Hovering, seemingly weightless, less than a meter above the fantastically shaped and colored coral of Phu Quoc is an experience many visitors to Vietnam will not readily forget. The coral reefs of Phu Quoc are amongst the very finest of Vietnam’s many natural wonders and are a sometimes overlooked stop on many Vietnamese tour itineraries.
Located in the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc itself is an island archipelago located around 40 kilometers of the coast of Vietnam, with its rich coral beds providing home and habitat to a seemingly limitless abundance of marine life. While the best spots to see and explore the coral beds aren’t immediately apparent, there are many companies offering snorkeling and diving tours of the reefs. Most will take visitors anywhere up to an hour out of Phu Quoc City harbor to reach the best locations. Once there, divers and snorkelers are free to explore the wildly diverse and colorful coral beds at their leisure.
The coral itself is unlikely to disappoint, with its impossible structures shaping themselves into fantastical and brightly colored constructs straight out of science fiction. Against this spectacular backdrop, brightly colored fish make their way across the reef. It’s estimated that seventy one different types of reef fish make their home within the coral reefs of Phu Quoc and even the briefest of swims will be enough for visitors to catch sight of angelfish, lionfish and the occasional barracuda. In all, Phu Quoc has some of the most expansive and best preserved marine life within the region , Neil Plater, dive manager at Flipper Driving Club described the conditions, “We have warm water, steady currents and, on the whole, good visibility.” All the ingredient, it would seem, for a fantastic aquatic cocktail.
In some of the deeper locations, all that’s needed is a couple of solid kicks with the flippers provided to propel swimmers to the sea’s floor. In terms of sheer exhilaration, swimming at depth amongst the innumerable fish and coral, with the bright canopy of the sea’s azure surface meters above, provides a rush that is hard to match. However, for those less confident in the water, there are facilities and wonders ample enough to make the trip worthwhile. “While some swimming ability is obviously helpful” Plater explained, “we do have flotation devices to help anyone struggling. We also have constant supervision. We have people in the water, as well as a Dive Master permanently stationed on the boat, making sure that no one gets into trouble.”
Nearly all tours include a complimentary meal, cooked aboard ship on the return leg. It’s a welcome sight after what can be a pretty exhausting day. However, while tiring, it’s an experience whose memory will long outlast the occasional ache. After all, it’s not every day that you get explore a whole new world.
Most tours will cost between US$15-US$25 a day. You can find out more about Flipper Diving Club and the marine life of Phu Quoc at: www.flipperdiving.com
By Simon Speakman Cordall in Phu Quoc