Tourists flock to Phu Quy Island for surreal diving experience

Growing numbers of tourists are travelling to Phu Quy Island to experience coral diving and free diving in what visitors describe as some of Vietnam’s most pristine coastal waters.

Phu Quy Island has become a favourite destination for travellers seeking untouched natural scenery and underwater experiences.

Phuong Thao, a tourist from Hanoi, recently returned to the island with her family to try coral diving once again.

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“Swimming in crystal clear water while watching coral reefs and fish around you, with nothing but your breathing and the ocean, is unforgettable,” she said.

According to Thao, even visitors who cannot swim can still participate because guides remain beside tourists throughout the activity.

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That accessibility has helped diving services on the island surge in popularity in recent years.

The most common activities currently offered on Phu Quy Island are coral reef diving tours and professional free-diving courses.

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Experience tours costing around VND 250,000 to VND 350,000 (approximately USD 9.60 to USD 13.50) are especially popular among younger tourists because they are easy to join and often include underwater photography and video services.

With these tours, visitors are taken by canoe to shallow coastal areas where they dive at depths of around one to two metres.

Packages usually include masks, fins, life jackets and close supervision from instructors in the water.

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Hai Hien, a diving tour operator on the island, said the lower cost tours focus mainly on fun experiences and souvenir videos.

“We help guests enter shallow water areas and assist them with simple underwater photos and videos,” he said.

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Tour companies said most participants are first time divers. Photos and videos are typically delivered to customers on the same day, while some tours also combine stand up paddleboarding and free swimming activities.

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Meanwhile, more advanced free diving courses costing around VND 1.5 million to VND 2.5 million (approximately USD 58 to USD 96) focus more heavily on skills training.

These programmes usually last from half a day to two days and include close guidance from instructors.

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Participants learn how to use masks, snorkels and fins, equalise ear pressure and practise diving at depths of around three to five metres before progressing to deeper and longer underwater sessions to observe coral reefs and marine life more closely.

Photos: Provided by the tourist