HCMC tourism to go with the Sai Gon River flow

Waterway tours are expected to provide new, attractive experiences to visitors, officials said.

The city tourism industry has already launched several river tours including: Bach Dang - District 7, Bach Dang - District 9, Bach Dang - Binh Quoi, Bach Dang - Cu Chi, and Bach Dang - Can Gio District.

Last month, the city launched a cruise tour along the Sai Gon River, allowing visitors panoramic views of both sides of the city as well as architectural features of a rapidly growing urban metropolis.

The new tour has the involvement of many companies looking to tap waterway tourism potential.

The three-hour tour departs from the marina at Lan Anh Villas in Thu Duc City and sails past major landmarks like the Nha Rong Wharf, the Bach Dang Wharf, Ba Son Port, Landmark 81, Vietnam’s tallest building, and the Thu Thiem No.2 Bridge.

The tour costs VND5 million to VND10 million (US$216-$432). Visitors are served cocktails, wine and pastries that they can enjoy while listening to live saxophone and violin performances.

"Other river tours only offer a trip to enjoy the beauty of the city by waterways, but this one has very good food and beverages as well," said Giang Bich Thuan, who enjoyed the new tour.

Each tour can accommodate 10 to 25 passengers. 

Adding to the cruise’s scenic delights and the cool breeze are a deluxe afternoon tea service, fine champagne and other treats. According to the Saigon Yacht Club, Vietnam has great potential to develop the yachting industry and can catch up with fast-growing markets like Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai in the near future. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of HCMC Department of Tourism, said one of their orientations was to develop a variety of city tours on the road, in the air, on the water, and on the metro. "The tour to see HCMC from the Sai Gon River in a yacht serves domestic and international tourists, especially the middle and high-class segments," she said. Nguyen Minh Man, director of Communications-Marketing of TST Tourist company, said that luxury yacht tours had great potential to attract customers because they are a new, high-class product.  "People have wanted to cruise along the Sai Gon River for a long time, so the introduction of luxury tours will meet this demand," he added. 

Cao Van Tung, director of the Ben Thanh Tourist company, felt that travel time on the river should be shortened and the focus be on customer experience.  "Most tourists will not enjoy sitting for hours on the boat just to watch the cityscape, they will want to enjoy more unique experiences," Tung said. Travel companies should connect waterway tours with regional attractions like Cu Chi District (HCMC) and Binh Dương City, he added.  Luxury cruises are not aimed merely at renewing the city’s tourism products, but to expand the customer base, targeting the high-income segment in particular, according to Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the municipal tourism authority. Besides the cruise along the Sai Gon River, the city also has waterbus tours throughout the day and night. Passengers can buy tickets at its two stations or online for VND15,000 ($0.65) one-way ticket. Besides peaceful, scenic night view sightseeing and music performances, the water bus service also offers snacks to passengers purchasing package tours, said Nguyen Kim Toan, Thuong Nhat Company’s director. “In my opinion, the night bus is a memorable experience for people and an opportunity for many generations to access the culture and history of the city, in addition to a being a multi-functional means of public transport to reduce traffic pressure on roads.” HCMC hopes to receive 25 million domestic and 3.5 million foreign tourists this year for revenues of VND97.7 trillion.