Nguyen Duy Hau, manager of the Sea Star cruise ship, said King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan toured route 1 of Ha Long bay from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on 21/8. The Bhutanese royal delegation did not go ashore to visit Thien Cung cave like other tourists.
The royal delegation's lunch was split into vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. The king and queen dined in the VIP room, enjoying a menu featuring dishes such as snow mushroom crab soup, pan-seared premium Fuji beef with black pepper sauce, grilled mantis shrimp with scallions, roasted slipper lobster with herbs, steamed natural prawns with coconut milk, and lotus seed and longan sweet soup.
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The king of Bhutan takes photos of Ha Long bay. Photo: Sea Star Cruise |
The king of Bhutan takes photos of Ha Long bay. Photo: Sea Star Cruise
This special menu was created to welcome the king. During the meal, the royal couple also enjoyed Vietnamese folk music. After lunch, the royal family rested in the presidential suite.
Mr. Hau revealed that the king and queen were in good spirits throughout the trip. The ship's staff received generous tips. The king, an avid photographer, spent time on the deck capturing the beauty of Ha Long bay and taking pictures of his family. He also expressed his desire to return in a "different capacity" to experience Ha Long bay more fully.
"I found him friendly and attentive to his wife and children. He followed the queen, prince, and princess whenever they stepped out," Mr. Hau shared.
A Sea Star representative said that having hosted many VIP guests, they encountered no difficulties in welcoming the Bhutanese royal delegation. The delegation had no special requests regarding reception, service, or cuisine, making everything run smoothly.
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Dishes from the king's menu. Photo: Sea Star Cruise
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The king and queen. Photo: Sea Star Cruise
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Inside the presidential suite. Photo: Sea Star Cruise
The Sea Star cruise ship has 39 cabins, accommodating 120 overnight guests. Each cabin costs between 10 and 15 million VND, while suites range from 25 to 30 million VND. The presidential suite costs nearly 100 million VND per night. The price includes four meals and a tour along a fixed route in Ha Long bay.
The state visit of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema took place from 18-22/8. This marked the first state visit to Vietnam by the Bhutanese king and queen since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2012.
Tu Nguyen
