[NEWS] THE FIRST HELICOPTER SIGHTSEEING TOUR IS LAUNCHED IN HALONG BAY
Discovering Halong Bay has been always one of the most attractive and typical things when tourists pay a visit to Quang Ninh. There are so many interesting way to explore this gem including taking a cruise, doing kayak or taking a cable car. However, tourists now can experience the glamorous beauty of Halong Bay by the new and amazing way, helicopter sightseeing flights.
Northern Vietnam Helicopter Company, which is under Vietnam Helicopter Corporation, has launched a new series of tourism flights over the scenic Halong Bay area, Halong Heli Tours. This article aims to provide information about this new service and reasons why tourists should take a flight with helicopter when visiting Halong Bay.
WHY CHOOSE SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT?
In Vietnamese, “Ha” means descending and “Long” means dragon. Thus, Halong Bay literally means "The bay where dragon descends", arcording to ancient mythology and Vietnamese history. Ha Long Bay which is located in the Gulf of Tonkin belonging to Quang Ninh Province in the northeast of Vietnam, is 165 km from Hanoi. Covering an area of 43.400 ha and including over 1600 islands and islets towering from emerald water, most of which still maintain the authentic and unspoiled beauty of nature.
Those limestone pillars are coated by luxuriant green of tropical plants and boast stunning karst grottoes, caves and caverns. The Bay was first recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 due to its marvelous natural beauty and cultural importance. In 2000, the bay was recognised the second time for its significant geomorphic features as a billon-year-living proof of Earth's formation.
As mentioned above, boats or luxurious cruise ships have been used to carry visitors around the bay to contemplate the thriving beauty of the bay. However, boats and ships can only bring out a glance of Ha Long Bay’s magnificence. With the aim to bringing the charming beauty of wonder of the world closer and newer to tourists, Northern Vietnam Helicopter Company introduce new helicopter sightseeing flights to upgrade Ha Long Bay experience to the higher level.
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This service has three different routing options including:
- Sighseeing Tour which enables tourists capture Ha Long Bay’s dreamlike beauty from a bird’s eye view and go sky high amongst the limestone cliffs of unique landscape in Vietnam. This tour include 12 minute sightseeing tour, 25 minute sightseeing tour and 40 minute sightseeing tour.
- Charter Flights (VIP) offer passengers the perfect chance to design their own flying schedule.
- A-B Transfer Tours offer tourists to get to their selected destination quickly and comfortably. Helicopters’ flexibility allows them to land at a wide range of locations as well as various airports throughout Vietnam. In addition, a large helicopter fleet enables them to have the aircraft ready to arrange both ad hoc flights and longer charter flights to suit their needs.
The price for flights is between $125 and $396 per person.
The cheapest journey lasting for 12 minutes costs $125 and will fly over six tourist sites including Thien Cung cave, Titop island and Bai Tu Long Bay. The most expensive experience lasts for 40 minutes flying over 17 different sites along Halong Bay.
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Two Bell 505 helicopters serve the Halong Bay Scenic Flight service. Flights set off and arrive at Tuan Chau island, which is about 170-kilometers from Hanoi.
Bell 505 helicopters can contain three passeners per flight. They're fitted with forward-facing seats and large windows, offering great views of Halong Bay.
There has been 300 passengers registering this service so far since their launch in early May.
However, it is not the first and only sightseeing flight launched in this area. Hai Au Aviation also offers scenic flights over Halong Bay. The 25 minute tour taking off and landing from the water at Tuan Chau Island Marina costs from $102 to $120 depending on the season and including views of Dau Be Island, Cong Do Island and Bo Hon Island.
SOME INFORMATION FOR SIGHTSEEING FLIGHTS
- To book sightseeing flights, you should book in advance.
- All payments methods for flights are accepted.
- Before boarding, you will be accompanied to a security checkpoint to be scanned by a metal detector to ensure safety. Firearms, weapons, sharp objects, lighters, explosives and chemicals are banned at the heliport and aboard aircraft. When security check is finished, you will be directed to the reservation desk and your check-in with ticket confirmation will be carried out.
- A flight may be delayed due to unexpected weather conditions or a maintenance issue that was unplanned or as a result of some other operational issue beyond control.
- You are allowed to bring personal items such as cameras, phones, glasses or sunglasses aboard the aircraft. Purses, bags, handbags, camera bags, scarves, hats and other loose items of clothing must stay in a private secure locker.
- The information about each location on the tour will be recorded and delivered to the passengers during the flight via a premium aviation headsets system.
- Children 24 months and older are charged a 100% service fee. Children under 24 months of age are not permitted on board for safety reasons.
- There are variety of charter flights for passengers including event tour, wedding photography, filming tour, aerial survey tour and so on.
- You should wear clothes which match the weather conditions of the area at the time of the flight.
This is a great opportunity for you to experience this travel service to contemplate Halong Bay in the new way. If you need any support or further information, contact with our Asia Links Travel.
