Vinh Gấu reveals ideal diving spots.

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• Full name: Le Viet Vinh

• Date of birth: January 29th

• Hometown: Buon Ma Thuot, Daklak

• Living in: Ho Chi Minh City

• Occupation: Office worker on weekdays. Tourist on weekends.

• Number of countries visited: 19 countries in the Americas, Australia, Europe, and Asia.

• Future plans:

- In October 2019, Vietnam's representative participated in the Asia Super Team competition to explore Taiwan alongside travel bloggers from across Asia.

- In December 2019, I celebrated Christmas in London (UK) and watched the fireworks display over the Thames for New Year's Eve.

1. Nha Trang

Nha Trang boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam and is always vibrant, no matter when you visit. Nha Trang has many scuba diving training centers because its waters offer diverse conditions suitable for all skill levels. You can start with dives at depths of around 5 meters to learn essential scuba diving techniques, then descend to 18 meters to observe sea snails and tiny, charming fish. You can also dive to depths of around 39 meters at Tiger Wall or Big Wall to see giant vertical rock formations teeming with colorful coral.

Additional information:

- Move:There are many ways to travel to Nha Trang from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, such as by bus, plane, or train. Especially if you enjoy road trips, you can drive yourself to Nha Trang.

- Cuisine: Fish cake noodle soup, jellyfish noodle soup, Ninh Hoa spring rolls, rice noodle soup, and especially fresh seafood are must-try specialties when visiting Nha Trang.

- Place of residence:Tourists can choose resorts right on the central beach, which are beautiful and well-equipped. If they want to save money, hotels a short distance from the beach are usually cheaper but still offer decent rooms.

2. Cham Island

Cham Island is located 15 km from Cua Dai beach and is recognized by UNESCO as a world biosphere reserve. It boasts numerous different coral reefs such as Hon Dai, Hon Tai, Hon Nhon, Rang Manh, Bai Bim, Bai Xep, Da Trang, etc., with approximately over 300 species of coral.

While the coral reefs in Cu Lao Cham may not be as abundant as in Nha Trang, they possess a distinct beauty with many eye-catching and vibrant colors. In particular, "underwater walking" is a very popular activity in Cu Lao Cham. With just a protective suit, you can stroll underwater and enjoy admiring the coral. A unique feature is that at Hon Dai, you don't need to dive too deep; at a depth of just 2 meters, you can touch the colorful coral reefs. You can also choose to participate in scuba diving, deep-sea diving, or underwater walking.

Additional information:

- Move: From Hoi An, tourists can travel to Cham Island by speedboat (150,000 VND/ticket) or wooden boat (30,000 VND/ticket). If traveling by wooden boat, you can bring your motorbike with a ticket price of 80,000 VND for both person and motorbike.

- Cuisine:When you visit Cu Lao Cham, you absolutely must try sun-dried squid, stone crab, conch snails, wild vegetables, sticky rice cake wrapped in thorny leaves, grilled oysters, and more.

- Place of residence:Accommodation here is mostly homestay-style, concentrated in Bai Lang and Bai Huong beaches, with prices ranging from 150,000 VND per double room to 50,000-100,000 VND per person. If you prefer to be closer to nature, you can camp at Bai Ong, Bai Huong, and Bai Bim beaches. Locals rent out tents for 150,000 VND each.

3. MoalBoal - Cebu (Philippines)

The town of Moalboal is only about a 2-hour drive from Cebu City (Philippines). For scuba divers, Moalboal is considered a diving paradise thanks to its pristine white sand beaches, beautiful underwater world, and diverse marine life.

While diving, you might encounter sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, and especially schools of thousands of sardines, a truly beautiful sight. Additionally, you can visit Oslob, a sanctuary for beautiful and gentle whale sharks. If you prefer more adventurous activities, head to the Kawasan Falls for water sports such as water slides, zip-lining, and freefall from a height of approximately 14 meters. Notably, Moalboal is not only famous for scuba diving but also for training many freedivers.

Additional information:

- Move:From Vietnam, you have to transit in Manila, then take another flight to Mactan Island and then travel by car to Cebu Island.

- Cuisine:As a melting pot of many cultures, Cebu's cuisine is rich and diverse, easily satisfying even the pickiest travelers. Street food such as lansiao, bakassi, tuslob buwa, and lechon are particularly noteworthy.

- Accommodation:Moalboal, Cebu boasts numerous modern hotels and resorts. One of the most popular choices among tourists is The Blue Orchid Resort (White Beach - Saavedra, Moalboal 6032, Philippines).

4. Bali (Indonesia)

Bali boasts many exciting diving spots such as Tulamben and Nusa Penida. Besides its diverse marine life, Bali is also famous for its shipwrecks and underwater temples – places that diving enthusiasts can explore. The waters of Bali are home to a very special type of fish, the Mola Mola, which typically lives in cold, deep waters and is concentrated around diving spots in Nusa Penida.

The highlight of diving in Tulamben is the sunken USAT Liberty, home to a variety of beautiful coral and fish species. At the Amed dive site, you can see Buddhist symbols submerged underwater for tourism purposes.

Additional information:

- Schedule: There are direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Bali, but if you're traveling from Hanoi, you'll have to make a connecting flight. A round-trip ticket costs approximately 4 million VND or more.

- Cuisine:The food in Bali is relatively easy to eat for most tourists. Must-try dishes when visiting Bali include Babi Guiling, Chicken Satay, Nasi Goreng, and Lawar.

- Note: Bali has a tropical climate, hot all year round like Ho Chi Minh City, so you only need to bring practical, comfortable summer clothes.

The Anh