The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is wrapping up its talks with the authorities of Quang Ninh for the preparation of seaplane services in the province’s capital city, Ha Long.

The new transport service, to be used on Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay is seen to bring better things to the tourism state of the UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as the entire province. Halong Bay, comprising approximately 2,000 islands, most of which are limestone, is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of visitors annually drawn by its natural beauty. Altogether, the bays have more than 250 km of coastline. In fact, with the entire country having a long coastline and the dense river system, the demand for this kind of activity is very large.

Never before used in Vietnam, but this mode of transport is relatively popular in the US and Canada where most of the small seaplanes are privately owned and used for recreational purposes. Dinh Viet Thang, deputy director for CAAV, admits that sea taxi would be a new kind of tourism service for the country. Province authorities believe that when properly implemented, this can largely boost tourism in the area. If the pilot project in Quang Ninh proves to be successful, it will be offered at other tourist sites in the country.

Hai Au Aviation JSC will provide the charter flight services through its Cessna Grand Caravan 208B EX seaplanes, which can accommodate up to 12 passengers. The aircraft can take-off on both land and water. The agency will solicit opinions of other relevant agencies to soon complete the plan to consult with the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Transportation and Quang Ninh authorities. Authorities will then design mechanisms and policies to encourage seaplane operations.

Before the project can be officially launched, approval from the government is needed to be followed with efforts to review aviation regulations to ensure security and safety of passengers. Authorities will also have to ensure that there is enough number of pilots trained to operate the craft which requires a different certification. Once approved, Operations will begin sometime at the end of 2014, with two seaplanes to be initially imported by Hai Au Company.