HCM CITY – More high-speed boat trips from the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang to Phú Quốc Island will be added during Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday from January 26 to February 14, according to the Kiên Giang Province’s Department of Transportation.

The number of trips from Rạch Giá City to Phú Quốc Island will increase from three to seven daily with no change in fee.  The fee is VNĐ340,000 (US$ 15) one way.

The new departure times for four added trips are at 6:15am, 9am, 2:30pm and 3:15pm.

There will be no change to the return trip from Phú Quốc Island to Rạch Giá City. The return schedules are 7:30am, 11:30am and 2:30pm.

For the round-trip from Hà Tiên City to Phú Quốc Island will increase from three round trips to five round trips with no fee change. The fee is VNĐ250,000 (US$ 11) one way.

The new schedule for two new round trips are at 7:45am and 9:45am for departing trips and 11:45am and 1:45pm for return trips.

The trips to Nam Du Island will not increase because there are few additional visitors during the period.

For high-speed ferry trips, from February 2 to 12, the number of trips from Hà Tiên to Phú Quốc will increase from nine round trips to 14 round trips per day with fees of VNĐ 270,000 ($11.5) and VNĐ 400,000 ($17), according to the Thạnh Thới high-speed ferry company.

Trần Song Hải, director of the Greenlines DP Company, said the company would run experimental new express trips from HCM City and Cần Thơ City to Côn Đảo Island in Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu Province with Phú Quý Express high-speed boats.

The first express trip from HCM City to Côn Đảo will take only around five hours and around three and half hours from Cần Thơ City to Côn Đảo.

The Phú Quý Express boat has 230 beds and 70 seats with fully maritime-safe items.

Hải expects the express trips will operate before April 30. – VNS