Vietnam’s most famous and established diving area is around Nha Trang, about two-thirds of the way down the coast, close to its most easterly point. The Nha Trang area has beautiful beaches and islands, excellent tourist facilities and professional dive operators. Many of the dive sites are close-by and easily reached. Diving consists of gentle fringing reefs, wall diving and pinnacles, with some interesting underwater topography. It is a very popular place to learn to dive.
A little to the north, Whale Island is coming to be known as a nice diving spot, with deeper, slightly more challenging sites than Nha Trang & the chance to see some bigger marine life.
To the south, near the southern-most tip of the country is Con Dao. Situated 180km off the coast, it is blessed with excellent visibility and possibly Vietnam’s best diving. It is a nesting ground for both Green & Hawksbill Turtles and is also a sanctuary for Dugongs.
Common features of diving in Vietnam are lovely corals, colourful reef-fish, plenty of fascinating smaller critters and occasionally something bigger. The area is becoming increasingly renowned for its huge number and variety of nudibranch’s. For critter lovers, it is also possible to find Stonefish, Leaf Scorpionfish, Ribbon Eels, Frogfish, Seahorses & many Custaceans. Larger life includes Turtles, Stingrays, Eagle Rays, Bumphead Parrotfish & occasional visits from Whalesharks.
With the exception of Nha Trang, Vietnam's dive industry is relatively undeveloped, with a number of spots fairly new to the diving world. Most trips are made as day trips, although it is possible to make short Liveaboard trips around the Nha Trang area.
Vietnam can be visited and dived all year round. In Nha Trang, the low season is December to February and the best diving is normally from April to October. In the south, the calmest months are February to June.
The cost of diving in Vietnam is fairly cheap. Once you have reached your dive base, most dive sites are easy to reach and diving is very reasonably priced. Nha Trang is the cheapest option, with Whale Island & Con Dao a little more expensive.
The cost of travel and living is also cheap. There are now budget airlines between the main cities, although they are maybe a little more expensive than other Asian countries. Land travel is very cheap. Getting to more remote spots such as Con Dao is a little more expensive.
Travelling around Vietnam is relatively easy. International flights arrive at Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or Da Nang. From there, you can travel by domestic flight, train or bus. There is a main train line running from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh that is good value & comfortable. Book your ticket in advance though and make sure you know for sure what class you are travelling in. Buses fill in the gaps, with both private buses and public buses.
For most nationalities, it is not possible to get a visa on arrival in Vietnam. Visas must be arranged prior to arrival at a Vietnamese embassy. There are Vietnamese embassies in most countries in Asia as well as many western countries. Visas are for 30 days and can be extended once you are in the country. For a little more money, it is also possible to arrange a 3-month multiple entry visa. The exact cost of a visa depends on the country you arrange it in.
Citizens of ASEAN countries are able to obtain a 30 day visa on arrival while citizens of Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Denmark, Norway & Finland are eligible for a 15 day visa on arrival.
The 84 million people that call Vietnam home are generally extremely friendly & hospitable. They are proud of their country, which is no surprise when you learn of their history. Most Vietnamese consider themselves to be Buddhist, however they tend to have their own version of Buddhism that integrates many traditional belief structures. Vietnam is a very young country, with 65% of the population under 30.
Vietnam is generally a safe place to visit. Visitors need to be careful in cities and tourist areas of petty theft and scams, but taking the usual precautions should prevent too many problems. in certain rural areas, never explore away from well-trodden tracks. There are still undetonated explosives to be found that are a sad reminder of Vietnam’s painful past. This is not a problem in built up and well-travelled areas though.
Main Diving Areas
What to See
Logistics
Costs
Ease of Travel
Visas
The People
Safety
