A royal banquet in the century-old palace of the Nguyen Dynasty has recently became a highlight in the tour of the ancient imperial city of Hue designed for visitors arriving on cruise liners via Chan May Port.

Modeled after a programme called “Dem Hoang Cung” (Royal Night), which was a prominent event at several editions of the city’s signature Hue Festival, the party offered nine typical Hue dishes along with 

numerous royal entertainments including performances of “nha nhac” (court music) which was recognised by UNESCO as part of the World Cultural Intangible Heritage, court dances and games. 

According to Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre Phan Thanh Hai, the preparation process for such a banquet for 1,000 diners involves nearly 800 people, including 400 cooks and servers.  

The first royal banquet was held for passengers on the luxury Celebrity Century Cruise of Malta’s Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, which carried thousands of international tourists on its voyage from Vung Tau to 

Hue and Ha Long cities.

Phan Thanh Hai said the new activity is part of the city’s tourism promotion campaign to attract luxury cruise international visitors to Vietnam in 2016 and the following years, particularly after the central coastal 

province of Thua Thien-Hue’s Chan May Port was selected by the Asia Cruise Association as one of the 46 stops in South East Asia for pleasure boats.

Chan May Port welcomed 36 cruise liners carrying over 87,000 foreign tourists and crew members in 2016, up 8,500 tourists against the year before.

It has recently accommodated the international five-star ship Ovation of the Seas, the latest of the Royal Caribbean’s trio Quantum – class super-large ships. 

Thua Thien – Hue province will continue to expand tourism activities targeting cruise liner visitors, Nguyen Van Cao, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said, adding that the locality will promote its 

cruise tourism potential at domestic and international fairs. 

Located in the centre of Vietnam between two tourism hubs of Hue and Damang cities, the Chan May Port has potential to become a specialised tourism port in Vietnam.

The port is also a main stop on the route connecting Singapore, the Philippines and Hong Kong, and the nearest access point to the East Sea for the east-west economic corridor which connects Vietnam’s 

central region with Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.  

The port can accommodate 30,000 DWT vessels and cruise ships carrying over 3,000-4,000 passengers, and will receive further upgrade in the future.

VNA