The areas around Ninh Kieu Wharf often suffer serious flooding.
The People’s Committee of Ninh Kieu Ward has proposed an investment of VND 192.5 billion (approximately USD 7.8 million) to renovate the 22,000-square-metre Ninh Kieu Wharf Park in Can Tho City, aiming to prevent flooding, improve infrastructure, and promote river-based tourism.
Located along the Can Tho River, Ninh Kieu Wharf is the city’s most prominent public space, connecting the Hau River, pedestrian streets, the old market, night market, museum, and several tourist piers. Stretching nearly 800 metres, the area includes six boat docks, public restrooms, a parking lot, and two iconic pavilions. Most of these facilities were built over 15 years ago and have since deteriorated, no longer meeting tourism or public needs.
From September to November, during the flood and high-tide season, water from the Hau and Can Tho rivers often overflows into the park, submerging roads by 0.3 to 0.5 metres, creating electrical hazards and endangering visitors.
The proposed project, scheduled for inclusion in the 2026-2030 public investment plan, would follow modern, sustainable design principles. It includes three main components:
Raising the park’s elevation to prevent flooding, repaving walkways, planting trees, installing smart lighting, and adding restrooms and parking areas.Building a 787-metre reinforced concrete embankment along the river to prevent erosion and improve drainage.Constructing new tourist piers to enhance river transport and tourism services.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diep, Vice Chairwoman of the Can Tho People’s Committee, said the investment is essential to maximise the city’s riverfront potential and preserve its distinctive waterfront landscape.
In recent years, Can Tho has invested more than VND 9.20 trillion (approximately USD 370 million) in dykes, embankments, sluices, and locks to protect 2,700 hectares of the central area and over 420,000 residents. However, Ninh Kieu Wharf was not included in previous flood-control projects, leaving it vulnerable to high-tide inundation.
