This is where it all began in the early-mid nineties. Nha Trang City was host to the first dive center in Vietnam. Nha Trang has, since then, seen a proliferation of dive centers over the years.
If one talks about scuba diving in Vietnam, you can not overlook the pioneer of the sport; Jeremy P. Stein, his name is synonymous with diving in Vietnam.
The majority of the dive sites are within a 1 hour boat ride (or 15 minutes by our speedboats) from Nha Trang to the stunning nearby Islands.
Marine life may not be as prolific as The Red Sea or The Barrier Reef, but the variety of species and vivid colours will fascinate and thrill all divers and snorkellers, beginners and experienced alike! We have many rare fish (frogfish, paperfish, devil scorpionfish, dragonets, flying gurnard, cowfish etc.), nudibranches & giant moray eels, as well as one white-tip shark (called Eric!), some small manta rays, large stingrays and some shy turtles. There are over 400 species of hard coral making it one of the richest hard coral dive sites in the world.
Surprisingly, there are no wrecks to dive as the locals have salvaged everything above 50 metres. However, there are a few "wreckages" south of Nha Trang, but we continue to check out new dive sites, ever hopeful of discovering the "pristine wreck".
Night diving is always available from the beach or to one of the nearby islands via speedboat. After any dive-day you can ‘relax’ at The Rainbow before heading out to party into the early hours at Crazy Kim's or The Sailing Club.
The resort is located 80 kms North of Nha Trang at the tip of an archipelago. It is absolute paradise – your own ‘desert island’ where you can really get away from it all!
The bamboo bungalows right on the beachfront are complete with shower & wc, and offer accommodation for up to 70 guests. Meals are served 3 times a day and are a delicious combination of traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a strong French influence.
The island offers a wild and natural environment where the marine life, flora & fauna are a nature lover’s dream, both above and below the water!
The diving here is perfect for beginners and experienced alike. There is diving right from the beach to a maximum depth of 15 metres. The morning boat dives offer more exciting & adventurous diving; wall dives down to 40 metres, coral gardens at 10-15 metres, racing drift dives and of course less strenuous Nudibranch spotting!
Whilst the diving on Whale Island or in Nha Trang will never compete with The Red Sea and Great Barrier Reef, we are convinced that your overall dive experience will be unmatched!
We are currently trying to establish a Turtle Hatchery on the Island and, whilst it is still very much in its infancy, we are convinced of success and are considering changing the name of the resort to ‘Turtle Island’!
All PADI courses are offered here, from the introductory Discover Scuba Diving up to Instructor Courses. If you are intending taking a course during your stay and need a specific language, please email and ask.
This beautiful island lies 65 miles off the south-west coast of Vietnam and is genuinely unspoiled by time & tourism. Travelers say that “Vietnam is like Thailand 20 years ago”. If that’s true, then Phu Quoc is like Vietnam used to be 10 years ago!
Phu Quoc is about the same size as Singapore, 600 sq. kms and is the largest of all Vietnamese islands. There are 99 mountains and hills covered in green primitive forests with majestic waterfalls and babbling streams. The fresh sea breezes and stunning sandy beaches touching crystal clear blue waters make this a true paradise.
The tourist season is similar to Thailand’s. The good weather and clear waters start mid November and last until early June. Then the rainy season usually starts and diving conditions are not so good. This however compliments diving in Nha Trang, Whale Island and Hoi An where the rainy season can begin mid November till early January.
Diving in the North is similar to the rest of Vietnam, whereby there is not a proliferation of large fish life, nor the pelagic's, Mantas or Sharks. It is however teeming with smaller reef fishes and is a perfect site for new divers or divers who have not dived for a while. The hard & soft corals are pristine around the mass of small islands to the South and are home to a huge variety of small colorful reef/coral fish, many of them endemic to the Vietnamese waters. At times it is difficult to see the corals due to the masses of Fairy Basslets & Damsel fish! The mysterious Dugong has also been sighted here!
The beautiful Riverside Town of Hoi An is situated on the coast about 45 minutes South of Da Nang. It is a living museum oozing charm & culture from every corner.
Hoi An was almost completely destroyed during the Tay Son rebellion in the 1770’s. It was then rebuilt and served as an important International port until the river silted up which allowed Da Nang to flourish as a commercial centre.
During French colonization, Hoi An served as an administrative centre and later, during the American War, the Town, with the co-operation of both sides, remained almost completely undamaged.
Thus, Hoi An really offers a sense of history unique in South Est Asia.
For certified divers there is a daily dive trip to the nearby Cu Lao Cham Marine park, some 25 minutes by speedboat. The Marine Park comprises 8 islands which are home to 155 species of corals, 202 species of fish, 4 species of lobster and 84 species of mollusks.
