A luxury passenger ship will start plying between Haikou, capital of south China's island province of Hainan, and Vietnam's Halong City on December 28, local tourism sources said on Tuesday.

 

The ship, named Mona Lisa and operated by Hong Kong Ocean Deluxe Cruise Limited, will set off at 7 PM from Xiuying port in Haikou and arrive in Halong at 9 AM the following day. The ship returns to Haikou at 9 AM on the third day, according to the Tourism Bureau of Hainan.

 

Cruises will start from Haikou every four days.

 

The ship, registered in Panama, is 150 meters long and 22 meters wide. It can hold 1,080 people and has more than 200 guest rooms.

 

Another luxury passenger ship will be commissioned next year to navigate around Hainan Island, according to the company.

 

The company also plans to open luxury lines in the future from Sanya, a coastal city in southern Hainan, to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2006)