Similar to travelling I started a bit later with scuba diving. My second trip to Vietnam in 2015 actually was the reason to get my OWD (Open Water Diver), and my AOWD shortly afterwards. I can confirm that diving in a cold German lake with visibility between 0,5 and 3 metre is not the most fun…but it is better than nothing.
So now diving is part of my holidays. If I get a chance I dive while travelling – I enjoy the peaceful feel when exploring the deep blue too much. I hope in the future I can add a few more countries to the list below.
Vietnam
Vietnam is not known as a diving country despite its long coast. It can certainly not compete against Egypt, Thailand or Indonesia (to the latter two I haven’t been yet). It might have something to do that it has a sediment sea, which can limit visibility. However, diving in Vietnam can still be enjoyable, and if you have some spare time it is a worthwhile activity
The four main dive sites in Vietnam are Hoi An, Nha Trang, Con Dao and Phu Quoc. Based on the view of other divers and dive coaches working in Vietnam the best dive site is Con Dao. Nha Trang has apparently the most dive centes and offers the cheapest packages, while Hoi An offer some nice sites near Cham Island. The diving on Phu Quoc is pleasant and could be seen as a welcome excursion if you spend otherwise too much time on a beach.
I managed to get a few dives in Vietnam. Below are some information about the sites I have visited.