Once completed, the expressway will shorten travel time from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat from more than six hours to about three hours and is regarded as Vietnam’s most scenic forest-crossing highway.
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The Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee officially broke ground on the Tan Phu-Bao Loc Expressway on Dec. 19, 2025. Photo by Minh Phuong |
The expressway has a total length of around 66 km, including approximately 11 km passing through Dong Nai Province and nearly 54 km within Lam Dong Province. Its starting point connects with the end of the Dau Giay-Tan Phu Expressway, while its endpoint is in Ward 1, Bao Loc City, directly linking to the Bao Loc-Lien Khuong Expressway, which spans 74 km and was launched in June 2025.
In the initial phase, the road will have a 17-meter-wide roadbed with four lanes, a design speed of 80 km/h, and intermittent emergency stopping lanes. In sections involving deep cuts, high embankments, interchanges, and certain bridges, the cross-section will be built to full specifications, with a 22-meter-wide roadbed to ensure technical and operational safety requirements.
In the completed phase, the Tan Phu-Bao Loc Expressway will be expanded to a 22-meter-wide roadbed with the addition of two emergency stopping lanes, meeting long-term traffic demand. The project has a total investment of nearly VND14.4 trillion (US$547.3 million) and is implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, using a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract. Son Hai Group won the bid and is expected to complete construction within 25 months, followed by an operation and toll collection period of 23 years and 9 months. Son Hai Group won the bid and is expected to complete construction within 25 months, followed by an operation and toll collection period of 23 years and 9 months.
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Alignment of the Tan Phu-Bao Loc Expressway. Graphic by Tran Nam |
Lam Dong Province has identified the Tan Phu-Bao Loc Expressway as a key infrastructure project for the 2025-2030 period. Nguyen Hong Hai, vice chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee, stated that the Tan Phu-Bao Loc Expressway is a nationally important project with special significance for the development of Lam Dong Province and the Central Highlands region.
Once completed and synchronously connected with the Bao Loc-Lien Khuong Expressway, the route will ease congestion on National Highway 20, which is currently overloaded, while creating room to attract investment and promote tourism, industrial development, and logistics in the southern part of the province.
Lam Dong has continuously accelerated infrastructure development. Alongside the Bao Loc-Lien Khuong Expressway linking Da Lat with the Southern Key Economic Zone, the Nha Trang-Da Lat Expressway is also being expedited by the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, with relevant agencies instructed to finalize reports for submission to the Prime Minister.
The Nha Trang-Da Lat Expressway is planned to have a total length of about 81 km, with an estimated investment of approximately VND25.058 trillion (US$951 million). It will feature four complete lanes and a design speed of 80-100 km/h. Upon completion in 2028, the expressway will reduce travel time between Nha Trang and Da Lat to around 1.5-2 hours, compared to the current 3.5-4 hours.
Along with expressway development, Da Lat is also preparing to upgrade Lien Khuong Airport with a total investment of about VND7.748 trillion, including around VND4.591 trillion by 2030 and approximately VND3.157 trillion by 2050.
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The HAUS Da Lat project has attracted foreign investors, contributing to a transformation in Da Lat’s urban landscape. Photo by Minh Phuong |
Alongside trillion-dong infrastructure projects, a new development phase in Da Lat is being marked by a rapid increase in high-end residential and resort developments. Many foreign investors from South Korea, Singapore, and other countries have committed trillions of dong to premium projects. From internationally branded five-star resorts overlooking Xuan Huong Lake to hillside retreats amid lush greenery, Da Lat is emerging as a promised land for those seeking investment opportunities.
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The prestigious travel publication National Geographic (U.S.) has selected Da Lat among the world’s top seven destinations to watch the sunrise. Photo by Minh Phuong |
With solid infrastructure foundations and the participation of major investors, Da Lat is standing on the threshold of a remarkable takeoff. The city is not only reinforcing its position as Vietnam’s “resort capital” but also nurturing ambitions to reach international stature. The rise of high-end real estate projects, together with growing domestic and international tourist arrivals, is creating a positive economic cycle in which investment drives tourism, and tourism, in turn, fuels further development.
