The first two seaplanes arrived in Vietnam on August 21 in preparation for aerial tours of Halong Bay.

 Cessna Grand Caravan EX

Hai Au Aviation purchased the planes from the Cessna Aircraft Company. Each plane cost about USD3.2 million. The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is one of the most modern seaplanes produced in the US.

It can carry 12 passengers and travels around 300 km per hour. The planes will afford tourists views of the bay that would not have been possible in the past. Hai Au Aviation is expecting a third plane before starting the service.

The tour, beginning from September 9, will offer 25 minutes flights from Hanoi to Halong Bay as well as 40 minutes flights over the bay. The cost will be VND5 million (USD238) for the 25-minutes flight and VND7 million per person for the 40-minutes flight.

The seaplane

From December, Hai Au Aviation plans to expand services, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with destinations in central and southern provinces, such as Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Con Dao, Phu Quoc. In 2015, they also plan to expand their services to other parts of Vietnam and neighbouring countries.

Hai Au Aviation is the first private company in Vietnam to own and operate seaplanes.

Dinh Viet Thang, deputy head of Civil Aviation Authority, said they supported Hai Au Aviation in legal procedures to bring the planes into Vietnam. Thang went on to say that they would create the most favourable conditions possible for enterprises so that the seaplane service has chances to get off the ground.