Phu Quoc

[cpichette]

I'm taking my Dad to Vietnam in April since he hasn't been back since the US Government sent him there on an all expense paid trip 50 years ago. Anyway, we're taking a couple of days off from touring to go to Phu Quoc to hang out on the beach. I searched the forum and the diving seems to get very mixed reviews, although a lot of the posts are fairly dated. I haven't been diving yet in Asia (mostly Mexico and Caribbean). Any current reports on whether it's worth getting in the water and dive shops to consider using?

Thanks

 

[KDAD]

Can't help you on the diving but I can say that things in Vietnam are very different than the u.s. so I am not sure what you are expecting. Not necessarily worse, just different. Set your expectations correctly and it is a great place. The local food is great as long as it suits your tastes. Traveling around is best on a moped although taxis are fine. Tourism in Vietnam is relatively new so I suspect that the dive industry there is small.

I spent 8 months there in 1996 and loved it. Hopefully not much has changed since then. Have fun let us know how the diving is if you get wet.

 

[cpichette]

Can't help you on the diving but I can say that things in Vietnam are very different than the u.s. so I am not sure what you are expecting. Not necessarily worse, just different. Set your expectations correctly and it is a great place. The local food is great as long as it suits your tastes. Traveling around is best on a moped although taxis are fine. Tourism in Vietnam is relatively new so I suspect that the dive industry there is small.

I spent 8 months there in 1996 and loved it. Hopefully not much has changed since then. Have fun let us know how the diving is if you get wet.

One of the things I'm looking forward to is how different it is. Having travelled in Asia a bit before, it is relatively alien compared to, say, travelling in Europe which is more or less the same as the US. However, diving is fairly objective. If there is no visibility or reefs and the marine life has been fished out and the dive shops are unsafe, then I'm better off spending the day doing something else.

 

[Maverick17]

I've lived in Saigon about 2 years. Phu Quoc is getting super touristy (all of Vietnam is), but I haven't seen many dive reports, as you mention. I haven't been myself either. I wouldn't expect it to be like the Philippines or Indonesia, but hopefully it's good for you. Please let us know how it is after your trip.

If you're interested in that time period of history, Con Dao had a political prison and has a lot of history along with alleged better diving. It's small, so not sure if the island is worth a few days or just a quicker trip, but worth considering.

 

[MelasLithos]

A friend of mine just did a couple of dives in Phu Quoc last week. She told me visibility was sh** (her words) and that there was not much to see (corals, fishes, etc.).

To be noted that we both just past our certification in Boracay, Philippines, recently and that it was her first dive after getting certified, so we don't have much to compare too. But she said it was incomparable to Philippines. I haven't seen her yet since then, and I'm not back home until March, but I can try to know more if you're interested.

But more generally, she is not enjoying her trip to Vietnam. Not sure how much that is tainting her diving experience.

 

[cpichette]

A friend of mine just did a couple of dives in Phu Quoc last week. She told me visibility was sh** (her words) and that there was not much to see (corals, fishes, etc.).

To be noted that we both just past our certification in Boracay, Philippines, recently and that it was her first dive after getting certified, so we don't have much to compare too. But she said it was incomparable to Philippines. I haven't seen her yet since then, and I'm not back home until March, but I can try to know more if you're interested.

But more generally, she is not enjoying her trip to Vietnam. Not sure how much that is tainting her diving experience.

Just out of curiousity, what doesn't she like about the overall trip?

 

[Lemuzzon]

Just out of curiousity, what doesn't she like about the overall trip?

I'm also curious as to what she didn't like about Vietnam. To each their own, but I spent 6 weeks in 'Nam and it was one of the best times I've ever had.

I've also been to Phu Quoc and wouldn't really recommend diving there. It was just kinda of boring and not much going on. Top-side however I absolutely think it's worth it. You can also take the ferry over to Sihanoukville (sp?) in Cambodia, which is one of my favorite places in SE Asia as well.

I actually thought the diving in Nha Trang was kind of underrated. Not spectacular, but not bad. Maybe that's something worth checking out for you?

 

[MelasLithos]

Just out of curiousity, what doesn't she like about the overall trip?

She found Vietnam dirty.

To be fair, she is Chinese, and Vietnam looks a bit like China 20-30 years ago (I say it because I was myself born in China, lived there at that time, and went to Vietnam recently). As far as I've noticed, most Chinese want to go forward, not backward. That might explain it.

She didn't have the same problem in other South-east Asia country. She's fine with poverty (been to Philippines, Thailand, etc. and loved it). It's really Vietnam only she didn't like. But as another member mentioned, to each their own.

I myself quite liked Vietnam, but it didn't blow my mind as much as other SE Asian country. Only been to the north of Vietnam though, and didn't dived.

 

[cpichette]

The prevailing opinion seems to be that the quality of the diving doesn't warrant carrying my mask and fins halfway around the world, so I'll spend my few days in Phu Quoc sitting on the beach with a cold beverage in my hand. I'll get my diving fix in Cozumel next week.

I am looking forward to Vietnam generally though.

 

[Lemuzzon]

She found Vietnam dirty.

To be fair, she is Chinese, and Vietnam looks a bit like China 20-30 years ago (I say it because I was myself born in China, lived there at that time, and went to Vietnam recently). As far as I've noticed, most Chinese want to go forward, not backward. That might explain it.

She didn't have the same problem in other South-east Asia country. She's fine with poverty (been to Philippines, Thailand, etc. and loved it). It's really Vietnam only she didn't like. But as another member mentioned, to each their own.

I myself quite liked Vietnam, but it didn't blow my mind as much as other SE Asian country. Only been to the north of Vietnam though, and didn't dived.

Fair enough but I have to respectfully disagree. Sure there are some not so nice parts, but I could say that about a lot of places. I actually found some areas, like the old-quarter of Hanoi, extremely nice. I was surprised to see Ferrari's and upscale hotels that reminded me of Nice, France. Nha Trang reminded me of Hawaii as well. I don't mean to sound rude, but in my (very brief) time in China, I thought it looked like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. However, I was mainly in an industrial area for work.

Anyways, everyone's experience is different!