Islands, Snorkelling and Diving in Nha Trang
Part of the Nha Trang travel guide — see every topic in All Nha Trang Guides.
Nha Trang Bay has 19 islands, from large green Hon Tre to small rocky islets. Many have coral reefs around them. Island hopping by boat is the most popular day out in the city. Nha Trang is also one of the main places in Vietnam to learn to dive, with many dive shops and calm, shallow training sites.
Island-hopping boat trips
Boat trips leave from the piers at the south end of the city most mornings. A typical day visits three or four islands. You stop for snorkelling over coral, swim at a small beach, eat a seafood lunch on board or on an island and sometimes visit a fish farm. Some trips are quiet and relaxed. Others are party boats with music and drinks. Read the program before you book. Hon Tam and Hon Mot are common stops, with beaches and calm water. Private boats are also possible for families or small groups who want their own route.
Hon Mun marine park
Hon Mun and the islands around it form a marine protected area set up in 2001, one of the first in Vietnam. The reefs here have a very high number of coral species, more than 350 by some counts, along with many kinds of reef fish. You can see soft and hard corals, sea fans, clownfish and colourful wrasse. Snorkelling is possible near the surface on calm days. Visitors pay a small marine park fee, which helps protect the area. Do not touch or stand on the coral, do not feed the fish, and use reef-friendly sun cream.
Learning to dive
Nha Trang has many dive centres that teach beginner and advanced courses. Water is warm all year, and many sites are shallow and sheltered, which is ideal for new divers. A try-dive lets you go down with an instructor after a short lesson, with no certificate needed. Full open water courses usually take about three to four days. Choose a centre with qualified instructors, small groups and well-kept equipment, and ask how they choose sites on windy days. Divers with experience can explore deeper walls and rocky pinnacles around the outer islands.
Best months for the water
The best time for snorkelling and diving is roughly from February to September. In these months the sea is usually calm and visibility is at its best, often around the middle of the year. From about October to December, the rainy season brings strong winds, rough seas and cloudy water. Some boat trips are cancelled, and dive shops move to more sheltered sites or close for days at a time. If water sports are the main goal of your trip, avoid those months. Even in the dry season, morning trips usually have the calmest water.
Islands, Snorkelling and Diving at a glance
| Getting there | Boats from the piers at the south end of the city; hotel pickup on most tours |
|---|---|
| Islands | 19 islands in the bay |
| Hours | Day trips about 8:00 to 16:00 |
| Cost | Tour price varies; marine park fee extra |
| Best time | About February to September; avoid October to December |
| Bring | Sun cream that is reef safe, hat, waterproof bag |