Amidst the Mekong Delta’s fertile expanse, a dream was envisioned. A dream called Happyland. Happyland was meant to be a sprawling entertainment complex, a beacon of joy and wonder in Vietnam. Imagine nearly 1,000 hectares dedicated to fun, stretching 3.7 kilometers along the Vam Co Dong River. Construction began in 2011, with a projected price tag of US$2.2 billion. The developers, Phu An JSC, promised a Southeast Asian Disneyland, complete with Universal Studios, a hot air balloon, a wine castle, and Vietnamese-themed villages. They even planned a toy city and a five-star hotel. Happyland was set to open in 2014. But 2014 came and went, and the gates of Happyland remained closed. The grand vision became a ghost of its former self. Instead of laughter, the silence is broken only by the lowing of cattle grazing on the overgrown fields. The ambitious project, intended to rival the world’s greatest theme parks, now lies abandoned. Unfinished structures stand as monuments to a dream deferred. The wine castle is a shell, the Disneyland area remains a field of grass, and the crescent lake is a muddy pond. The race track, the only completed element, stands in stark contrast to the surrounding decay. Happyland, once a symbol of hope and entertainment, now serves as a poignant reminder of unfulfilled promises.
Hàm Luông River
The gentle rocking of a sampan on the water. This is the Hàm Luông River. A vital artery coursing through