Ho Chi Minh City has a great potential for water-way tourism with about 1,000 km of rivers and canals connecting it with neighboring provinces, Thailand, and Cambodia. The city intends to market water-way services as a tourism product.

With 300-year history and many natural advantages, Ho Chi Minh City also has a potential for water-way tourism to explore cultural and historical sites, architectural works and cuisine along river banks.

Huynh Van Sinh of Ho Chi Minh City’s Personnel Institute said water-way tourism brings people close to the local lifestyle.

“Ho Chi Minh City is a meeting point of rivers from many regions. Taking a water-way tour, you can go to Binh Quoi – Thanh Da to experience their culture and cuisine and to Lai Thieu to sample local fruits. The itinerary will pass through historical sites in district 9 – Hoi Son pagoda and the Ao Dai museum", he said.

Bui Ta Hoang Vu, Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Tourism Department, said the city has identified many potential stops along the route. It will provide more services including building floating markets and connect its water-way tourism with Mekong Delta provinces and neighboring countries.

“Ho Chi Minh City is a gateway of local tourism. Businesses are encouraged to develop short tours from here to the Mekong Delta region and long tours to Cambodia and Thailand", Vu said.

Saigontourist has built tour boats with restaurants that can carry 800 passengers. The Trung Thuy Group will launch a tourism program to revisit Ho Chi Minh City’s 300-year history.

VOV5