A high-speed boat operated by Thành Thành Phát Transport Company. — Photo courtesy of the company

HCM CITY — A new high-speed boat service connecting HCM City and the Côn Đảo Islands off Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province will launch on March 29, following the suspension of a previous service due to customer complaints about wharf location.

Operated by Thành Thành Phát Transport Company, the service will run daily, departing Saigon Port at 7am and returning the next day at 11:30am, with a travel time of approximately five hours.

The boat has a capacity of 374 seats, including 280 sleeping berths.

Ticket prices range from VNĐ720,000-1,370,000 (US$28-$54), varying by seating type and day of the week.

The first trip is scheduled for March 29, and this service will complement another company already operating on the route.

In May last year, a similar high-speed boat service was launched by another operator, taking about five hours to travel from Hiệp Phước Wharf in Nhà Bè District in HCM City to Bến Đầm Port in Côn Đảo.

However, it has been temporarily suspended due to customer complaints about the wharf’s distance from the city centre, transfer issues, and low passenger numbers. As a result, the operator is adjusting the schedule for the low tourist season.

Currently, travelers from HCM City reach Côn Đảo by air or by first traveling to Vũng Tàu beach town, about two hours from HCM City, and then taking a boat to the island.

The new high-speed service aims to improve connectivity and offer more travel options to this popular destination.

A tourist attraction in Việt Nam, Côn Đảo consists of 16 large and small islets, with a total land area of around 75 square kilometres and a marine area of roughly 140 square kilometres within Côn Đảo National Park.

The island, located about 185 kilometres away from Vũng Tàu beach town, is home to around 10,000 people and is a popular destination for both local and foreign tourists. — VNS