Activities & Things to do in Con Dao

The best diving and snorkeling in Vietnam can be found in Con Dao. The coral is magnificent and largely unspoiled, with enormous coral heads (relative to the rest of Southeast Asia). Along with a wide variety of tropical reef fish, the marine life includes turtles, rays, enormous barracuda, cuttlefish, cobia, and dugongs. There are sixteen islands available for selection. The visibility of the water ranges from 10 to 20 meters, but in the winter, strong gusts may make it difficult to reach all of the diving locations.

• Rainbow Divers:  The first dive establishment on the island and the only one that offers free nitrox to certified divers is Rainbow Divers. They employ a brand-new speed boat that is operated by instructors with recent certification. operating daily diving and snorkeling tours, as well as offering a variety of PADI courses, including the trip “Discover Scuba Diving,” which is tailored especially for beginners. Please be aware that Rainbow Divers is closed from September to March and is located in front of Con Dao Harbour, across the street from the stone tower next to the VASCO office. Due to the same high level of service, Con Dao Dive Center is where Rainbow Divers directs their guests at this period. Send an email to cd@divevietnam.com for more details.

• Con Dao Dive Center/Bar200: Con Dao Dive Center is a year-round, PADI-affiliated dive shop with certification. They are a small, independent business that also offers diving services to all island guests and the five-star Six Senses Resort. operated by Rhys and Gordon, PADI instructors from Wales and South Africa who have spent the last 4 years living on the island and diving the archipelago. daily diving and snorkeling tours, a variety of PADI courses, and try dives are all available. They have a set pricing for all the islands near Con Dao and don’t have various prices for different locations. They dive from a 17-meter Vietnamese fishing boat that has been adapted for use as a diving and tourist boat and is fully registered and permitted to transport 27 persons. Providing local tourist information as well as suggestions for travel to Con Dao and throughout Vietnam. Near the market, on Pham Van Dong street, there is a dive shop and bar/restaurant named “bar200.” Good location for meeting other travelers and relaxing. Prices are comparable to those of other diving shops on the island.

• Snorkeling: Snorkelers can join both dive operators for about $50 USD. Small speedboats, known as “canoes” by the locals, can also be rented for exclusive fishing and/or snorkeling excursions. Although there is limited snorkeling off the main island, even the greatest locations are far removed from what can be reached by boat. Sites on National Park property also have an entrance/use fee that *must* be paid at the National Park office north of the main town.