First international cruise returns to Viet Nam
VGP - French-flagged cruise ship Le Lape'rouse made it the first to visit Viet Nam after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A passenger is presented with flowers and gifts when visiting Viet Nam - Illustration photo
The return showed a positive sign in the recovery of the cruise industry in the post-pandemic period.
On October 12, Le Lape'rouse with over 100 foreign holidaymakers aboard docked at Ha Long International Cruise Port in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh.
During their stay in Ha Long City, the visitors toured the city, world-heritage Ha Long Bay and Quang Ninh Museum, and enjoyed entertainment services.
Ha Long is the last leg of the journey in the country.
Earlier, the cruise ship anchored at Con Dao in Ba Ria-Vung Tau
The passengers, mainly from Europe and the US, were presented with flowers and gifts at the ports.
Five-star cruise ship Mekong Princess docked at Ninh Kieu port in Can Tho City on October 7, bringing New Zealand visitors to the Mekong Delta city for the first time.
The made-by-Vietnam cruise ship is on an eight days and seven nights journey starting from Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta cities and provinces and will stop in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province.
Viet Nam is blessed with a 3,260km long coastline and more than 3,000 islands.
The S-shaped country has more than 125 beaches and is also proud of its many pristine bays, beautiful caves and lush tropical year-round islands.
Seven of Viet Nam’s 13 world heritage sites are in coastal areas, as are six of its eight biosphere reserves, and many of its national parks and nature conservation areas are concentrated in coastal areas.
Viet Nam is also home to two of the most beautiful bays in the world, Ha Long Bay and Nha Trang Bay.
In order to effectively tap those advantages, Viet Nam has invested in developing many famous coastal destinations across the country including Ha Long Bay and Van Don in Quang Ninh; Cat Ba island in Hai Phong, Con Dao island in Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Phu Quoc island in Kien Giang to name a few.
Before the pandemic broke out in early 2020, the number of foreign tourists coming to the coastal regions tended to continually increase and currently accounts for nearly 80% of the total number of foreign visitors to Viet Nam, while the number of domestic tourists flocking to these areas accounts for over 50% of total domestic tourists who travel across the country./.
