Hai Phong after the merger: how to find your new ward, commune, and address

Hai Duong is no longer a separate province within Vietnam’s administrative system. Its entire territory has become part of Hai Phong City, while former districts such as Hong Bang, Ngo Quyen, and Hai Duong City no longer exist as district-level administrative units. Their names remain familiar in everyday conversation, but official addresses now use the new wards, communes, and special zones.

Which province merged with Hai Phong on July 1, 2025?

Hai Phong merged with Hai Duong Province. The combined administrative area retained the name Hai Phong City and continues to be one of Vietnam’s six centrally governed cities.

The merger was approved in the National Assembly’s resolution on reorganizing provinces and cities on June 12, 2025. The new local government officially began operating on July 1, 2025.

This means an address that previously ended with "Hai Duong City, Hai Duong Province" is now within Hai Phong City.

However, changing the province name alone is not enough. Many wards and communes were reorganized, renamed, or combined with neighboring areas.

For example, the former Tran Hung Dao, Nhi Chau, Ngoc Chau, and Quang Trung wards in old Hai Duong City were combined into the new Hai Duong Ward.

In central Hai Phong, areas previously known as Minh Khai, Hoang Van Thu, and Thuong Ly now belong to the new Hong Bang Ward.

Hai Phong after the merger: key facts

The figure of 114 local administrative units is important, but it does not mean each old ward simply received a new name.

Some former wards were merged completely. Others were divided between two or more new administrative areas.

The tables in this guide are therefore useful for narrowing down an area. For an individual house, business, or hotel near an administrative boundary, you may still need to check its precise location.

Is Hai Phong a province or a city?

Hai Phong is a centrally governed city, not a province.

In Vietnam, provinces and centrally governed cities are both first-level administrative units. They operate at the same administrative level, but their official designations are different.

Following the nationwide restructuring in 2025, Vietnam has 34 provincial-level administrative units: 28 provinces and six centrally governed cities.

Those six cities are Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hue, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho.

Hai Phong retained its centrally governed status after merging with Hai Duong. It did not become a province or become part of Hanoi.

How large is the new Hai Phong, and what is its population ranking?

After the 2025 restructuring, the merged Hai Phong covers 3,194.72 square kilometers and has a population of 4,664,124.

Among the 34 provinces and cities at the time of the 2025 restructuring, Hai Phong ranks fourth by population, after Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and An Giang.

Its area tells a different story.

Despite having a relatively large population, Hai Phong is the country’s second-smallest provincial-level administrative unit by area, ranking 33rd out of 34. Only Hung Yen, at 2,514.81 square kilometers, is smaller.

You may also come across a different population figure.

Hai Phong’s statistical authority estimated the city’s average population for 2025 at approximately 4.149 million.

These figures are based on different statistical definitions. The 4,664,124 figure comes from the administrative restructuring resolution, while 4.149 million is the estimated average population reported for 2025.

When comparing sources, check which population measure is being used rather than assuming one number must be incorrect.

Where is the new Hai Phong located?

Hai Phong is in northern Vietnam, within the Red River Delta and the northeastern coastal region.

Central Hai Phong is approximately 120 kilometers from Hanoi by road. Ha Long is roughly 45-60 kilometers from the old city center, depending on the route and destination.

After the merger, Hai Phong also stretches farther west into the former Hai Duong area.

How many wards and communes does Hai Phong have after the merger?

Since July 1, 2025, Hai Phong has had 114 commune-level administrative units, consisting of:

• 45 wards (phường)
• 67 communes (xã)
• 2 special zones (đặc khu): Cat Hai and Bach Long Vi

These changes were established under Hai Phong’s ward and commune reorganization resolution of June 16, 2025.

Hai Phong no longer has district-level administrative units, including urban districts, rural districts, district-level towns, and subordinate cities.

Instead, wards, communes, and special zones operate directly under Hai Phong City.

That does not mean the old geographical names have disappeared.

People still say they live in Le Chan District, are heading back to Vinh Bao District, or are traveling to Hai Duong City. These names remain useful when describing locations.

But for an official address, you should use the current ward, commune, or special zone.

For example, accommodation on Cat Ba Island may now list its administrative location as Cat Hai Special Zone, Hai Phong City, rather than Cat Hai District.

Wards, communes, and special zones are different types of commune-level administrative units. Cat Ba belongs to Cat Hai Special Zone; it is not officially a ward called Cat Ba.

Old Hai Phong districts and their new wards

If you are looking for an address in the former central Hai Phong area, start here.

These are the locations most likely to appear on hotel websites, business listings, hospital addresses, school documents, and delivery instructions.

What happened to Hong Bang and Ngo Quyen?

Around Hai Phong Opera House, Minh Khai, Hoang Van Thu, or Thuong Ly, the new ward to look for is usually Hong Bang.

The new Hong Bang Ward was formed from Hoang Van Thu, Minh Khai, Phan Boi Chau, Thuong Ly, So Dau, Hung Vuong, and part of the former Gia Vien Ward.

The former Quan Toan area belongs to Hong An Ward. Hong An also includes An Hong and portions of An Hung, Dai Ban, Le Thien, and Tan Tien.

In the former Ngo Quyen District, the May Chai, Van My, and Cau Tre areas are now part of Ngo Quyen Ward.

Gia Vien Ward includes Dang Giang and portions of the old Cau Dat, Lach Tray, Dong Khe, and Gia Vien wards.

The former Cau Dat and Lach Tray wards were not transferred entirely into one new unit. Some areas became part of Gia Vien, while others became part of Le Chan.

If you know only the old ward name, you may not yet have enough information to identify the current address of a particular building.

Le Chan, Hai An, and Cat Bi International Airport

The new Le Chan Ward includes the former Hang Kenh, Du Hang Kenh, and Kenh Duong wards, along with portions of several neighboring areas.

An Bien Ward includes the former An Duong Ward and remaining parts of An Bien, Tran Nguyen Han, and Vinh Niem.

If you are flying into Hai Phong, Cat Bi International Airport is now located in Hai An Ward, Hai Phong City.

The new Hai An Ward includes Cat Bi, Dang Lam, Thanh To, Dang Hai, Trang Cat, and parts of Nam Hai and Dong Hai 2.

Dong Hai Ward includes Dong Hai 1 and the remaining areas of Dong Hai 2 and Nam Hai.

For hotels around Le Hong Phong Street or near the airport, confirm the specific street number before choosing a ward on a booking or delivery form.

Long roads may cross more than one administrative boundary.

Do Kien An and Do Son still exist as districts?

No. Kien An and Do Son remain familiar place names, and each also has a new ward of the same name.

The former Kien An area was mainly reorganized into Kien An Ward and Phu Lien Ward. The restructuring also involved territory associated with the former Truong Son township.

The old Do Son District now includes Do Son Ward and Nam Do Son Ward.

Do Son Ward covers Hai Son and portions of the former Van Huong, Ngoc Xuyen, and Tan Thanh wards.

Nam Do Son Ward includes Minh Duc, Bang La, Hop Duc, and portions of Van Huong and Ngoc Xuyen.

In the beach areas, especially near the old ward boundaries, the most reliable address is the one the property has registered.

Searching only for "Do Son District" may show you a broad coastal area rather than the entrance to your accommodation.

What are the new wards and communes in Thuy Nguyen?

Thuy Nguyen has undergone several administrative changes.

Before the commune-level restructuring in 2025, it had already been reorganized into a city under Hai Phong.

After July 1, 2025, Thuy Nguyen City ceased to exist as a district-level administrative unit.

Its former territory was reorganized into seven wards and one commune.

Thuy Nguyen is also where Hai Phong’s new Political and Administrative Center is located.

The complex stands in the Bac Song Cam urban area, north of the Cam River.

This is a significant change for anyone visiting city government offices.

Previously, many residents associated Hai Phong’s main administrative offices with the old urban center. After the merger, the city’s main political and administrative complex is located in Thuy Nguyen Ward.

However, not every department, public service counter, or administrative procedure is necessarily handled in the same building.

If you have an appointment with a government agency, check the precise office and service location before traveling.

Which new wards and communes cover the former Hai Duong Province?

The former Hai Duong Province is now part of Hai Phong City, but many geographical names have been preserved.

The most common misunderstanding is that Hai Duong Ward represents the entire former Hai Duong City or Province.

It does not.

Hai Duong Ward is only one of several new administrative units covering the old urban area.

Photo: ブルーノ・プラス

Former Hai Duong City: nine new wards

Several of these new wards include territory from neighboring areas beyond the former boundaries of Hai Duong City.

Around the old Hai Duong city center, the wards to check first are Hai Duong, Le Thanh Nghi, Thanh Dong, or Tan Hung.

Tu Minh, Ai Quoc, and Viet Hoa are separate wards. Do not automatically select Hai Duong Ward for these areas simply because the old address included "Hai Duong City."

Imagine someone traveling from Hanoi to meet you in the old Tu Minh area. They may be used to searching for "Tu Minh, Hai Duong."

That remains useful for orientation, but the updated administrative address should use Tu Minh Ward, Hai Phong City, provided the specific location falls within that ward.

Former Chi Linh City: six new wards

The former Chi Linh City was reorganized into six wards.

If your destination is near Pha Lai, the relevant new ward is Chi Linh.

The former Sao Do area, meanwhile, is now part of Chu Van An Ward.

Both areas may still be described casually as "Chi Linh," but they are not in the same administrative ward.

What happened to Kinh Mon?

The former Kinh Mon town-level area includes six new wards:

• Kinh Mon
• Nguyen Dai Nang
• Tran Lieu
• Bac An Phu
• Pham Su Manh
• Nhi Chieu

The former Kinh Mon area also includes communes such as Nam An Phu and An Phu.

For example, the old An Luu, Hiep An, and Long Xuyen wards were combined into Kinh Mon Ward.

The former Pham Thai, An Sinh, and Hiep Son areas became part of Pham Su Manh Ward.

When visiting an industrial facility around Kinh Mon, keep the factory name, entrance gate, and access road in your directions.

A new ward name may tell a driver which general area to reach, but it will not necessarily identify the correct entrance to a large industrial site.

What happened to the former rural districts of Hai Phong and Hai Duong?

Former rural districts were reorganized into commune-level units.

Some new communes kept the names of the old districts. Others took village names, historical place names, or new names created in the merger.

The table below covers many of the places travelers, residents, and delivery services commonly search for.

This table lists representative new communes by former district, rather than a complete conversion for every village or residential group. Some new communes include territory from more than one former district.

Why can’t you just replace the old district name with a commune of the same name?

Take Vinh Bao as an example.

The former Vinh Bao township and the Vinh Hung, Tan Hung, and Tan Lien communes were combined into the new Vinh Bao Commune.

Other parts of the former Vinh Bao District were reorganized into separate communes, including Nguyen Binh Khiem, Vinh Am, and Vinh Hai.

Living in the former Vinh Bao District does not mean your current address is in Vinh Bao Commune.

The same applies to Tien Lang.

The former Tien Lang township, together with Quyet Tien, Tien Thanh, and Khoi Nghia, became part of the new Tien Lang Commune.

Meanwhile, the former Tien Thang and Tien Minh areas and part of Tan Minh formed Tien Minh Commune.

Search using your old ward or commune, not only the former district.

Similar-looking commune names can cause confusion

Some local names are remarkably similar, especially when Vietnamese accents are omitted.

One example is Cẩm Giàng and Cẩm Giang.

These are distinct names in Vietnamese, even though they can appear identical when written without accents.

Other names, including Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Trai, Hong Phong, Tan Dan, and Binh Xuyen, have historically appeared in multiple locations.

When searching official restructuring documents, the former district or city may be added in parentheses to distinguish areas with identical names.

If a common name does not give you a clear result, add the old district or the pre-merger Hai Duong Province.

How to find your exact new address in Hai Phong

The tables above are a good starting point, but they are not always enough for identifying a specific house or business.

Hai Phong has introduced an official digital mapping system covering its 114 wards, communes, and special zones.

The system is managed by the Hai Phong Department of Science and Technology and includes information about administrative boundaries and former local units.

Step 1: write down your full old address

Do not stop at "Ngo Quyen District" or "Cam Giang District."

Try to collect the former ward or commune, old district, street name, and house number.

For rural addresses, include the village or residential group where available.

A complete old address makes it much easier to distinguish between locations with similar names.

Step 2: search on the Hai Phong Digital Map

Open the official Hai Phong Digital Map at bandoso.haiphong.gov.vn.

The system allows users to search for old and new administrative units and view their locations on a map.

Enter the former ward or commune name, then examine the corresponding new administrative areas.

For example, searching for Quan Toan will point you toward information about Hong An Ward.

Searching for the old Cat Ba township will lead you to Cat Hai Special Zone.

The digital map may be updated over time. An address for a legal document should be checked against the 2025 ward and commune reorganization resolution or with the local authorities.

Step 3: check the boundary if the former ward was divided

This is the step people are most likely to miss.

Former wards such as Gia Vien, Dong Khe, Cau Dat, Lach Tray, and Tu Minh were not necessarily transferred intact to one new administrative unit.

For example, an old address in Dong Khe Ward may now fall within Ngo Quyen or Gia Vien Ward, depending on the specific property.

Do not rely on the first search result.

For a home, shop, or hotel, asking whoever uses that address is more reliable.

An address used for residence registration or land paperwork should follow the information confirmed by the competent authority.

Step 4: keep both the old and new addresses

Once you have identified the correct ward or commune, save two versions of the address.

This is especially useful when communicating with relatives, business partners, or drivers who still recognize the old place names.

You do not need to include both versions on every official form.

The former address is best kept as a reference note when it helps someone identify the location.

How to write a Hai Phong address when booking hotels, arranging rides, or receiving deliveries

Under the new administrative structure, a typical address follows this pattern:

There is no district-level administrative unit between the ward or commune and the city.

However, online booking services, maps, and shipping platforms may display addresses differently.

Some have adopted the new administrative names. Others still use older districts to help users search.

For a residential or business address

Suppose a property is located in the former Minh Khai area, now part of Hong Bang Ward.

Its updated address would follow this format:

House number ..., street ..., Hong Bang Ward, Hai Phong City, Vietnam.

The new structure has no place for "Hong Bang District."

If a business still has its old address on signs, invoices, or website pages, the information should be updated according to its confirmed current address.

For tax registration, business licensing, and property records, use the procedures and information provided by the appropriate authorities.

Do not independently alter legal records based only on what an online map displays.

When booking a hotel in Hai Phong or the former Hai Duong

Hotel bookings are where the old and new names can become particularly confusing.

A hotel in central Hai Duong may still describe its location as "Hai Duong" because that is the name travelers know.

Meanwhile, the booking system or invoice may show Hai Duong Ward, Hai Phong City.

Both are correct: one is the familiar place name, the other the current administrative unit.

Before paying for accommodation, check the property name, house number, street, and map location.

A ward on the booking page that differs from an address you saved earlier is a sign to contact the property and confirm.

Also make sure you are not booking accommodation in central Hai Phong when your plans actually need you in the former Hai Duong city center.

Both are now in Hai Phong City, but they are still a considerable distance apart.

When booking a taxi or ride-hailing service

A driver needs more than a new ward name to find the right pickup point.

Instead of saying only "Hong Bang Ward," provide the exact address, building name, or a recognizable pickup point.

For the ride from Cat Bi International Airport to your hotel, send the hotel’s map location along with the street name and house number.

In the former Hai Duong area, it can help to include the old locality name in your directions.

Drivers may recognize a market, neighborhood, industrial zone, or well-known road more quickly than a newly established ward.

For an early-morning pickup or a long-distance transfer, send the map pin the day before departure and ask the transport company to confirm by text message.

Trying to explain a recently changed address after the driver has already arrived can waste valuable time.

When receiving parcels and deliveries

First, select Hai Phong as the city or province.

Then look for the new ward or commune.

If the shipping platform has not updated its address database, avoid choosing a different ward simply because its name looks similar.

Instead, follow the carrier’s instructions, use an address the system accepts, and add the updated administrative information in the delivery notes where appropriate.

The recipient’s phone number, house number, street, village, residential group, and map location remain essential.

For properties down small lanes, a building entrance, apartment complex, or nearby landmark may help the courier find the correct location.

Do you need to update your ID card, land certificate, or driving license immediately?

Not necessarily.

The boundary change alone is no reason to replace every document you hold.

Under the National Assembly’s rules on reorganizing the state apparatus, documents issued by competent authorities before the administrative restructuring remain valid according to their existing validity periods and applicable laws.

Authorities may not require people or organizations to replace still-valid documents solely because of the restructuring, except where other legal provisions apply.

Therefore, an identification card, driving license, or land-use rights certificate containing an old Hai Phong or Hai Duong address does not automatically become invalid.

You may still follow the relevant procedure for each document to show consistent updated information.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs has also clarified that certain changes to documents required solely because of administrative boundary adjustments are exempt from applicable adjustment fees.

An address update caused by the merger is not the same as other reasons for correcting or reissuing a document. The two can differ in procedure and fees.

What if VNeID shows a different address from an old document?

You may notice that VNeID or an administrative database displays your new ward while an older document still shows the former district.

That does not, by itself, prove the older document has lost its validity.

Check your residence information and the address recorded by the relevant authorities.

Ask the office handling your application whether any confirmation or adjustment is needed.

There is no reason to begin replacing every document merely to make the address lines look identical.

What changed for Cat Hai and Bach Long Vi?

Hai Phong now has two special zones, both classified as commune-level administrative units.

They are geographically distinct and should not be confused with one another.

Cat Ba Island now belongs to Cat Hai Special Zone

Cat Hai Special Zone was formed from the former Cat Hai and Cat Ba townships, along with Dong Bai, Hoang Chau, Nghia Lo, Van Phong, Gia Luan, Hien Hao, Phu Long, Tran Chau, Viet Hai, and Xuan Dam.

As a result, both Cat Ba Island and Cat Hai Island belong to Cat Hai Special Zone.

A hotel on Cat Ba Island that lists its new address as "Cat Hai Special Zone, Hai Phong City" has not moved to Cat Hai Island.

The new administrative designation covers both areas.

Photo: Christophe95

For actual travel planning, however, the distinction still matters.

Central Cat Ba, Phu Long, Gia Luan, Viet Hai, and Cat Hai Island are different locations, with different distances and transport arrangements.

When arranging a car, boat, or tour, confirm the exact pickup point rather than relying only on "Cat Hai Special Zone."

Bach Long Vi is a separate special zone

The former Bach Long Vi island district became Bach Long Vi Special Zone.

It is administratively separate from Cat Hai Special Zone, although both belong to Hai Phong City.

Bach Long Vi should not be confused with islands around Cat Ba.

Travel to Bach Long Vi requires separate planning, including checking available sea transport and any applicable travel conditions.

Where are Hai Phong’s new City Party Committee and People’s Committee offices?

Following the merger, Hai Phong’s main Political and Administrative Center was established in the Bac Song Cam urban area, Thuy Nguyen Ward.

Photo: Báo Hải Dương

The complex houses the city’s principal political and administrative offices, including the City Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee.

However, not every administrative procedure is handled at this complex.

For example, civil-status documents, residence-related procedures, and certain commune-level services may be processed by your local ward or commune authorities.

Hai Phong also operates public administrative service centers at city and commune levels.

The correct office depends on the procedure.

Before traveling, check the current receiving location and the name of the responsible government agency rather than searching only for "Hai Phong People’s Committee" on a map.

Did vehicle license plates change after the Hai Phong-Hai Duong merger?

Vehicle registration is another common question.

Before the merger, Hai Phong and Hai Duong had separate license plate codes.

After the administrative restructuring, vehicle registration and license plate issuance follow the rules applicable to the newly organized localities.

It would be incorrect to assume that every existing vehicle plate must immediately be replaced with a single new code.

What does the merger mean for visitors to Hai Phong?

Geographically, no attraction moved because of the merger.

Hai Phong Opera House is still in the old city center. Do Son’s beaches are still in the coastal Do Son area, and Cat Ba Island remains part of the Cat Ba Archipelago.

What has changed is the geographical area covered by the name Hai Phong.

Places that previously belonged to Hai Duong Province are now destinations within Hai Phong City.

These include Con Son, Kiep Bac, Thanh Mien, Kinh Mon, Thanh Ha, and the former Hai Duong city center.

You may therefore notice that searches for attractions in Hai Phong now return destinations across a much wider area.

A visit to Con Son-Kiep Bac is very different from a beach holiday on Cat Ba Island.

They may share the same city-level administration, but the scenery, activities, and travel distances are not the same.

Common mistakes when searching for addresses in the new Hai Phong

Confusing a familiar place name with an administrative unit

You may still see "Hai Duong City" in articles, on shop signs, and in everyday speech.

However, the former Hai Duong City is no longer a district-level administrative unit.

The same applies to names such as Ngo Quyen District and An Lao District.

They can still help describe a geographical area, but they no longer appear as administrative levels in new official addresses.

Assuming an old ward always became one new ward

Not so.

Former wards such as Cau Dat, Lach Tray, Gia Vien, and Dong Khe had portions of their territories transferred to different new wards.

Knowing the former ward name may therefore be insufficient for identifying a specific house or building.

Treating Hai Duong Ward as the entire former Hai Duong Province

Hai Duong Ward is only one administrative unit.

People living in the former Chi Linh, Kinh Mon, Thanh Mien, or Kim Thanh areas now belong to Hai Phong City, but their addresses must use the appropriate current ward or commune.

Relying on an outdated map

Some mapping applications display updated administrative names while individual business listings still contain old addresses.

If the information differs, compare the available details and confirm the exact location with the property, business, or relevant authority.

Hotel bookings, deliveries, and rides all need the exact location of the destination, not only the ward name.

For official paperwork, go by what official channels confirm.

When was Hai Phong established as a city?

There are several historical dates that can easily be confused with the 2025 merger.

Hai Phong was established as a city on July 19, 1888, during the French colonial period.

This is an important date in the city’s urban history; the merger with Hai Duong came in 2025.

On May 9, 2003, the Prime Minister issued a decision recognizing Hai Phong as a Class I urban area.

That recognition concerned urban classification. It was not the year Hai Phong first became a centrally governed city.

July 1, 2025 is the date the government of the newly merged Hai Phong officially began operating.

These dates refer to different events. When reading historical information or administrative documents, it helps to distinguish the city’s original establishment, its urban classification, and its recent territorial restructuring.

Check the new ward name before your next trip or address update

Hai Phong now covers much more than the familiar port city. Planning a trip and updating an address both start with the former ward or commune: check it on the Hai Phong Digital Map, then save the new address with its exact location. It takes only a few steps, and hotel bookings, deliveries, and rides get much easier.