Although, in diving circles, particularly for its lack of the very large fish species, Vietnam is not usually regarded as a major diving destination. However, over half the World's coral species are to be found here, and there are nonetheless some very worthy dives for those visiting the country to indulge in some underwater exploration during their holiday or, for novices, the opportunity to learn to dive in a relatively safe environment.
Due to changes in visibility, as defined by local weather patterns, diving is a season specific activity, which varies according to different geographic locations in Vietnam.
Nha Trang is Vietnam’s premier dive location, with over twenty dive sites such as ‘Electric Nose’, ‘Madonna Rock’ and ‘Moray Beach’ amongst the most popular for their fine corals and colourful array of marine species, some of which are unknown elsewhere. (High season: March to October).
Further north, Whale Island is another good place to get beneath the waves, with ‘White Rock’ and ‘Three Kings’ among its featured sites. (High season: March to October).
If you are staying in lovely Hoi An, the eight islands that make up Cu Lao Cham Marine Park host over 150 species of coral and more than 200 species of fish. In addition to the diving, snorkelling here is also very rewarding. (High season: March to October).
Close to the southern tip of Vietnam the sixteen, mostly uninhabited, islands of Con Dao Archipelago offer good diving between April and September. The area is also an important turtle-nesting site.
The southern island of Phu Quoc, close to the Cambodian border, also has two main dive areas, An Thoi Archipelago, with its 15 islets and Turtle Island. In contrast to the resorts of the central coast, the best diving is between October and April.
OTHER Vietnam TOURS
Golfing in southern Vietnam 7 days
This
superlative 7 day golf adventure takes you to play three of the country’s very
finest and most beautiful golf courses, all of which enjoy high international
repute. An ideal short template which can be adapted within a longer vacation
in Vietnam, or combined with a wider golfing sojourn in other Southeast Asian
countries.
Vietnam's Least Travelled Paths 15 Days
A delightful tour suited to those who want to leave conventional tourism aside and really connect with the culture and environment of Vietnam, visiting the usually unvisited villages of the northern and central highlands and culminating with a visit to Con Dao island. Travellers wishing to model a tour on this template should be aware that, in some village locations, the local river will provide your only bathing and washing opportunities.
Vietnam Christmas Crafts and Arts 6 Days
This short 6 day tour is an inspiring discovery of
Vietnam’s craft heritage, for the avid shopper, crafting enthusiasts or the
culturally curious combined with visits to Vietnam’s most iconic natural
features. Please note that owing to the inclusion of an annual event on day 2,
this particular tour is date specific, but if your travel window is elsewhere
on the calendar, this day can be modified or replaced to suit.
Healing Arts in Vietnam 14 Days
An insightful tour into the long heritage of traditional Vietnamese and oriental therapies, combined with a stay at one of Vietnam’s most prestigious beach destinations, the Six senses Quy Nhon Life Wellness Resort, where you’ll be able to immerse yourself in Southeast Asia’s most revered and indulgent Spa treatments. The tour includes sightseeing visits to Hanoi, Hue, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City and culminates with a cruise of the culturally fascinating Mekong Delta.
Colonial Vietnam Luxury Vacation 12 Days
This twelve day luxury tour revives the memory of the French-colonial heyday in Vietnam, with overnight stays in some of the iconic hotels of the era, exploring the legacy of the French presence in Indochina and the Vietnamese sights that in turn inspired the colonisers. The tour includes visits to Vietnam's Capital, Hanoi, the historic imperial city of Hue, Saigon and Dalat.
Vietnam Mountain Biking and Scuba Diving 14 Days
Designed
for those seeking to escape the tourist hotels and connect in an active way
with the peoples and landscapes of Vietnam, this 14 day adventure sojourn of
Vietnam visits the street life Capital city, followed by a cruise of Ha Long
Bay for some sea-kayaking, and the mountainous landscape of Sapa for a spell of
mountain biking, before heading south to Nha Trang and Whale Island for some
snorkelling or scuba diving.
Vietnam Nature Trails 12 Days
This 12 day tour explores some of Vietnam’s precious National Parks, from Ba Be Lake in the north, to the island haven of Cat Ba, set amid the stunning vistas of Ha Long Bay, then on to Cuc Phuong and its Primate Rescue Centre, before culminating in the delightful forest trails of Bach Ma.
Cycling the Back Roads of Vietnam 14 Days
This 14 day cycling tour begins with a relaxing cruise of the natural wonder of Ha Long Bay before heading down to historic Hue for seven days of cycling the coastal fringe of central Vietnam, enjoying its off the beaten track rural charm and peaceful ocean views, with stays at Hoi An, Quang Ngai, Quy Nhon and Nha Trang, on your route to Mui Ne and a relaxing beach break to unwind from your exertions.
Cycling Vietnam's Untravelled Mountains 8 Days
This 8 day scenic cycling tour takes you high into the northern mountains for an pedal powered exploration of its mountain scenery, shapely hillside paddy fields and colourful ethnic diversity, travelling from Sapa over Heaven’s Gate to Paso, and through the Na River valley to Muong Lay and onward to Dien Bien Phu, the site of the historic victory over the French occupying forces at the culmination of the first Indochina War.
Culinary Odyssey of Vietnam 12 days
Designed for the food aficionado, and based around the television programme, Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey, as screened by the BBC, this tour combines Vietnam’s cultural, historical and natural sights with ample opportunities to savour its most revered dishes.
Hanoi Stopover 4 Days
Explore
the heart of Hanoi, Vietnam’s 1,000-year-old capital city, riding an iconic
cyclo through ancient alleys and visiting timeless temples. Take the option to
see some of the villages and countryside surrounding the city, with an easy
bicycling excursion. Finally, spend a day cruising the mystical island-studded
waters of Halong Bay.
Vietnam Bird Watching Tour 14 Days
Travelling from south to north, this tour brings you into many of Vietnam’s remaining protected natural areas and wildlife preserves. From viewing waterfowl on the Mekong Delta, to one of Vietnam’s largest lowland tropical rainforests in Nam Cat Tien, to the pine and evergreen forests around Dalat, and on to the limestone hills jutting out of the Red River Delta in the north, this is a comprehensive overview of Vietnam’s remarkable avian biodiversity.
Ho Chi Minh Stopover 4 Days
Explore
Vietnam’s vibrant economic powerhouse, Ho Chi Minh City. Get the long
perspective visiting several museums, browse bustling markets, and take a day
excursion to cruise through the fertile Mekong River Delta.
Vietnam Sonata 14 days
A perfect introduction to Vietnam, visiting the main centres, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with a cruise of majestic Ha Long Bay and visits to Imperial Hue, historic Hoi An, ancient My Son and the Mekong Delta.
Vietnam North And South 21 Days
This 21 day tour covers all of the major destinations of Vietnam and is a joy of contrasts, travelling all the way from the bustling capital Hanoi, cruising the majestic natural wonderland of Ha Long Bay and trekking the quietude and ethnic diversity of the northern mountains, to the sandy coasts of central Vietnam, visiting Imperial Hue and the World Heritage sites at Hoi An and My Son, and onward to the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City and the amazing world of the Mekong Delta.
Vietnam Southern Overture 7 Days
This 7 day tour of southern Vietnam is a window into the amazing world of the Mekong Delta and its people, together with some easy relaxation on the tropical teardrop island of Phu Quoc, and the contrast of brightly modern Ho Chi Minh City, still retaining within its vibrant soul the tranquil vestiges of the air of romantic colonial Saigon.
Vietnam Northern Overture 7 Days
This short 7 day tour introduces you to the highlights of Northern Vietnam, taking in sights of the capital, cruising the awesome natural wonder of Ha Long Bay, and exploring the ways of Vietnam’s mountain peoples, making their living on the sculptured hillsides beneath the looming presence of Mount Fan Si Pan, the country’s highest peak.
Central Vietnam 8 Days
This 8 day tour of Vietnam’s central coastal area and its beaches penetrates the long history of the region, including the relics of the Vietnam war to be found in the Demilitarised Zone, the earlier and more noble era of the Nguyen Emperors of imperial Hue, the multicultural late-medieval trading culture of Hoi An and the ancient remains of the once mighty Cham civilisation.
Mekong Delta Tour 8 Days
Travelling from My Tho, south of Ho Chi Minh City, all the way to the Cambodian border, this 8 day tour of the Mekong Delta brings you close to the daily lives of the Delta’s inhabitants and provides a fascinating and colourful insight into realities of living along this mighty river, visiting the canals, orchards, farms, markets and local trades of this truly amazing environment.
Vietnam For Real 10 Days
This 10 day tour provides true cultural depth, and unveils the rural life of Vietnam, meeting, and sometimes staying with, the people who work the land, first in the vast waterways of the Mekong Delta and later in the rolling countryside around Dalat, providing a unique opportunity to get into both the soil and the soul of Vietnam.
Private Overnight Cruises in Vietnam 10 Days
This 10 day tour features two private cruises, and sightseeing trips of Vietnam’s two premier cities, Hanoi and Saigon. In the north, you’ll feel like royalty as you sail into the pure majesty of Ha Long Bay aboard your wholly private luxury wooden vessel, sumptuously modelled after the Royal Court Junks of former Emperors, while in the south your beautifully crafted private river cruiser will glide into the lush waterways and swirling rural impressions of the Mekong Delta.
Vietnam Heritage Overture 9 Days
This 9 day tour of Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage explores the country’s artistic and ethnic legacy together with the long history within which these cultural ideals emerged. The tour includes visits to Hanoi, a cruise of the natural wonders of beautiful Ha Long Bay, The imperial legacy of Hue and the cultural world heritage sites of historic Hoi An and ancient My Son.
Vietnam Colonial Luxury and Heritage 12 Days
This exclusive luxury tour of Vietnam’s major cities is defined by stays in in the rarefied refinement of well-preserved French colonial hotels of Hanoi, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City and Dalat, with excursions into the wealth of cultural and historic features of each destination. This highly adaptable template can readily be modified and extended to include luxury experiences of other premier destinations both in Vietnam and beyond.
Cultural Sonata 14 Days
This 14 day trip penetrates under the surface of Vietnamese culture, exploring the arts, cuisine music and crafts of Vietnam from the grand works to the skilful hands of the rural villages, and meeting the people driving the creative development of Vietnam’s cultural evolution. Your discovery of the secrets of the cuisines of Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam through three cookery classes, should send you home with new skills of your own.
Luxury and Seclusion in Vietnam 8 Days
This 8 day holiday in Vietnam focusses entirely on relaxation and pleasure seeking, with a luxury cruise of the breath-taking scenery of Ha Long, Bai Tu Long and Lan Ha Bays, together with a beach break at a luxury hotel on Phu Quoc Island. Another variant of this tour visits the nearby Con Dao archipelago as an alternative to Phu Quoc. Infinitely adaptable, this tour provides a good working template as the core of a luxury experience within Vietnam or elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
Heritage and Beach Honeymoon 15 Days
This fifteen day honeymoon holiday in Vietnam begins with an exploration of the country’s capital and surrounding villages, before heading to the magnificent coastal wonderland of Ha Long Bay for a three day private cruise of this amazing and vast natural creation. Travelling southward to historic Hue, Hoi An, and the central coast beaches, the tour ends with a relaxing and secluded spell at the award winning Quy Nhon Life Resort.
Cycling the Limestone Mountain Range 5 Days
Designed as an interesting component to a wider tour for those wishing to get close to the landscape, this 5 day cycling tour of the mountainous terrain to the southwest of Hanoi, pedalling through the nature reserve at Pu Luong and Cuc Phuong National Park, and staying in simple accommodation, is an ideal getaway from the usual tourist haunts.
Vietnam Culinary Tour 12 Days
This fascinating and delightfully serene 12 day tour of Vietnam explores the culinary arts of Vietnam, learning to cook in the northern, central and southern styles, visiting the areas from which these cuisines emerged, exploring the countryside and rich cultural heritage of each region, and discovering the ways of their people and their many other skilful arts and crafts.
Easy Luxury 9 Days
This first class 9 day break in Vietnam exudes exclusivity with luxury stays at the legendary Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi and the exquisite Amanoi beach Resort at Nha Trang, and includes a seaplane flight to Ha Long Bay, enjoying the stunning aerial views before settling on the water and joining a luxury cruise of the bay.
Cruising the Lower Mekong River 9 days
This 9 day cruise of the waterways of the lower Mekong River, journeying from My Tho in Vietnam upriver to Phnom Penh in Cambodia and the area of Kampong Cham, before heading into Tonle Sap River and its vast lake, and culminating at Siem Reap. An excellent leisurely cruise in its own right, it also provides a relaxing and novel alternative to air travel to visit Angkor Wat.