Nha Trang, Vietnam dive trip report, August 16, 2007

[Tjack]

Nha Trang, Vietnam dive trip report, August 16, 2007

I am just back from diving one day at Nha Trang, Vietnam as part of a Southeast Asia journey. After reading the sparse information regarding Vietnam diving on this board, I followed recommendations to Nha Trang for reputedly the best quality diving in Vietnam. What a bonus it was to find, what to me was great diving, with one big surprise. First the biodiversity of corals and fish blew me away, 3 Pipefish, Frog fish, hard and soft corals galore. Also I saw a lot of fish behavior with aggressive anemonefish and polarized schools of bait fish.

The big surprise was the 75 degree thermocline!? As someone who has seen plenty of 100+ foot visibility and warm water, Nha Trang was a nice change of pace. Many new species of fish here for me and I have done some diving in the Indo-pacific. Interesting underwater topography with low granite boulder ridges covered in soft coral and gorgonians as well as nice hard coral formations. The two dives I did were off of Hon Mun Island, with a maximum depth of 56 feet. The trip through green mountain islands on an old wooden boat to reach the island was outstanding.

At US $ 43 for two tank boat dive with full rentals, diving Nha Trang is a bargain. Rainbow divers is the big outfit in Vietnam, but their tendency to treat their divers like school kids was off-putting. As well we found their office manager to be unhelpful regarding local practicalities such as lodgings. Once on the boat Rainbow managed things quite well and our dive master Viet was excellent. Coco dive center had a beautiful boat and might be a good option in Nha Trang.

Nha Trang town is not what I would call a beach resort. It is quite urban with a beach front but no beach side bungalows. It was nice to rent a small sailboat and sail on the South China Sea. We stayed at Sun Hotel about 1 block from the beach with a small balcony, AC, private bath with a tub for Approximately $18 a night. Good hotel with helpful staff.

If you are looking for warm tropical waters with awesome visibility, Vietnam aint it. But for something different with lots of unusual species and a different approach to diving Vietnam is great.

If you are in Vietnam and are a diver definitely check it out, as far as doing a dedicated dive trip, bring neoprene. I could see doing a trip and diving several locations up and down the coast, you might find a new species of Nudibranch? Hope this report provides some helpful info. T

 

[drbill]

Thanks Tjack. Nha Trang is a place I've been interested in diving for several years now, if only to see what that country has to offer. I've heard the people there are extremely friendly.

 

[stevenl]

Can agree with you Tom.

Just a word of warning: in the past I have done a few courses for Coco diving, and was not very impressed. Some time ago they were expelled from Padi, which is not that easy unless you have some very unsafe habits, so I would personally be very hesitant to dive with them.

But they may have improved in the mean time.

 

[Tjack]

Yes DrBill the people are real friendly, thats the one thing that strikes me most about Southeast Asia. Overall the Vietnamese seemed slightly less warm than say Thailand and Cambodia, but most the Vietnameese I interacted with were way cool. Our DM Viet was excellent in handling a petulant German diver in our group who wanted to poke the frogfish and got lost in the low vis.
Too bad to hear about Coco dive center getting expelled from PADI, Steve. Maybe that isnt a bad thing? Also thanks for all the encouraging words regarding Similans in summer. It was great to be the only livaboard in sight for 4 days.
S/E Asia is the best! It is tough getting back to North America where people try so hard to be tough guys all the time, not to mention the exorbinant prices for everything. US $2.50 for evaporated milk to make my Vietnameese coffee, ouch.

 

[RoyN]

Last time I was there, some foreigners thought I worked there too. But I wasn't diving there for pleasure, there is a wreck of a boat people in Nha Trang and my relatives are still there too. An octopus lives in one of the many skulls there.

Thanks Tjack. Nha Trang is a place I've been interested in diving for several years now, if only to see what that country has to offer. I've heard the people there are extremely friendly.

I may go down there for my summer break. As for people being friendly....uhhh...thats a mix bag for me, but then I'm from there so they'll probably expect me to speak vietnamese, be skinny, and a doctor there. You can come as my foster dad and that should work Professor!!

 

[Thalassamania]

I dove the islands off Nha Trang back in the early 1970s. That was some of the best diving that I'd ever seen, I'm heartened to hear that it still good.

 

[drbill]

Hey, RoyN... tempting! Of course after I go to the Red Sea and possibly South America, I won't have the money for another trip unlerss I win our state lottery.

Thal... I have some vet friends here who were diving 'Nam back in the 60's and early 70's. They had some very spectacular reports.

 

[Thalassamania]

It was Vung Tau for surf and Nah Trang for diving.