboo Capital Group (BCG).

King Crown Village is a riverfront villas project in Thao Dien, comprising of 17 luxury villas in Phase 1, followed by a modern 25-storey building in Phase 2. BCG will participate as the project developer while the project owner is Sao Sang Saigon Joint Stock Company, which is also a subsidiary of Bamboo Capital Group.

Masteri An Phu

Address: 191 Hanoi Highway, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Thao Dien Investment.
Official Website: masterisehomes.com

Masteri An Phu is next to Gateway Thao Dien is what is now a built-up area, as apartment towers have sprung up around the future An Phu metro station. The is os on the boundary of Thao Dien and An Phu, so it’s not technically An Phu.

Masteri Thao Dien

Address: 159 Hanoi Highway, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Thao Dien Investment.
Official Website: masterisehomes.com
Status: Completed.

Masteri Thao Dien is a residential development featuring 4 towers ranging from 41 to 45 stories, and Vincom Mega Mall Thao Dien. The property is located next to the future An Phu metro station, which will be connected to the mall. The metro has been a driving force of apartment construction along the Hanoi Highway.

Q2 Thao Dien

Address: Road no. 9, Road no. 10 and Vo Truong Toan Street, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Frasers Property.
Official Website: q2thaodien.com.vn

Thao Dien Pearl

Address: 12 Quoc Huong St, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: SSG Group.
Official Website: thaodienpearl.com

Thao Dien Pearl comprises of two apartment towers of 33 floors on a retail podium. In the future the property will be connected by a pedestrian bridge to Thao Dien station of metro line 1.

The Ascent

Address: 58 Quoc Huong, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Tien Phat Corp.

The Ascent is a 29-floor apartment tower by Tien Phat Corp, completed in April 2016.

The Nassim

Address: No. 30, Street 11, Thao Dien, District 2, HCMC.
Developers: SonKim Land and Hongkong Land.
Official Website: thenassim.vn

The Nassim is a premium condominium project near the Saigon River in Thao Dien. It comprises 4 towers with 238 residential units ranging from one to four bedrooms and penthouses, provided with in-house parking spaces. The future Metro train station (An Phu) is within a short distance.

An Phu

Cantavil An Phu

Address: Hanoi Highway, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Daewon – Thu Duc Housing Development JSC.

2 36-storey residential towers on a retail podium. The mall includes the Parkson department store and Big C, and there is also office space.

Centana

Address: 196 Nguyen Thi Dịnh, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: An Phuc Vien Ltd.
Website: centana.vn

Centana features two towers (15 and 31 floors) that houses an officetel and apartments. The property is situated at the intersection of Mai Chi Tho, Nguyen Thi Dinh, and the Long Thanh Dau Giay expressway, and opposite the future Ga Thu Thiem site.

Estella Heights

Address: Ha Noi Highway, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developers: Tien Phuoc and Keppel Land.
Official Website: estellaheights.com.vn
Status: Completed.

Estella Heights is a 4-tower apartment complex of 33 and 34 stories, with a shopping mall at the podium level.

Gem Riverside

Address: Nam Rach Chiec, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Dat Xanh Group.
Official Website: gemriverside.vn.

Gem Riverside is a multi-tower development of 12 blocks with 33-34 floors each. The property is designed as a riverside resort, with two sides sitting on a fork of the Giong Ong To river. It is near the Long Thanh – Dau Giay highway.

Lakeview City

Address: Long Thanh – Dau Giay Highway, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Novaland.

Lakeview City is a new urban area of villas built around a lake and park.

Palm City

Address: Dau Giay Expressway, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Keppel Land.
Official Website: palm-city.com.vn

Palm City is a 30.2 hectare integrated waterfront development located by Giong Ong To and Muong Kinh rivers in District 2. Palm City will be developed in phases, comprising of a mix of landed residential housing, shop houses, high-rise apartments, commercial buildings, shopping centre and supporting amenities including kindergarten, school, hospital, parks and riverside walkway.

Rach Chiec Sports Complex

Address: An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Status: ?

The Rach Chiec sports complex was originally proposed in 1994, but so far only an access road has been built. It was originally going to be on an area of 466 hectares, with a 50,000 seat stadium among other facilities. It was to be used for the 2021 Southeast Asia Games until it was awarded to Hanoi, where there are already established sporting facilities.

Raemian Galaxy City

Address: Luong Dịnh Cua, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: HDTC.
Website: raemiangalaxyvn.com
Status: Preparation.

At 131 hectares this is one of the biggest developments in the An Phu area. The project includes 24 towers up to 40-storeys high, villas, and shopping and entertainment precincts.

Rome By Diamond Lotus

Address: Mai Chi Tho and Dong Van Cong St, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Phuc Khang Corporation.

Rome Diamond Lotus will be a 30-storey luxury apartment tower on the corner opposite the future Thu Thiem main train station.

Saigon Sports City

Address: An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Keppelland.
Status: Preparation.

Saigon Sports City is a 64-hectare development that will integrate a new living area with a sporting centre. This is next to the proposed Rach Chiec Sports Complex, so it’s not clear if this is part of the same project or just part of grand sports precinct.

The Estella

Address: Ha Noi Highway, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developers: Tien Phuoc and Keppel Land.
Status: Completed.

The Estella is an eight-block development varying in height from 20 to 25 stories. The 5-hectare site has a garden and swimming pool area in the middle, giving the site a resort feel. The Estella is behind Estella Heights, which fronts the Hanoi Highway.

The Palace Residence

Address: Ha Noi Highway & Mai Chi Tho Avenue, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Novaland Group

The Palace Residence project is on an L-shaped block with frontage on the Ha Noi Highway & Mai Chi Tho Avenue, next to Estella Heights and the Minh Dang Quang Buddhism Institute.

The Sun Avenue

Address: 28 Mai Chi Tho Avenue, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Novaland.

The Sun Avenue is a mixed-use development stretching over 500 metres along Mai Chi Tho Avenue. The site features 8 similar towers of 28-30 floors in height, with over 1,400 apartments in total. It’s located opposite the reserve for the future Ga Thu Thiem (the proposed new long-distance railway station).

The Vista

Address: 628C Ha Noi Highway, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Capitaland.
Status: Completed.

Located next to Thao Dien north of the Hanoi Highway, The Vista comprises five 28-storey towers. The development is comprised of apartments and serviced residences on a retail podium. It’s not far from the future Rach Chiec metro station (Line 1). The sixth tower is this group is Somerset Vista.

Thu Thiem Railway Station

Address: Mai Chi Tho, An Phu, District 2, HCMC.

Thu Thiem Railway Station (Ga Thu Thiem) is the planned new terminal for long distance railways in Ho Chi Minh City. This will also be the station for the Thu Thiem station of metro line 2. The redevelopment of the north-south railway has been in planning for years but it is still no closer to starting. A large parcel of land has been reserved for the station for when it eventually is built.

Binh Khanh

Binh Khanh ward is between Thu Thiem and An Phu wards, though new apartments here are being marketed as part of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area.

Central Park Apartment Complex

Address: Duong So 4, Binh Khanh, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Thuan Viet Construction & Investment Corporation.

Listed on Google Maps as Central Park Apartment Complex, this is better known as the resettlement apartment area. With thousands of homes being demolished to make way for new developments, these apartments were built with the intention of resettling displaced home owners. So far no buyers have taken up the offer and the building project is currently reminiscent of a ghost city in China. You can see the apartments from District 1, and from there it looks like it’s in a desolate location. I went and had a look and it’s actually not a bad location when you consider it’s not far from a future metro, and that the surrounding area will eventually be built out.

New City Thu Thiem

Address: 17 Mai Chi Tho, Binh Khanh, District 2, HCMC.
Developer: Thuan Viet Construction & Investment.
Official Website: newcitythuthiem.com.vn
Status: Completed.

New City Thu Thiem features four towers – Venice Tower (25 floors), Babylon Tower (25 floors), Hawaii Tower (28 floors), Bali Tower (28 floors).

Thanh My Loi

Thanh My Loi is District 2’s administrative centre, home to the D2 People’s Committee, D2 State Treasury, and courthouse.

Feliz en Vista

Address: 01 Phan Van Dang Street, Thanh My Loi Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developer: Capitaland.

Feliz en Vista is a 34-storey high-end condo development featuring 202 units.

One Verandah

Address: 7 Ta Hien, Thanh My Loi Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developer: Mapletree
Official Website: oneverandah.vn

One Verandah is a residential complex of five high-rise apartment blocks next to the Saigon River.

Thu Thiem Dragon

Address: So 50 P, Duong Quach Giai, Thanh My Loi Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Website: thuthiemdragon.com.vn

Victoria Village

Address: Dong Van Cong Street, Thanh My Loi Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developer: Novaland

Victoria Village is a mixed residential development of 4 apartment towers with 24 floors, townhouses, and villas.

Vista Verde

Address: Dong Van Cong Street, Thanh My Loi Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developer: CapitaLand
Official Website: vistaverde.com.vn

Vista Verde comprises of four 35-storey residential towers with views of the Saigon River and the surrounding city.

Waterina Suites

Address: Ta Hien Street, Thanh My Loi Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developers: Thien Duc and Maeda.
Official Website: waterinasuites.vn

Waterina Suites a 25-storey luxury apartment tower with 86 apartments. The tower was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, and the design represents the curves of the Saigon River and the terraced paddy fields of Vietnam.

Binh Trung Tay

Diamond Island

Address: Dao Kim Cuong (Diamond Island), Binh Trung Tay Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developer: Kusto Home
Official Website: diamondisland.com.vn

Diamond Island is a luxury apartment development set on an island by the Saigon and Giong Ong To rivers. There are seven residential towers, swimming pool, fitness centre, and it has it’s own supermarket. The island is now connected by a bridge and it has a shuttle bus and water taxi service.

Binh Trung Dong

Kris Vue

Address: 543 Nguyen Duy Trinh Street, Binh Trung Dong Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developer: Capitaland

Kris Vue is a residential project tailored by CapitaLand (headquartered in Singapore) in cooperation with Khang Dien. It includes 128 apartments designed in a boutique-hotel style.

Cat Lai

Cat Lai is best known for the port and all the heavy vehicle traffic that goes with it. The port is planned to be moved, making way for possible new developments in the future.

CitiEsto

Address: Nguyen Thi Dinh Street, Cat Lai Ward, District 2, Vietnam, HCMC.
Developer: Kien A Corporation

Ho Chi Minh City Metro

Line 1

Line 1 of the Ho Chi Minh City Metro is currently the only line under construction. There are three stations within District 2, following the route of the Hanoi Highway in Thao Dien and An Phu.

Line 2

The District 2 section of Line 2 will go from Ben Thanh Station in District 1, under the river to the future Thu Thiem main train station. Another proposal has the metro extended from Ga Thu Thiem to Cat Lai, but this is not featured on the metro management website as an official plan.

I made an updated Ho Chi Minh City metro map which shows how District 2 will be connected in relation to the proposed network.

[HCMC Metro Map (download full resolution image here.]

Monorail Line 2

Forming part of the metro network are two monorail lines, one of which connects District 2 to District 7. There are no solid details for this so I’ve just placed stations pins on the map as an illustration, as the official map is barely legible.

Notes on this directory

I’ve listed the most notable projects here, including completed, under construction, planned, and never-built. This is an ongoing list. If you are a developer and you want your project listed feel free to email me to have it added.

This is not a paid listing or promotional list. Contact me for details on sponsored posts for property developments.