Diving at Nha Trang, Vietnam

A spontaneous dive stop during a short southern Vietnam break

August 2025

This trip to Vietnam wasn’t planned around diving. It was just meant to be a quick week exploring the south, but after learning that Nha Trang offered some decent dive sites, I packed my camera and minimal kit and booked a day of diving.

Nha Trang is a lively coastal city on Vietnam’s South Central Coast, and the capital of Khánh Hòa Province. Once known as Kauthara under the Kingdom of Champa, the city still houses the impressive Po Nagar Towers and is home to the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute. The nearby Hon Mun Marine Protected Area is one of the first globally recognised by the IUCN.

What we didn’t realise until we arrived was just how popular Nha Trang is with Russian tourists. I wore my England shirt one day and definitely got a few raised eyebrows. That aside, it’s a bustling seaside city with a solid infrastructure, good food, and plenty of options for those looking to dive. It’s not as laid-back as Phu Quoc or as pretty as Hoi An, but it’s a fun stop with easy access to the water.

Getting To Nha Trang

We flew from Kuala Lumpur to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and spent the night there before heading to the coast. If you’re flying in internationally, be warned… the immigration queue at HCMC can be long and slow. We waited around 1 hour 30 minutes just to get our passports stamped.

UK citizens don’t need a tourist visa for visits under 45 days, but here’s a tip: you can pre-book a fast-track immigration service online. I booked ours through Trip.com and used it on the return trip… I was through immigration, check-in and security in under 30 minutes. It cost about £19 per person and was absolutely worth it.

The next day, we flew to Cam Ranh International Airport. From there, it’s about 50 minutes into Nha Trang city centre by Grab taxi. We booked a hotel in town for a few nights, and since I’d already done my usual dive school research before the trip, we had a day of diving lined up.

Diving with Vietnam Active

I booked a day of diving in Nha Trang in advance after doing my usual dive school research online. I went with Vietnam Active Dive Centre, and I’d happily recommend them. Communication was all via WhatsApp and really smooth. They arranged hotel pickup and drop-off, which made things even easier. We let them know in advance what gear we needed and sizes, and it was all sorted and ready for us when we arrived at the dock.

The boat was large and shared between a few different dive schools, but it worked well. We had our own dive master, just the two of us with him, so the ratio was ideal. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and great at spotting things underwater. Visibility during the dives at Hon Mun was a bit mixed, but still decent, and fine for the photos I wanted. We only did two dives in the morning, but it was a good taster for the area.

We wore rash suits, which were okay to start with but definitely felt a bit chilly by the second dive. Still, nothing that spoiled the experience. Once diving was done, we chilled out on the boat and even had a cold beer on the way back. A perfect way to finish a morning of diving.

Favourite Local Finds

Being British, we couldn’t resist a quick stop at Cheers Sports Pub, a cracking little bar with decent prices and proper British grub. They even do a Sunday roast. I know, we were in Vietnam… but it hit the spot after a long day.

For something more local, check out Nhà hàng Ciao Vietnam. Great food, laid-back vibe, and hands down the cheapest beer we found… just 25p a bottle. It quickly became a firm favourite.

And if you’re on the hunt for Phở, the best bowl we had was from Phở Hạnh Phúc. Absolutely delicious. We both cleaned the bowl and left grinning.