Nha Trang is a great location for seeing underwater life, says Nomadic Matt. And it’s even better if you want to get a scuba certificate. Nha Trang Bay boasts 12,000 hectares of reef-filled waters known as Hon Mun Marine Protected Area, writes Travelfish, adding that “its shallow waters are one of the best places for beginners to learn how to dive in Vietnam.” The best diving months are from April to October -- “especially during the optimal months of July to August” -- when you can expect “fair visibility and a wide variety of small colourful tropical fish (butterfly, box, moray eels, pufferfish) as well as beautiful coral.”
This small beach town is littered with dive shops, says Adventure in You, “all willing to cut you a good deal.” Based from experience, before settling on a dive school, “here are a couple of questions you should ask or things you should do”: inspect the equipment … check reviews online or get personal recommendations … find out their student-to-dive master ratio … ask how many people will be on the boat and what level your dive buddy will be. “Organization of the Nha Trang dive industry is sometimes complex,” explains Travel Dudes. “If you sign up for a trip with shop A, you might find yourself joined with a group and dive-master from shop B, which shares a boat with another group and dive-master from shop C, the boat itself being independently owned … it's a good illustration of Vietnamese culture, which does not stand on ceremony, and loves a bargain, and is very skilled at making maximum use of resources.”