Best places to see fascinating coral reefs in Vietnam

 

1. An Thoi Archipelago (Kien Giang)
Located in the southeast of Phu Quoc Island, An Thoi archipelago with about large and small 18 islands, has many beautiful coral beaches attracting domestic and foreign tourists. There are many shallow water areas in which corals can be clearly seen at a depth of 2m - 4m when diving or snorkeling, a suitable way for people who have no diving experience.

 

The trip often starts from Phu Quoc Island or Hon Thom. Transferring for about 2 hours by speedboat and taking a 20-minute cable car ride are two ways to get from Phu Quoc Island to Hon Thom, the center of the An Thoi archipelago.
On a sunny day, visitors can see the coral at a depth of 8m - 10m when diving. The deeper you dive; the more diverse and stunning marine life is.

2. Phu Quy Island (Binh Thuan)
Located around 4 - 5 hours driving from Phan Thiet, Phu Quy island is a new tourist destination in recent years. Due to less tourism exploitation, the undersea ecosystem is still extremely pristine. The diving service here is newly developed and visitors can observe the beautiful coral reefs at the depth of about 2m - 5m.
The safe areas with the vast array of magical corals are located in Hon Tranh, Hon Egg, Hon Den…which is accessible by canoe or boat from Phu Quy island.

 

3. Mun Island (Khanh Hoa)
Mun Island is located in Nha Trang Bay, the first protected marine area in Vietnam, with 350 of the most diverse coral species in our country. Therefore, this area has developed all forms of services for visitors to explore the underwater ecosystem including snorkeling, scuba diving, sea walking, glass-bottom boat, visiting oceanographic institutes, etc.

4. Yen Island (Phu Yen)
Located in Tuy An district (about 20 km from Tuy Hoa city), Yen Island is a special place where tourists can watch coral right on the shore. Under the water at Yen Island is a colorful lively coral reef that will be exposed prominently on the coast when the tides recede. At that time, guests only need to walk to see the coral reef.

 

According to local people’s experience, tides usually recede in the early afternoon or during mid-lunar months lasting about 2-3 days. Visitors need to know these best times in advance in order not to miss the chance to enjoy the attractive beauty of this sea creature.
Also due to the location near the shore, corals in Yen Island are easily trampled by a large number of visitors, causing them to die or deform. Therefore, in order to preserve the marine ecosystem, visitors should only walk along the sandy way between the coral reefs and try not to touch them as much as possible.

 

5. Cham Island (Quang Nam)
Cham Island is one of the best diving sites in Vietnam with a large variety of marine wonders and creatures. Some interesting and colorful coral areas on the island that visitors should plan to explore are Hon Dai, Hon Tai, Hon Nhon, Rang Manh, Bai Beo, Bai Xep, and Da Trang. It surely brings visitors unforgettable moments during the wonderful underwater world exploration.
After only about 15 minutes transfer by canoe, visitors will reach Hon Dai where concentrates the most coral reefs in Cham Island, Hon Dai is covered by green forest trees and is famous for a dense array of coral reefs with hundreds of colors in the turquoise water.

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In addition to these above names, some other places for tourists to see amazing coral reefs are Con Dao (Ba Ria - Vung Tau), Cu Lao Cau (Binh Thuan), Vinh Hy Bay (Ninh Thuan), Ran Trao (Khanh Hoa), Son Tra Peninsula (Da Nang), Ky Co (Binh Dinh) ...
Tourists who do not have diving experience should take the package tour with a speedboat or canoe, diving instructors, necessary diving equipment, and lunch. The duration for a coral diving tour often lasts for half a day or a full day from morning to afternoon. Visitors should never break, step and touch the corals.