Diving in Vietnam

The coastline of Vietnam, densely indented by river deltas, stretches for 3,444 km. The country is washed by the waters of the South China Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean. The shores of the economic zone of the Red River Delta and the north-eastern region are blocked by the Bay of Bakbo (Tonkin), and in the southwest in the Mekong Delta zone-Siamese. About 4 thousand square kilometers of the territory of the Asian state is not the mainland land, but the islands, including the Paracel Islands, Catba and Spratlys. The largest among them is the island of Phu Quoc , part of the province of Kienjiang. Such a potential of the Sea coast of Vietnam in conjunction with the climate of the tropics contributes to the development of outdoor activities on the water, where diving occupies a dominant position.

A fashionable direction in tourism, associated with diving under water in special ammunition, began to gain momentum in Vietnam only at the end of the last century. There is no clear state program for the development of diving in the country. The dealer offices of international federations are engaged in issuing a license for private entrepreneurship related to training and conducting dives on a commercial basis. Among them, the key position is held by the branch of Scuba Schools International (SSI).

Certified diving schools (clubs, centers) in Vietnam

Vietnamese diving schools are located in almost all popular resorts, in particular, in Nha Trang (the capital of Khanh Hoa province) there are more than two dozen of them. The most titled Is The Rainbow Divers school, founded by a Briton back in the 70s. It has a network of branches scattered throughout the coast. Its branches are opened in Hoi An, on the islands of Phu Quoc , Kitovy and Kondao. It is important that Russian-speaking instructors work in most diving clubs, and such a center as Amigos Divers can rightfully be called Russian because of its specialization in teaching Russian-speaking tourists.

Prices for diving in Vietnam

The schools offer one-day programs and certified courses lasting 3-7 days. The main trump card of diving in Vietnam is very low prices, one of the lowest in the Asian region and in the world. For example, a full Open Water Diver Course at the PADI center, including equipment rental, will not exceed $ 250, and the cost of two paired dives with access to the open sea on a speedboat will hardly exceed the mark of 60. For a higher fee, tourists in Vietnam can also get a diploma as an instructor or guide for scuba diving.

Thus, diving on the Vietnamese coast completely destroys the stereotype that this type of recreation is available only to wealthy people. Because of its cheapness, diving into the depths of the sea is available to all tourists. To dive under the water twice for the first time, it is enough to allocate $ 50 for an introductory tour. This amount includes, as a rule, payment for transfer from the hotel to the pier, boat chartering, ammunition rental, a Russian-speaking instructor and a hearty lunch.

Diving sites in Vietnam

Due to the diversity of marine flora and fauna, almost the entire coast of Vietnam is of interest to lovers of diving. But diving at various resorts is distinguished by Entertainment and conditions. Somewhere it is developed, and in other popular tourist beach places it is almost impossible to find a good dive. One of the most accessible diving resorts is Nha Trang. Excellent diving is offered at Island resorts such as Phu Quoc and Kondao. Here is a list and a brief description of the most popular places for diving in Vietnam:

Nha Trang
- The diving season is from March to October
- Depth - up to 30 meters
- Water temperature-24-29°C
- Air temperature-26-33°C
- Visibility - up to 20 meters
Nhatrang Resort is the most popular and affordable diving destination in Vietnam. This is also the most popular beach resort. In the tourist area of Nha Trang, diving centers are found almost at every turn, and I offer tours both along the coast and on the islands. There are instructors of various categories and speak different languages, including Russian. By the way, there are even dive centers that are fully managed by Russian founders.

The natural conditions and underwater life of experienced divers here are unlikely to surprise. But for beginners or just to have fun, the conditions are just perfect. Prices are very low, probably the lowest in all of Vietnam, instructors and equipment are also on top. It is also believed that the sea here is the cleanest.

There are plenty of dive spots in the water area of Nha Trang. This is Hon Mun Island (15 km from Nha Trang) with spots of Madonna Rock, mushroom and coral reefs, in the same water area of Hon Ong or Whale Island, where whale sharks and their baleen relatives, nicknamed nannies, are found. Mushroom Reef is unique in that it is home to octopuses. On the island of Hong Ong (While Island), 50 kilometers north of Nha Trang, there is a hotel While Island Resort and a dive center.
Phu Quoc Island
- The diving season is from December to June
- Water temperature-28-31°C
- Air temperature-30-33°C
It is impossible not to mention a kind of diving Mecca in Southeast Asia-Phu Quoc Island. Its coastal waters are favorable for diving six months of the year: from December to June. Underwater life in Phu Quoc is richer than in Nha Trang, but prices are higher, and in general, the infrastructure for diving on the island is still poorly developed and mostly works only in high season. A big plus of Phu Quoc is the warmer water than in Nha Trang and other resorts in the country.

Phu Quoc 's best dive spots:
- Cape nail with clear water at depths of 10-15 m, swimmers can explore the stone ruins of the ancient city, carriages and barrels of ship guns and enjoy coral plantations;
- Turtle Island, the depth of dives for diving ranges from 5 to 12 m, in addition to the nimble schools of coral fish, imposing turtles are sure to meet, and the inspection of the coral reef also captures;
- bat Island, the local current is an extreme test even for professional divers;
- Cape Angel, a sheer 14-meter cliff;
- Gemini rock, a stepped underwater massif with vertical stelae;
- Noses, at depths of up to 30 M, study the inhabitants of grottoes and caves.
Kondao Island
- The diving season is from March to June
- Water temperature-28-31°C
- Air temperature-30-33°C
- Visibility - up to 20 meters
A real Klondike of dive spots scattered across the archipelago Kondao. This is the best place for diving in Vietnam in terms of the conditions and variety of underwater life, but it can not be called cheap. Firstly, it is quite expensive to get to the island (a plane or a long 12-hour voyage by ship), and secondly, due to the poorly developed tourist infrastructure, the prices for accommodation and services here are monopolistically high. And there are only two dive centers, prices, respectively, are also high. Here are the best dive spots on Kondao:
- Foggy Dalat is notable for the fact that you do not need to go by boat to see the coral reef, as it is located near the shore.;
- Fish Avenue, submerged in the bottom sands of the skeleton of the ship, was chosen by a huge number of exotic fish;
- The grotto of the giant perch, at a depth of 35 m a fishing trawler sank, a well-preserved vessel became a habitat for a sea bass of gigantic size.;
- Cape Barracuda, beds of soft and hard corals-hunting grounds for harmless species of sharks;
- The Sask wall, a sheer rock covered with coral growths, descends 40 m.
Mui Ne and Phan Thiet
- The diving season is from March to October
- Depth - up to 30 meters
- Water temperature-25-29°C
- Air temperature-30-34°C
- Visibility - up to 20 meters
In the popular resort Mui Ne/Phan Thiet diving is poorly developed, there are no dive centers. It's all about constant waves, because of which it is impossible to dive comfortably and safely. Visibility due to the same waves is inferior to other places, including Nha Trang. However, underwater life is rich: there are corals, squid, octopus, cuttlefish, Blowfish, moray eels, clams and clownfish. There are also large species of fish – manta rays and barracudas.
North Vietnam

In the north of Vietnam, diving in the coastal zone is less attractive due to the periodic flow of muddy streams in the Red River Delta, and in general there are very few beach resorts here, or rather one – Cat Ba Island in Halong Bay. In addition to relaxing on one of the three well-groomed beaches and excursions to fresh lakes, tourists are invited to dive into the waters of the National Park of Vietnam, which covers the archipelago of the same name. There are about half a thousand different species of mollusks, almost as many arthropods, more than 200 species of fish. Of marine animals, diving enthusiasts often meet dolphins, and even seals.