Nearly 4,000 boats and ferries inspected before the opening day of Huong Pagoda festival

On the morning of February 2 (the 5th day of Tet), the Inland Waterway Transport Inspectorate (Hanoi Department of Transport) inspected nearly 4,000 boats and ferries at Huong Pagoda before the festival opening day, to ensure safety for tourists.

Video of Huong Pagoda before the opening day.

Nearly 4,000 boats and ferries transport tourists

This year, "Huong Pagoda Festival - Vietnamese tourist, cultural and traditional destination" takes place for 3 months, from February 3 to May 1 (ie from January 6 to April 4, At Ty year).

Mr. Dang Van Canh, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of My Duc District, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Huong Pagoda Festival in 2025, said that in order to meet the needs of the people, there are currently nearly 4,000 boats and ferries ready to ensure safety to welcome visitors. On the boats there are sunshades, free drinking water, trash cans... With such a number of boats, Huong Pagoda can welcome about 50-60,000 visitors each day.

"Since the first day of Tet until now, Huong Pagoda has attracted more than 60,000 people to visit and worship Buddha," said Mr. Canh.

Nearly 4,000 boats and ferries serve tourists participating in the Huong Pagoda festival.

Since early morning on February 2, thousands of visitors have flocked to the ferry terminal to buy tickets to visit. The Inland Waterways Transport Department Inspectorate has been present early to regulate, direct traffic, and ensure traffic safety on roads and waterways.

Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan, Captain of the Inland Waterway Inspection Team, said: "In carrying out the tasks of the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate, we have proactively developed plans and arrangements for deploying forces, regularly monitoring the situation of order and traffic safety on the assigned waterway to coordinate with the district police to resolve congestion and unsafe situations arising on the route.

At the same time, coordinate with local authorities and relevant forces in inspecting and handling administrative violations of organizations and individuals participating in inland waterway passenger transport business to strictly comply with legal regulations.

Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan, Captain of the Inland Waterways Inspection Team, was present at Yen stream to inspect nearly 4,000 boats and ferries to ensure safety for tourists.

According to Mr. Tan, the unit also promotes the dissemination of content, plans, inspection processes, and handling of administrative violations to people and organizations and individuals participating in the festival. Thereby, raising awareness and sense of law compliance when participating in traffic, limiting traffic accidents...

"The inspection results show that basically, businesses and people comply with traffic safety regulations. However, we will maintain our forces and be on duty at Huong Pagoda area until the end of the 2025 festival season," Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan added.

Although Huong Pagoda has not opened yet, tourists have begun to flock there.

"To ensure the safety of tourists, this year the boats are painted the same color according to regulations, fully equipped with life jackets, trash baskets, umbrellas, seats, free drinking water... each boat driver cooperative member is given a QR code for the cooperative to manage, interact and provide feedback on the boat driver's service attitude towards tourists", Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan, Captain of the Inland Waterway Traffic Inspection Team emphasized.

For boats carrying more people than the prescribed number, overcharging will be strictly handled. In addition, it is absolutely forbidden for motorboats to transport passengers, boats selling goods on the street, and street singers to beg for money on Yen stream. If there is a violation, the boat will immediately not be licensed to carry passengers.

Mr. Dang Van Canh, Permanent Vice Chairman of My Duc District People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of Huong Pagoda Festival 2025.

According to Mr. Dang Van Canh, the Huong Pagoda cooperative will be responsible for selling tickets as well as assigning ferrymen in turns. There will be absolutely no competition or luring of passengers. The number of visitors to the pagoda will be divided equally, in turn, among each ferryman.

"It is forecasted that in the 2025 festival season, Huong Pagoda will welcome 1.2 million visitors to visit and worship at the pagoda. This is an increase of about 40,000 visitors compared to last year. Therefore, ensuring traffic on both roads and waterways is of special concern. The District People's Committee also held a meeting and requested that the functional forces closely coordinate to promptly and strictly handle violations," Mr. Canh shared.

Boat and ferry division operates in shifts

Ms. Trinh Thi Tam, a boat driver of the Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative, said: "This year, the boats will be divided into shifts, so we only have to go to the dock at this time. The cooperative's management board arranges the passengers so every boat driver has passengers to take, without having to wait long or invite them."

"The number of visitors this year is higher than previous years. However, the boats and ferries carrying passengers were organized by the Waterway Transport Inspectorate to propagate and instruct before the festival, and were arranged scientifically and orderly, so their operations were very smooth and convenient.

The profits from transporting passengers are transparent and fairly divided among all nearly 4,000 boats and ferries, so everyone is excited, voluntarily works properly, and strictly complies with regulations," said Ms. Tam.

Although the number of tourists is large, the arrangement of boatmen to operate in shifts means that Yen stream does not experience congestion.

According to Ms. Tam, each boat driver here has a unique card code, which is also the boat's registration number, so that passengers can easily find it when they get to the pier. The boat driver only transports passengers with tickets according to the issued number and cards with QR codes from the Organizing Committee," Ms. Tam shared.

Visitors buy tickets, then go to the ticket gate where the Huong Pagoda cooperative staff will assign a boat driver.

Visiting and worshiping at Huong Pagoda on the morning of February 2, Ms. Lan Huong, residing in Vinh Phuc province, said: "Unlike previous years, the boat and ferry service at Huong Pagoda has been completely renovated. There is no longer the chaos and dragging like in previous years. Life jackets and floating docks are also fully equipped, so we, the passengers, feel very secure and comfortable when traveling."

According to Ms. Huong, along the Yen wharf area, the ferry gates have been systematically organized, with automatic ticket scanners combined with staff guides. In addition, the electric cars picking up and dropping off passengers are regulated according to the rhythm of the ferry wharf, distributing traffic according to reality, giving priority to dropping off passengers in empty ferry areas.