On Tuesday morning, at the Song Han (Han River) Port, the People's Committees of Da Nang and Quang Ngai Province in collaboration with the Phu Quoc High Speed Boat JSC (Phu Quoc Express) officially launched an inland waterway tourism route connecting Da Nang with the Ly Son Island off the central province of Quang Ngai.

Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son (5th, right), Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee Chairman Dang Van Minh (6th, right), and leaders of departments and branches cutting the ribbon to open the Da Nang - Ly Son waterway tourism route. Photo: THANH LAN

Addressing the opening ceremony, Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son remarked that the launching of the Da Nang-Ly Son waterway tourism route was part of a series of activities to celebrate major holidays in Da Nang in this historic March. This was also a new tourism product, aiming to diversify tourism products in the city in a bid to lure tourists after two years of the interruption of tourism activities due to the impact of COVID-19.

Vice Chairman Son said, over the past time, Da Nang has focused on building ports and wharves, upgrading infrastructure, and developing high quality tourism products and services.

Additionally, the city’s tourism industry has cooperated with tourism associations and businesses to develop new and special products for waterway tourism, including sightseeing boat tours to enjoy the scenery of the Han River, Da Nang Bay and Son Tra Peninsula, that have received high appreciation from businesses and tourists.

Mr. Son expressed his belief that the newly-launched waterway tourism route promised to bring unique and high-quality experience to customers, and meet the diverse needs of tourists in the coming time.

He hoped that the authorities of Ly Son Island, and Quang Ngai Province as a whole, would continue creating very favourable conditions for waterway transport providers and travel businesses to provide the best services for passengers on the route. This, thereby, will help promote growth and exchange of domestic and international visitor sources through the Da Nang tourism gateway connecting Quang Ngai and the Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands regions.

For his part, Chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee Dang Van Minh highlighted the significance of the opening of the route in marking the 47^th anniversary of the liberation of Da Nang, as well as promoting trade connection activities between the two localities, especially in the field of tourism.

A model of an express ship which is expected to be put into use on the Da Nang-Ly Son inland waterway route by the Phu Quoc Express JSC. Photo: THANH LAN

The 7,505 HP, 44.7m-long Trung Trac Express ship, with IMO number of 9886483, will be put into use on this route. It can accommodate a total of 612 people, of which the maximum number of passengers allowed is 598.

The ship will travel from the Da Nang Port to the Ly Son Port, and vice versa. The 70-nautical mile journey will last three hours.

Initially, the Phu Quoc Express JSC will operate four trips per week. In particular, trips operating on the newly-launched route will depart from the city’s Song Han (Han River) Port on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and from the Ly Son Port on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Ticket prices range from VND590,000 - VND720,000 VND per person for economy class and 900,000 VND per person for VIP class.

After the trial period, the Phu Quoc Express will operate with a frequency of 2 trips and return in the same day to meet the needs of tourists.

It is expected that the Trung Trac Express Ship will be officially put into operation for the first time on April 9.

Reporting by THANH LAN - Translating by M.DUNG