Diving in Vietnam – Corals in Phu Quoc

Diving in Vietnam – Corals in Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc, Vietnam

While Vietnam may not be widely recognized as a popular dive destination, enthusiasts of the underwater world will discover their happiness in Phu Quoc. Indeed, despite the heavy overfishing pressure on the island (and on the rest of the country), Phu Quoc’s seabed remained enchanting in some locations and is worth a visit for ocean lovers.

In contrast to its neighbor Thailand, Vietnam failed to preserve its coastal waters from dynamite fishing and heavy pollution, among others, leading to the destruction of most of its underwater ecosystems and the underdevelopment of the diving industry. Hence, dive sites are scarce along the poorly explored coast, and most advertised underwater activities can be considered tourist scams where deleterious practices such as feeding are common.

Aside from Phu Quoc, the only other worth-to-mention dive destination in Vietnam is Nha Trang, where a Marine Protected Area managed to protect relatively well its underwater life, with popular macro dive sites such as Moray Beach and Madonna Rock. Cham Islands, ashore from Hoi An, also has a few active dive centers. On the mainland, the diving season starts in March and ends in October, while in Phu Quoc, diving happens from October until April (dry season).

Phu Quoc

In Phu Quoc, dive sites are distributed in the northwestern part of the island or in the south.

• North-West: Stand out Turtle Island (you won’t find turtles) and Nudibranch Garden (you will find nudibranchs!).
  • Ideal for beginners.
  • Calm, shallow and mostly current-free. It’s sheltered from dominant winds.
  • Visibility might be very low (5-10 m on average).
  • Surgy at lower depths.
• South: Almost all the spots are around An Thoi Islands.
  • Advanced divers (mostly).
  • Rougher, deeper dive sites and strong currents.
  • Very low visibility as well.

Almost all dive sites must be reached by boat. The water temperature ranges from 27 to 31º.. The underwater life lacks megafauna such as sharks, turtles or rays. Even the colorful tropical fish are unusually small. However, the coral reefs are astonishingly beautiful, and you will get to swim among large and colorful sponges and corals. Additionally, you may find some octopus or squids.

Vietnam Explorer Dive Center and Rainbow Diver are trustworthy companies with professional staff. It's also worth mentioning Phil Hai Diving Club, as they take a maximum of 6 divers per guide and offer the most competitive fares. In 2023, a 2-dive trip on a dive site in the north of Phu Quoc cost about 70 USD/person, while a similar trip in the south costs 100 USD/person (equipment and lunch included in both of them). Just send them a message and they will let you know the meeting point.

In conclusion, ocean and adventure lovers should definitely consider dedicating one day of their stay in Phu Quoc to a scuba-diving trip. It will not disappoint!

Comment if you have any question!