HCMC to develop waterways for tourism

The HCMC tourism sector has developed a project to exploit short, medium and long-distant routes from the town to Mekong Delta Provinces, Cambodia, neighboring province of Dong Nai and districts in the city.
Running alongside Tau Hu and Kenh Doi canals, now completely dredged, is the Vo Van Kiet road that has contributed to improving the environment and bringing a beautiful look to the city with advantage for tourism waterway development.
HCMC has great potential to develop its waterways for tourism like other countries in the region. Water environment, environmental sanitation, landscapes along Ben Nghe, Tau Hu, Kenh Doi, Kenh Te canals have been improved. District 8 authorities will develop tourism, but preserve historical and cultural sites, and protect the environment, said Nguyen Thanh Chung, chairman of the district People’s Committee.
The district government will promote destinations such as Binh Dong Temple, Long Hoa Pagoda, floating market on Binh Dong pier, ancient and night streets.
According to experts and leaders of travel companies, the municipal authorities can develop short day tours presenting daily activities of local people along canals to international visitors. The local government should also create advantage for enterprises to build their own piers to pick up tourists.
HCMC has great potential to develop its waterways but it has very few products to meet the demand for this special tourism and lacks facilities like a fully planned waterway network, boats, harbors, and stopovers for tourists.