The Story Behind the Open-Top Bus Journey Around Ho Chi Minh City

Providing abundant experiences to tourists in a short timeframe is the essence of the Hop on – Hop off tour exploring Ho Chi Minh City.

The Story Behind the Open-Top Bus Journey Around Ho Chi Minh City

Exploring Ho Chi Minh City via double-decker open-top buses commenced on January 15th. This marks the second location where Anh Viet Company's Hop on-Hop off Vietnam invests in open-top buses for tourism, following Hanoi. Mr. Nguyen Khoa Luân, the company's director, expressed that it has been a long and challenging journey to launch the tour for tourists.

Encountering Numerous Obstacles

Hop on-Hop off is a popular tourist transportation mode using open-top buses abroad. Mr. Nguyen Khoa Luân recounted: “In 2003, while studying in Europe, I dreamt of bringing this transportation mode to Vietnam to serve tourists”. However, it wasn't until 2017 that the double-decker open-top buses commenced their first trial run.

Explaining this, according to Mr. Luân, in Vietnam, there is no legal document permitting double-decker open-top buses to transport tourists, including pickup trucks. Additionally, infrastructure issues with electrical lines pose hindrances to the project's progress.

Furthermore, another significant challenge for tourist transportation using double-decker open-top buses is the high import taxes. “Despite assembling components in Vietnam, the high import taxes have also posed considerable difficulties,” Mr. Luân stated.

In 2016, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc agreed to the principle of piloting tourist passenger transportation services in urban areas using specialized double-decker, open-top vehicles. Mr. Luân stated: “This is a significant turning point in clearing legal hurdles for us”.

In May 2018, this mode of tourist transportation was first introduced to serve tourists in Hanoi. After over a year and a half, the company continued to launch this mode in Ho Chi Minh City. Furthermore, open-top buses are also operated by some other companies in Da Nang, Ha Long.

Drivers Must Undergo Training

According to Mr. Luân, driver selection is quite rigorous. Besides mandatory requirements such as a driver's license, ethics and personality are also taken into account. Each double-decker open-top bus driver undergoes a 45-day vocational training course. This training program is conducted by foreign experts who directly teach about attitudes, service manners, interacting with tourists, and essential driving skills.

“Drivers must absolutely refrain from honking. The vehicle must operate smoothly. Emergency braking is not permitted… these are mandatory requirements,” asserted Mr. Luân.

Moreover, to ensure the safety of tourists, after completing one loop, drivers must take a break of approximately 15 minutes. Each day is divided into three shifts. Morning shift drivers rest in the afternoon. Evening shift drivers rest in the morning of the following day.

Enthusiastic Tourists

Exploring destinations via double-decker open-top buses is a preferred choice for many tourists. The city tour of Ho Chi Minh City by double-decker open-top bus covers a distance of over 13 km, passing through District 1 and District 3, featuring 30 attractions such as Independence Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the City Post Office…

There are 22 trips per day, with a daytime interval of 30 minutes and a nighttime interval of 60 minutes. The journey takes approximately 60 minutes (including 3-minute stops at each point to pick up and drop off passengers).

“With tickets valid for 24 hours, we encourage tourists to choose their own time, allowing them to explore the city conveniently,” stated Mr. Luân.

Ms. Le Thi Kim Thoa, a tourist experiencing the Hop on-Hop off tour, shared: “I feel excited sitting on the open-top bus and admiring the bustling streets, the myriad of motorcycles weaving below”.

“We utilize an automated audio guide system with 8 languages. Any tourist from any country can understand about the destinations the bus passes through,” said Mr. Luân.

According to the managing director of Anh Viet Hop on-Hop off Vietnam, the company will introduce this type of open-top bus in several locations such as Ha Long, Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phu Quoc… in the near future. It is planned that in June, the Hop on-Hop off tour will serve tourists in District 5, passing through routes such as Hai Thuong Lan Ong, Cho Lon…

According to Nguyen Nam/ Vnexpress

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Reference: Travel handbook Mytour