From Thursday, Vietnam Airlines will begin twice-weekly services between Gatwick and Hanoi and the same number between Gatwick and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The flights will take approximately 12 hours, cutting several hours off the journey to Vietnam – until now only possible via regional hubs such as Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Vietnam and neighbouring Cambodia and Laos have been attracting a growing number of British visitors since opening up to tourists some two decades ago. Last year, 80,000 Britons visited Vietnam, exploring the Mekong Delta and Halong Bay by boat, heading to the hills of Sapa, engaging with the legacy of the Vietnam War and relaxing on one of the country’s many beaches. Cambodia, home to the Angkor Wat temple complex, drew some 103,000 British visitors. Laos attracts those looking for a more laid-back atmosphere, beautiful scenery and the Buddhist charms of Luang Prabang.
“In Vietnam itself most people travel from one end of the country to the other, taking in all the different highlights along the way. With these new flights it will be possible to fly into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City – or vice versa.”
“For travellers wanting to explore south-east Asia, this new route will make things much easier and should mean one less flight at each end of the journey,” said Natalie Lewis of Audley Travel, a company that began as a south-east Asia specialist 15 years ago.
