If you’re planning a vacation to Vietnam and want to go scuba diving, we’ll let you know the three best times and places to dive underwater. The three best destinations to visit are going to be Phu Quoc Islands, Nha Trang, and the Con Dao Islands. There are many diving spots to visit with each destination and we’ll help you navigate to the best possible scuba diving spots in each place.
Phu Quoc Islands
The best time to dive in the Phu Quoc Islands is going to be from October through April on the southern islands and all year round on the north side of the island. Although the freediving and snorkeling will be much better than scuba diving in Phu Quoc, Phu Quoc is still a great place to learn how to scuba dive and you can find some great deals to save money when scuba diving.
Phu Quoc is considered a safe place to scuba dive because you aren’t going to find any large fish since there’s no marine protected zone and it has been mostly over-fished. The visibility isn’t going to be the best (between 6.5 and 25 feet) as you’ll find oil from leaky engine boats and jet skis as well as offshore oil spills and other various things that have polluted the ocean that will limit visibility.
There are two spots to choose from if you decide to go to the northern part of Phu Quoc Islands. You can either choose Turtle Islands or Fingernail Islands. We recommend Turtles Islands due to the anemones that you can observe. There are two main scuba diving places on Turtle Island, one will be to the north of the island and the other will be directly south of the island. If you go to the south look for a place called Trystan’s Trench. This will be the best place to scuba dive throughout all of the Phu Quoc Islands.
Nha Trang
If you decide to go scuba diving in Nha Trang the best time to go will be between April and August. You’ll experience the best visibility between 30 and 100 feet. Some people don’t think scuba diving in Nha Trang is the best place to go but if you know where to look you can definitely find some amazing underwater destinations that you’ll be delighted to visit.
The most popular diving spot in Nha Trang is going to be Moray Beach. You can spot black frogfish, razor fish, seahorses, clownfish, flying gurnards, pipefish, and giant moray eels. Because it’s so popular, the marine park can become overcrowded and you might want to make your way on over to Whale Island or Madonna Rock. These are going to be your top two destinations when it comes to scuba diving in Nha Trang.
Madonna Rock is a great spot for divers of any level, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, it has something for everyone with a maximum depth of 82 feet. Swimming through caverns and spotting sea creatures such as glassfish, ghost fish, lionfish, as well as possibly spotting an octopus or two is sure to give you a pleasant diving experience.
If you want to dive a little deeper and see some larger marine life, head on over to Whale Island. While you most likely aren’t going to see any whales over here that’s no reason not to visit. With a maximum depth of 115 feet, you’ll be able to see sea creatures such as stingrays, eagle rays, stonefish, clownfish, and barracudas.
Con Dao Islands
If you’re looking to completely escape the tourism destinations and go to a more secluded area, then Con Dao Islands are going to be your best bet. The best time to go scuba diving in the Con Dao Islands is going to be from March through August with the best visibility ranging from 20 to 32 feet with a maximum of up to 100 feet on a really good day.
There are 16 different islands to choose from on the Con Dao Islands and the depths will range from 15 – 85 feet, so there’s something for everyone. One of the best islands we’ve found to dive at in the Con Dao Islands is Bay Canh Island. You’ll have the opportunity to find the greatest concentration of turtle nesting you’ll ever see and it’s a once in a lifetime experience that you don’t want to miss.
Conclusion
When is the best time to scuba dive in Vietnam? Hopefully, we’ve answered your question fully. Scuba diving Vietnam can be a lot of fun and with the research and exploration already done for you, you don’t have to guess what the best spots to visit are. These are the best destinations to scuba dive at when visiting Vietnam. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or you’re making your way back to beautiful Vietnam again, these scuba diving destinations should be at the top of your list no matter what your experience level. We would love to hear your thoughts about each destination!
