Diamond Island/Bora Bora

Area: Thu Duc · Ho Chi Minh City

Bora Bora - Diamond Island

Name: Bora Bora
Address: VN

💰 10,2 tỷ – 115 tỷ📏 130 triệu/m²🏢 261 units

Neighborhood

78*

Family Score

Good

88*

Leisure Score

Excellent

Convenience

Good

Health

Average

Transit Access

Good

metro 2.4 km away; nearest station 529 m; bus stop 581 m.

Nightlife

Below Avg

Quietness

Good

* Score includes on-site amenities that are planned or under construction, not yet open.

Domo Scores™

7.6

🏠 Homeowner

Good

7.4

📈 Investor

Solid

Balanced for both homeowners and investors.

HCMC's most distinctive island address — natural setting, Pritzker architecture, and private marina are genuinely irreplaceable. Main risk: Phase 2 pink books still unresolved years after handover.

🏠 Homeowner

Value

6.6

Livability

8.2

Legal & delivery

7.9

Location & connectivity

7.7

📈 Investor

Value

6.6

Returns & exit

7.2

Legal & delivery

7.9

Location & demand

7.9

Why the scores differ

Homeowner: A compelling choice for homeowners who can absorb the premium for a genuinely unique address. Diamond Island's 13.5% building density and three-sided Saigon River frontage have no comparable in HCMC; Ascott-managed facilities, on-site schools and pools, and a 7–10-minute District 1 commute via the Thu Thiem Tunnel support an exceptional quality of life. The trade-off is a single-road island access bottleneck at peak hours and a price per sqm running 11% above mainstream upper-mid peers — justified by the setting but not for value-focused buyers.

Investor: The investment case splits clearly by tower. Brilliant offers the cleanest profile: full legal title, documented price appreciation of 15–17% in recent resale data, and a premium expat rental market running 22–41M/month for larger units. The towers handed over in 2018 — comprising 80% of the project — carry meaningful legal drag: no pink books 8+ years post-handover constrains exit to cash-only buyers. Gross rental yield across the project runs ~2–3%, low but typical for a luxury island product where capital appreciation is the primary return driver.

Price & Market

Current Market Price

130 triệu/m²

📈 +160% since launch

Market range	112 triệu – 204 triệu/m²
Unit price	10,2 tỷ – 115 tỷ
Rent	22 triệu – 48 triệu/mo
Launch price	50 triệu/m²

Est. Rental Yield0.7%

•🟢 Irreplaceable natural island site — no comparable development exists or can be built in HCMC, creating an absolute price floor regardless of market cycles
•🟢 Strong rental demand from Ascott-managed units; expat executive and diplomatic tenants consistently outpace supply at this address
•🟡 Pink book gap between Brilliant (fully issued) and Phase 2 sustains a 15–25% pricing premium on Brilliant units — a two-tier market within the same project
•🔴 Phase 2 legal uncertainty limits buyers' access to bank financing and compresses resale liquidity relative to the project's true asset quality

Is this a good deal?

Project	Price	Distance
Bora Bora	130 triệu/m²	—
Diamond Island	125 triệu/m²	0.1 km

Should you buy here?

Best for:

✓High-net-worth homeowners seeking HCMC's most distinctive island address and willing to pay a premium for it
✓Expatriate executives and diplomatic families wanting resort-quality managed living near District 1
✓Buyers specifically targeting Brilliant tower where full pink books eliminate legal uncertainty
✓Homeowners who value low-density river living and can adapt their schedule around peak-hour access constraints

Not ideal for:

✗Homeowners requiring pink-book-backed mortgage financing — the 2018-delivered towers are not eligible
✗Value-oriented buyers comparing price per sqm to mainland peers — the island premium is real and not recoverable on that basis
✗Buyers sensitive to daily peak-hour bottlenecks who cannot use the water taxi alternative regularly

Market Trends

Resale prices have stabilized at 90–130 million VND/m² as the project fully transitions to the secondary market. The legal gap between Brilliant and Phase 2 towers drives a persistent 15–25% pricing premium on Brilliant units — a spread unlikely to narrow until Phase 2 pink books are issued.

Pros & Cons

Pros

✓Three-sided Saigon River frontage — unmatched in HCMC
✓13.5% building density; 86.5% green and water space
✓Pritzker Prize-winning Arata Isozaki architecture
✓Only licensed private marina in HCMC
✓Brilliant tower has full pink books issued
✓7–10 min to District 1 via Thu Thiem Tunnel

Cons

✗Phase 2 towers without pink books years after handover
✗Single-road island access bottlenecks at peak hours
✗Canary officetel units on 50-year limited-term ownership
✗Premium pricing well above mainland peers nearby

Project Details

Total Units	261
Towers	6

Legal Information

Launch Date	2013
Handover	2018-Q3
Construction Permit	Approved
Pink Book	Partial
Pink Book %	19%
Legal Notes	Brilliant tower (Phase 1, ~250 units) has full pink books. Phase 2 towers (Hawaii, Bora Bora, Bahamas, Maldives — ~856 units) have not issued pink books despite handover in 2018; buyers operate under notarized sale contracts. Canary tower (222 units) is an officetel product with 50-year limited-term ownership, not freehold.

Amenities

👨‍👩‍👧 Family: Children have access to a pirate-themed pool, an indoor playroom, a shaded outdoor playground, and an on-site water park. The gated island perimeter with 24/7 security creates a contained environment suited to families with young children.

🏋️ Fitness: The 2,300 sqm mineral-salt pool complex includes a 50m lap pool, a river-facing infinity pool, and a children's pool. Two fitness centers, a yoga studio, sauna, steam room, two tennis courts, a basketball court, and a badminton court round out the sports offer.

🏖️ Lifestyle: A 1.3km promenade lines the Saigon River edge with 12 BBQ garden areas and open seating. Resident water taxi service connects the island directly to the mainland as an alternative to road access. On-site music academy and astronomy observatory add cultural amenities rare in residential developments.

🛒 Convenience: Basement car and motorbike parking, generator backup, and a shophouse retail and F&B street serve day-to-day needs. The Ascott concierge desk handles building management, maintenance coordination, and serviced apartment arrangements.

🏊 Pool♨️ Sauna🌳 GardenLounge🔥 BBQ Area🏊 Lap Pool🛗 Elevator👶 Kids Pool🧒 Play Area🔒 Security🧘 Yoga🏛️ Clubhouse🛎️ ConciergeSteam Room🅿️ Car ParkingWaste Chute🎾 Tennis Court🏋️ Gym🎮 Indoor Playroom🏀 Basketball CourtGenerator BackupShophouse Street🏍️ Motorbike Parking⚽ Multi-Purpose Court

Location & Commute

Explore on map

Bora Bora, Diamond Island

🛍️

Mall

Diamond Island Marina

On-site

🛒

Supermarket

Siêu thị WinMart Diamond

Next door

🏫

Schools

Trường Mầm non Quốc tế Wisdomland - cơ s…

Next door

🌳

Park

Riverfront Promenade

On-site

Major Roads

Mai Chí Thọ Boulevard — 5 minThu Thiêm Tunnel to District 1 — 7–10 minPhú Mỹ Bridge — access to South Saigon and industrial zonesHanoi Highway

🔇 Moderate Noise🛣️ Not Near Highway

A mix of high-net-worth Vietnamese families and long-term expatriate professionals seeking resort-quality waterfront living. Brilliant tower hosts the most affluent segment — buyers who pay a premium for Pritzker architecture and confirmed legal title. Phase 2 towers draw a broader mix of local investors and expats renting through Ascott's serviced residence program.

Things to consider (not deal breakers)

⚠️ Traffic

Street 104 is the single road onto the island and experiences significant congestion during morning ...

Street 104 is the single road onto the island and experiences significant congestion during morning and evening peaks. Both Thu Thiem Tunnel and Mai Chi Tho Boulevard — the primary onward routes — have their own peak-hour pressure points.

→ The on-site private water taxi service provides a river-crossing alternative for residents during peak hours. No second road access has been added to the island — the Trần Quý Kiên Bridge (formerly Diamond Island Bridge) over Street 104 remains the sole road link to the mainland.

🌊 Flood Risk

The island sits at relatively low elevation near the Saigon River and can experience minor flooding ...

The island sits at relatively low elevation near the Saigon River and can experience minor flooding during exceptionally high tides or prolonged heavy rain. Peripheral areas at the water's edge are most exposed.

→ The project's low building density and large green-area footprint support natural drainage. Ground floors across the development are elevated above typical flood levels observed in the surrounding area.