The VnExpress Marathon Green Paradise Can Gio, a new addition to the race series, is expected to attract 5,000 to 8,000 athletes. It will feature four distances: 5, 10, 21, and 42 kilometers, with ticket sales commencing this weekend.
A key highlight of the event is its course, touted as the greenest in the VnExpress Marathon system. Runners will traverse vast mangrove forests and experience Can Gio's unique ecological landscape. The routes are well-maintained, flat, and straight, with bridges over canals featuring gentle slopes, making them suitable for runners of all skill levels.
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Rung Sac Road winds through Can Gio's forests. *Thanh Tung* |
"Can Gio boasts a natural ecosystem with 35,000 hectares of mangrove forests. It offers runners a distinct connection between sport, humanity, and nature, a stark contrast to races held in densely built urban centers," a representative from the organizing committee stated.
Scheduled during the 30/4-1/5 holiday, the race also serves as an ideal sports tourism destination for families from Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas. Its convenient proximity to the city center allows runners to travel by personal vehicle and integrate the event into their extended holiday plans at the end of next month.
The VnExpress Marathon is Vietnam's largest running race series. Launched in 2019 in Quy Nhon, the system has steadily expanded to premier tourist destinations, including Ha Noi, Hue, Da Nang, Ha Long, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Hai Phong, and Nha Trang. Each event typically attracts an average of 10,000 runners. With its expansion to Can Gio, VM now reaches ten destinations nationwide.
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Runners participate in VM Hue 2025. *VnExpress Marathon* |
Located approximately 50 kilometers southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Can Gio was once the city's sole coastal district before its merger with Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Binh Duong. It is renowned for its 23-kilometer coastline and rich mangrove ecosystem, which UNESCO has recognized as a world biosphere reserve.
Beyond the race, athletes can explore the natural environment, the estuary region, and partake in festival activities organized concurrently at the Vinhomes Green Paradise urban area, spanning 2,780 hectares.
Hoai Phuong
