The wait is finally over.
After more than 2.5 years, the world’s longest 3S passenger ropeway was inaugurated on February 4. Invitees attended kick off festivities with a slew of giveaways, recognitions, and announcements.
Passengers hopped onboard the 7.9km Hon Thom Cable Car and soared from Phu Quoc over the Gulf of Thailand’s crystal blue waters on a 15 minute ride before arriving on Hon Thom Island (i.e. Pineapple Island).
The ropeway system, designed with seventy 30-passenger cabins and a capacity of 3,500 pphpd, can operate at maximum speeds of 8.5m/s (30.6km/h). This incredible speed helps the cable car tie a record, initially set by the 30-TGD Psekhako ropeway in Sochi, Russia, for the fastest 3S gondola ever built.
Hundreds of marine vessels appeared to have gathered below the cable car to witness its inauguration. Image from Sun World Hon Thom Nature Park.
With this new piece of infrastructure, travelling to Hon Thom Island has never been as easy nor as exciting. The cable car will aid in the development of the region’s growing tourism market where three million visitors arrived in 2017.
The island chain, already home to what has been called the most luxurious JW Marriott resort ever built, is expected to experience significant growth in the short-mid term as new mixed-use developments are scheduled to open.
Hon Thom Nature Park, located at the cable car’s southern terminal, will officially accept visitors on Lunar New Year on February 14. Visitors to Pineapple Island will be able to enjoy a number of amenities such as paragliding, kayaking, and diving.
Looking towards Phu Quoc. Image by Sun World Hon Thom Nature Park.
For North American travellers, Phu Quoc is still a bit of trek, since there are no direct flights available. However, for those living in the region, it appears that six airlines already serve the island’s international airport. Flights from large cities such as Bangkok, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Siem Reap have regularly scheduled arrivals.
Seasonal and/or chartered flights also seem to available from more distant European cities such as London, Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, and Moscow. From the looks of it, the future of Phu Quoc and the cable car is incredibly promising.
Visitors arriving in Vietnam’s Maldives can purchase ropeway tickets at US$22 (adults) and US$15 (children). Luckily, for those who can’t visit in the meantime, we can all ride vicariously as social media accounts have already captured the entire experience online.