Tourist boats in Ha Long Bay
According to Bui Hong Minh, deputy director of the provincial Department of Transport, local authorities drafted a plan to improve the quality of tourist boats in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays by 2030.
Under the draft plan, from now until 2025, Ha Long Bay will maintain as many as 508 tourist boats, while around 20 yachts will be used for specific areas or routes in the bay.
Bai Tu Long Bay will add 100 tourist boats, and boat owners can select the type of boat that is suitable for their business needs.
Between 2026 and 2030, the number of tourist boats will be checked annually to ensure that the total fleet is within the tourism capacity set by authorities.
By 2030, all wooden-hull tourist boats in the province will be replaced by steel vessels, Minh added.
The plan encourages the replacement of two or more boats with larger vessels to increase safety, comfort, and overall fleet capacity.
Priority will be given to expanding passenger cabins to a minimum of 1.4 square metres per passenger while providing additional space for other services like bars, viewing lounges and kitchens.
Minh noted that by 2025, warning signs will be fully installed in hazardous areas outside the channels and water regions that have yet to be managed for transport activities in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays.