Small ship itineraries in Vietnam amongst best Southeast Asia cruises
Small ship itineraries along Ha Long Bay, the Red (Hong) River and the Lower Mekong River in Vietnam were named among the top four best Southeast Asia cruises by the US travel guidebook series Frommer’s.
A ship carry tourists to explore Ha Long Bay. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Small ship itineraries along Ha LongBay, the Red (Hong) River and the Lower Mekong River in Vietnam were namedamong the top four best Southeast Asia cruises by the US travel guidebookseries Frommer’s.
The four itineraries were listed in an article published onMarch 11, by Heidi Sarna - the cofounder of QuirkyCruise.com, which is designedto share reviews and news about small-ship cruises around the world.
According to Heidi Sarna, during the 10-day itinerary to explorethe Red River and Ha Long Bay, a small ship covers several hundred milesbetween Ha Long Bay and Hoa Binh province in northern Vietnam, spending a fewdays in the picturesque and otherworldly limestone karst–studded Ha Long Bay,which is the dramatic backdrop to films like Indochine (1992) and The QuietAmerican (2002).
Except for a day in frenetic and fascinating Hanoi, which isnotable for its colonial architecture, war heritage, and foodie culture, therest of this route is spent on the Red River and its tributaries, which reachinto the rural landscapes and small towns of Vietnam’s heartland.
The author also revealed several rewarding ways to spend timeoff the ship, including village walks, kayaking in Ha Long Bay, watching atraditional water puppet show, taking tours of heritage sites, and getting aclose-up look at traditional methods for making ceramics, furniture, rice wine,knives, and noodles.
Meanwhile, on the classic weeklong Mekong itinerary cruisesbetween river points near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Siem Reap, Cambodia,the riverscape varies from remote and pastoral on the Cambodian side - wherepassengers can spot people bathing and slapping laundry against stones at theriver’s edge - to the more industrial and bustling Vietnam part of the river.
On excursions, passengers can walk through villages and pastpicture-perfect rice fields and venture into pungent wet markets and floatingfish farms./.
Premium cruise liners are currently in vogue for travel aficionados as they give holiday-makers a new tourist experience when discovering the beauty of sought-after destinations.
Vietnam has emerged as one of the leading attractive destinations in Asia for international cruise ships with the arrival of more than 400 ships in 2017.
The northern province of Quang Ninh, home to UNESCO-recognised Ha Long Bay, welcomed about 1.7 million visitors and earned some 3 trillion VND (126.56 million USD) from tourism services in February.
Malta-flagged cruise ship Mein Schiff 5 docked in Quang Ninh province on March 6, carrying nearly 2,000 European visitors to the famous tourist destination in the north of Vietnam.
To fulfil its target of welcoming 15 million tourists and earning 32.4 trillion VND (1.36 billion USD) this year, the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh, home to Ha Long Bay World Natural Heritage, plans to introduce 24 new tourism products in April.
The first and only direct service connecting the two countries at the moment is set to operate three times per week using the modern wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Mu Cang Chai is home to nearly 83,000 hectares of forest, including almost 60,000 hectares of unspoiled natural woodland. Recognising this potential, local authorities have embraced a holistic strategy that protects biodiversity while promoting tourism.
Phu Quoc ranks among the top 10 leading tourist islands in Asia. As the largest island in Vietnam, it boasts stunning natural beauty, with expansive coral reefs resting beneath the sea and a number of beautiful, poetic beaches such as Sao, Truong, and Khem, known for their fine white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet are among the exhibitors, promoting key destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc, as well as distinctive tourism products.
Alexander Musikhin, Vice President of ATOR and CEO of the Intourist travel agency, highlighted Vietnam as a top destination offering a unique blend of beach holidays and cultural excursions.
According to Seoul’s Tourism Industry Department, approximately 20,000 Vietnamese visitors travel to the city each year for medical treatment. Vietnam consistently ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest number of medical tourists to Seoul.
An analysis of accommodation search data based on check-in dates for June and July revealed that Nha Trang surpassed all other destinations in popularity among Korean users.
The programme is organised by the Khanh Hoa provincial Youth Union and the “Khanh Hoa people speak English” Project, and aims to promote the culture, history, cuisine and other tourism products of Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa to international visitors.
VNAT Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh called visa a golden ticket to pulling in crowds, but he is clear that it needs coordinated efforts across multiple sectors to keep the momentum going in this fast-moving global travel scene.
As a tourism hub, Hanoi is now actively developing strategies to attract Muslim travellers. In recent years, the city has seen a notable uptick in visitors from countries with large Muslim populations.
When tourists witness firsthand the passion and care of farmers, they’re willing to pay higher prices because they see the genuine worth behind every product.
During the first five months, China continued to be Vietnam's largest source market of tourists, followed by the RoK, China’s Taiwan, the US, and Japan.
After more than three months of operation, the popularity of the free tours in Bac Ninh province shows no signs of cooling down. Many tourists return every week in hopes of experiencing all the tours and visiting every destination.
Typical products of Phu Tho are being showcased at the Lao Cai International Travel Mart 2025, held in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai from June 5-8.
Featuring 130 stalls and delegations from 120 travel agencies representing more than ten countries and territories, the event is expected to provide a platform for establishing partnerships and attracting more visitors to Lao Cai in the future.
Kicking off the festival on the evening of June 7 will be the grand music concert titled “Nha Trang Say Hi”, featuring popular artists from the trending show “Anh Trai Say Hi”. The event will be broadcast live nationwide and conclude with a fireworks display over Nha Trang Bay.
Data from Booking.com reveals that during the peak summer vacation in June and July, beach trips continue to be a top priority for Vietnamese travellers.
The northern midland province of Phu Tho has carried out all-round measures to improve tourism infrastructure, services, and offerings, elevating visitor experience and reinforcing the province’s unique cultural identity.
Hanoi has directed lodging providers and tourist destinations to bolster preparations in staffing, service quality, security, and sanitation. Community-based lodging platforms such as Airbnb are also being promoted strongly to expand housing supply during the holiday period.
A ship carry tourists to explore Ha Long Bay. (Photo: VNA) 
