VI
EN
On the afternoon of April 29th, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry organized a survey and preparation for the launch of a new tourism product: "Cruising on the Saigon River". This activity is considered the second highlight in a series of events in response to the "Ho Chi Minh City Welcomes You" program, following the helicopter tourism product.Viewing Ho Chi Minh City from above.".
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, unlike the boats currently operating on the Saigon River, the yachts used in this tour are superyachts and luxury yachts.
The survey team views Phu My Bridge from the Saigon River. (Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism)
According to the plan, several cruise companies will participate in operating the tour, with a capacity of approximately 10-25 people per trip. The tour is expected to last 3 hours, departing from the marina at Lan Anh Villa area, Binh An ward, Thu Duc City. The boat will sail down the Saigon River, passing landmarks such as: Mui Den Do (Red Lighthouse Cape), Nha Rong Wharf, Bach Dang Wharf, Ba Son Port, Landmark 81, Thu Thiem 2 Bridge... Tourists can enjoy afternoon tea, cocktails, wine or pastries, take photos of the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river to the sound of saxophone and violin music from musicians, and admire the sunset and the dazzling cityscape as the lights come on...
Another option is a cruise departing from Bach Dang Wharf with a similar itinerary. Ms. Lieu Thi My Hanh, Director of Les Rives - one of the pioneering companies in operating cruise tours - said that the price to rent an entire cruise ship departing from Bach Dang Wharf for 3 hours on the Saigon River (including a maximum of 25 guests) is approximately 35 million VND. Thus, the tour price per guest will range from 5-10 million VND.
"This price includes all fees and snacks for guests. Previously, this product was very popular with international tourists or foreigners living in Vietnam, but now it has expanded to include domestic tourists," Ms. Hanh said.
Passengers experience a party on a luxury cruise ship.
According to business assessments, after the pandemic, tourists tend to prefer experiencing new things with small, familiar groups rather than mass travel. Therefore, services targeting this group of customers have great potential.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, one of the tourism industry's orientations is to develop diverse city tours using road, water, air, and metro transportation.
"The cruise tour of Ho Chi Minh City from the Saigon River caters to both domestic and international tourists, especially those in the mid- to high-end segments," Ms. Hoa said.
Enjoying the city lights from a cruise ship. (Photo: Doc Lap/Thanh Nien Newspaper)
Besides the upcoming "Saigon River Cruise," Ho Chi Minh City currently has several waterway tourism routes in operation, including: Bach Dang - District 7, Bach Dang - District 9, Bach Dang - Binh Quoi, Bach Dang - Cu Chi, sunset viewing on the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe river by rowboat, Bach Dang - Can Gio route… and inter-provincial routes Bach Dang - Cu Chi - Binh Duong, Bach Dang - Long An - Mekong Delta,...
