Ho Chi Minh City: Enhancing the experience of waterway tourism

With a dense river system and increasingly beautiful landscapes on both banks of the Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City's waterway tourism is becoming an attractive highlight for tourists.

Awakening the attraction of waterway tourism

In recent years, Ho Chi Minh City’s waterway tourism has seen a strong transformation. From river buses, restaurant boats, sunset tours to cruises to explore the city at night.

All products of waterway tourism are gradually becoming a familiar choice for locals and international tourists who want to feel the vibrant life of Saigon from a different perspective.

Many businesses are exploiting tourism on the Saigon River. Photo: PT

Ms. Hoang Lan (Thu Duc Ward) shared: “I have traveled abroad many times, but the feeling of sitting on a boat watching my city at night brings a very unique experience. If properly invested, this will definitely be a highlight of city tourism.”

The development of waterway tourism products has contributed to enriching the “urban tourism identity” of Ho Chi Minh City. Not only stopping at sightseeing, many tourism programs also combine culinary experiences, enjoying music or organizing small events on the river – bringing a new relaxing space in the heart of the city.

A representative of Elite of Saigon, the new unit that has just "launched" a modern 5-star cruise on the Saigon River, said that the trend of experiential tourism on the river is receiving strong attention.

“Domestic and international tourists increasingly like to explore the city through gentle activities close to nature. Waterway tourism has therefore become a product with long-term development potential,” he shared.

Tourists enjoy cuisine on the cruise. Photo: PT

Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, said: “River tourism and night tourism are two important development directions of the city. New products will not only prolong the length of stay but also help tourists spend more, thereby contributing positively to the growth of the tourism industry in particular and the economy in general.”

Building a solid foundation for waterway tourism

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the city aims to increase the number of waterway tourists by 10-15% compared to the same period in 2025. The agency will also add 5-10 new products and deploy more than 10 means of transport to serve tourists on key river routes.

In addition to expanding products, the city also focuses on ensuring safety, security and environmental sanitation at piers and marinas. Survey teams are being organized to study thematic tourism routes, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the Southeast provinces and the Mekong Delta - creating a more attractive inter-regional itinerary chain.

The leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism affirmed that after expanding its administrative boundaries, Ho Chi Minh City has more potential to strongly develop waterway tourism. The convenient seaport system, inland transportation, and the landscape on both banks of the Saigon, Nha Be, and Soai Rap rivers are important conditions for forming unique tourism products associated with rivers.

Tourists watch the city at night on the Saigon River. Photo: PT

According to Dr. Duong Duc Minh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Economic and Tourism Development Research, the city possesses rare natural advantages with a rich river network and diverse riverside urban landscape. However, for waterway tourism to develop sustainably, there needs to be a comprehensive strategy for planning wharves, routes and support services.

Industry experts also believe that to develop waterway tourism, the city needs clear and synchronous planning from technical infrastructure, landscape to riverside and sea services.

At the same time, it is necessary to encourage private investment in iconic projects, focusing on lighting and landscape beautification to create a more attractive waterway tourism space, especially for night trips.

Dai Doan Ket Newspaper

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-nang-tam-trai-nghiem-du-lich-duong-thuy-20251016152000487.htm