The HCM City-based Saigontourist Travel Service Co has organised tours for 2,650 passengers of international cruise ships this week.
Costa Classica, with 2,150 passengers, mostly from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, anchored in Ha Long Bay on Thursday. They visited Cho Da, Ga Choi, Dinh Huong islets; Thien Cung Cave and Bai Chay Beach on Saigontourist tours before the cruise ship left the bay for Hong Kong at 18.00 on the same day. Costa Classica will return to Viet Nam on March 1 for a six-day trans-Viet Nam trip.
The Princess Daphne of Portugal with 500 Australian passengers on board, arrives in HCM City today for a seven-day trip of Viet Nam. After a tour of HCM City, the cruise ship will sail to Nha Trang, Da Nang and Ha Long.
Hoi An gives free maps to tourists
Hoi An city People's Committee began to deliver maps of the city to both local and foreign tourists on February 20. The Hoi An Tourist Map Project, funded by the US's Robin Taucks&Partners, is expected to distribute 40,000 maps free to visitors at more than 40 different locations.
The Quang Nam Tourism Association will gather tourist opinions from a sample survey form attached to each map.
High occupancy at HCM City hotels
Luxury hotels in HCM City are enjoying high occupancy rates of over 80 per cent in February due to arrivals of large groups of foreign guests for conferences. Viet Nam's biggest logistics conference attended by 1,600 participants in District 7 has filled a lot of these rooms. Hotels such as Grand, Sheraton Sai Gon, New World Sai Gon, Duxton and Majestic said the business this month was very good compared to the same period last year.
Island expats enjoy football tourney
Mango Bay Phu Quoc, an eco-luxe resort will hold its fourth football tournament for expats in Viet Nam on May 7. The Mango Bay Viet Nam's Champions League is an annual tournament taking place at Cua Can Stadium on Phu Quoc Island. This year, eight expat teams will compete for the title on a brand new pitch for a bigger cup.
The registration fee is US$150 per team of 10, including a goal keeper, six starting players and three subsitutes.
See HCM City by laptop
The InterContinental Asiana Sai Gon has loaded a video clip on its website to provide travellers with the insider knowledge of the city. The five minute clip features the main attractions of the Notre Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market, the HCM City Post Office, Cu Chi [guerrilla warfare] Tunnels and landmarks and boutiques on Dong Khoi Street in HCM City's District 1. It also features the bustle of Sai Gon and a ride on a Honda om (Honda motobike taxi) through the busy streets.
The online clip www.intercontinental.com/saigon is part of the hotel's In the Know programme. — VNS