On April 3, Tuan Chau International Passenger Port (Quang Ninh) was crowded with groups of tourists preparing to visit Ha Long Bay, however, after looking at ticket prices, many people left because they thought the entrance fee had increased.
Specifically, from April 1, Quang Ninh province will charge a fee for 5 sightseeing routes in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays, with prices ranging from 200,000 to 250,000 VND per route. The fee for sightseeing along the route and staying overnight on the bay (one or two nights) ranges from 500,000 VND to 750,000 VND per person. This fee method forces visitors to buy tickets for all tourist attractions on the route, mainly caves. Overnight accommodation on the bay will also double.
“My family arrived at Tuan Chau Port at 9am, planning to visit Ha Long Bay, but we were quite surprised because the entrance fee was too high. For example, route 1 to Thien Cung Cave, Dau Go Cave, Cho Da Islet, Ba Hang Cave, Dinh Huong Islet, and Trong Mai Islet costs 250,000 VND plus 100,000 VND for the boat ticket, 20,000 VND for the port entrance, a total of 370,000 VND/person,” said Mr. Nam from Hai Duong, adding that the whole family decided to return.
According to Mr. Nam, this way of charging forces tourists to buy tickets to all places, while there are some places that the family does not need but still has to go, which is both costly and time-consuming.
A ticket seller at Tuan Chau International Cruise Port said that over the past two weekends, a number of Vietnamese tourist groups returned home because they did not have enough money to visit Ha Long Bay. A cruise ship owner said that the nearly doubled fee increase has caused difficulties for the business. "Many cruise contracts were signed in advance. When the customers saw the high entrance fee, they intended to cancel the contract and not go anymore. We explained for a long time before they agreed to buy tickets to visit the bay," he said, adding that if the fee increased, there would be fewer customers, while if there were fewer customers, the service fee and the cruise ticket would have to be increased, which would be considered "ripping off", but if it did not increase, each time they went to the bay, they would lose money.
With the previous fee, in addition to the general entrance fee of 120,000 VND/trip/person, visitors to any point will be charged an additional fee of 30,000 to 50,000 VND/trip/person/point. For the entrance fee for guests staying overnight in Ha Long Bay, there are 3 levels: 200,000 VND, 350,000 VND and 400,000 VND/person, depending on the length of stay of 1, 2 and 3 nights respectively. For Bai Tu Long Bay, the corresponding fees are 150,000 VND, 300,000 VND and 350,000 VND per person.
Mr. Pham Dinh Huynh, Deputy Head of Ha Long Bay Management Board, said that in the past, the entrance fee was collected by point, including the general fee and some other points, so visitors had to hold 5 to 6 types at a time. When combined, it amounted to nearly 300,000 VND. "Holding many tickets at a time makes it difficult for visitors to decide which type of ticket to give," Mr. Huynh said, adding that visitors only need to hold this one ticket to go on the selected sightseeing routes.
According to Mr. Huynh, this is not a ticket adjustment plan but a plan to combine sightseeing routes in Ha Long Bay.
Source: Vnexpress
