The HCM City People’s Committee has released a plan on develop waterway tourism in the 2023-2025 period.

It is expected that by 2025, waterway tourism will occur on all Sai Gon river routes (Nha Be, Soai Rap, Long Tau), linking with Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Tieng Giang, Long An, Ben Tre and inner canal routes with at least 10 waterway tourism programs. 

In 2023-2024, HCM City will improve the quality of existing waterway tourism products, including:

Short-distance tourism products (tours on river, inner city waterway tourism routes with the radius of less than 10 kilometers): tours to Binh Quoi (from Bach Dang Wharf – Sai Gon River – Thanh Da Canal – Thanh Da Station, Binh Quoi and vice versa; Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe inner city tourist route (from Thi Nghe Wharf upstream to Candaransi Pagoda Wharf on Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal and vice versa).

Medium-distance tourism products (tours on river with the radius of between 10 kilometers and less than 60 kilometers): tours to Cu Chi tunnel (from Bach Dang Wharf – Sai Gon River – Thanh Da Canal – Sai Gon River – Dinh Wharf – Duoc Wharf belonging to Cu Chi Tunnels Historical Site); Can Gioi tour (from Bach Dang Wharf – Sai Gon River – Nha Be River – Long Tau River- Dinh Ba River – Lo Ren River – Vam Sat River – Soai Rap River).

In 2024-2025, HCM City will spend money to develop new waterway tourism products, including short- medium- and long-distance products.

Regarding long-distance tours, HCM City will have waterway tours with departure points in the central area of the city, such as Sai Gon Port, Bach Dang Wharf and Cau Mong Wharf, to other provinces, including Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Can Tho. The Chau Doc – An Giang tour will connect with Cambodia.

It is estimated that the number of waterway travelers to HCM City will be 500,000 a year in 2023 and 2024, and grow by 10 percent in the following years. The revenue from waterway tourism will be VND300 billion a year in 2023 and 2024, and growth will be 10 percent in the next years.

The number of cruise foreign travelers to HCM City in 2023 and 2024 is estimated at 100,000 and will grow by 12-15 percent in following years. The revenue from cruise tourism in 2023 and 2024 will be VND500 billion a year, and grow by 12 percent in the following years.

HCM City is figuring out investment in new products and support services in the 2023-2025 period. The municipal authorities are encouraging investors to invest in the project on ‘coffee boats’ – selling coffee and fast food on waterway routes to serve people and travelers.

It also wants to form internal waterway routes that serve regional specialties of the south and other regions ("bread boats, hu tieu (noodle soup) boats, pho boats") along with traditional artistic activities.

Tran Chung