HCMC to launch helicopter tour

By Huynh Nhi April 12, 2022 | 11:21 pm PT

A helicopter parks at the Military Hospital 175 in HCMC. Photo courtesy of HCMC Department of Tourism

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are scheduled to launch a helicopter tour that allows tourists to view the city from the sky as part of efforts to boost tourism after reopening.

The tour using a EC-255 helicopter is expected to be available during the Reunification Day (April 30) holiday to offer tourists a new travel experience.

For short tours that last from 30 to 45 minutes, tourists will have an opportunity to view downtown HCMC and Can Gio, an outlying district of the city that is famous for fresh seafood and eco-tourist sites and is home to Can Gio Mangrove Forest, a biological reserve recognized by UNESCO.

For mid-range tours that last one hour, visitors can fly from HCMC or Can Gio to the Endless Field tourist site in the Mekong Delta province of Long An.

175 Military Hospital will provide the helicopter parking area and healthcare services for passengers while Southern Vietnam Helicopter Company ensures flight safety in compliance with regulations as required by the Ministry of National Defense.

Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of the HCMC Department of Tourism, said the tour was a new and special product set to improve travel experience and attract foreign visitors after Vietnam reopened inbound tourism from March 15.

The tour's price has not yet been revealed.

HCMC hopes to receive 25 million domestic and 3.5 million foreign tourists this year.

Its tourism sector has a revenue target of VND97.7 trillion ($4.3 billion).