Vietnam’s no-frills carrier Vietjet has started offering a new service linking Ho Chi Minh City and the home of Ha Long Bay, the airline said Sunday in a press release.

The new route connects the commercial and economic capital of Vietnam with the attractive islands of Quang Ninh Province, meeting high demand for air transportation, travel and trade of local people and tourists, as well as contributing to the integration of the northeastern region, the carrier said.

A jubilant opening ceremony took place at Van Don International Airport in Van Don District, which is around 38km from Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO Heritage Site.  

The airport was built at a cost of almost VND7.5 trillion (US$323 million), with VND734 billion ($31.6 million) provided by the Quang Ninh administration to fund site clearance and the rest covered by Vietnamese Sun Group.

Vietjet operates the Ho Chi Minh City-Van Don route with return flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Flight time is about two hours and 15 minutes per leg.

Flights depart from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City at 7:00 am and arrive in Van Don at 9:15 am. The return legs start in Van Don at 9:50 am and end in Ho Chi Minh City at 12:05 pm.

Van Don, 551 square kilometers in area, is an island district located to the northeast of Quang Ninh.

It is an attractive tourist destination, with such famous places of interest as Bai Tu Long National Park, Dua Islet, Thien Nga Islet, Quan Lan Island, Minh Chau Island, Ngoc Vung Island, and others.

Vietjet operates flights on 105 routes covering destinations across Vietnam and international destinations such as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, mainland China, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Cambodia.

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