Southeast Asia · Vietnam
Phú Quốc
Shallow boulder reefs and sand macro in Vietnam's south-western gulf
Photo: trungydang · CC BY 3.0
Phú Quốc sits in the Gulf of Thailand off the Cambodian coast, Vietnam's largest island and its second dive base after Nha Trang. Nobody claims the reefs rival Indonesia's — the coral is patchy and visibility rarely passes 15 m — but the An Thoi archipelago to the south has genuinely good macro on shallow boulder reefs and sand, seahorses are common, and the whole thing is warm, cheap and forgiving enough that it works as a first-dive destination.
About diving in Phú Quốc
Diving here is all day-boat, on wide wooden hulls that often carry snorkellers on the same trip. Most run south from An Thới harbour out to the archipelago: two dives with lunch aboard and a long surface interval, so the day is as much a boat outing as a diving one. When the south turns choppy, operators switch to the sites off the north-west coast instead. Night dives are run less often and are worth asking about, because the sand is a different place after dark.
Nothing here is steep. Boulders run off the island shores into shallow sand, coral heads and rubble fill the gaps, and there is no wall, drop-off or swim-through on the site list. Sites differ mainly in the mix: some are mostly boulder with fish holding in the cracks, others broad sand and rubble flats where the guide slows right down and starts pointing. Current is mild, which makes the dives long and easy to run at a crawl.
The dives that pay off are the slow ones. Guides work the rubble margins for seahorses, nudibranchs and small cephalopods, and stingrays sit half-buried out on the sand, so this is finning at walking pace with a torch rather than covering ground. It suits macro photographers willing to work in short visibility, and anyone fitting a few dives around a beach holiday. Two or three days covers what the island holds; divers after big animals should plan a second stop.
Expectations are worth setting before booking. Fishing is still a major activity around the island and has thinned out the larger fish, and visibility can swing from good to a few metres even in season. Since 2007 a 187 km² marine protected area has covered reef, seagrass and mangrove at the northern and southern ends of the island. Divers after a marine-park feel and bigger animals look to Côn Đảo; those for whom diving is the point of the trip are better served by Nha Trang.
Best time to dive Phú Quốc
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Good | Prime |
| Sea surface | 28°C82°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 31°C88°F | 31°C88°F | 30°C86°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F |
| Daytime high | 29°C84°F | 30°C86°F | 31°C88°F | 31°C88°F | 31°C88°F | 30°C86°F | 30°C86°F | 30°C86°F | 29°C84°F | 30°C86°F | 30°C86°F | 30°C86°F |
| Rain | 26 mm1.0 in | 14 mm0.6 in | 40 mm1.6 in | 97 mm3.8 in | 189 mm7.4 in | 282 mm11.1 in | 311 mm12.2 in | 252 mm9.9 in | 335 mm13.2 in | 240 mm9.4 in | 179 mm7.0 in | 72 mm2.8 in |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 28°C82°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 31°C88°F | 31°C88°F | 30°C86°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 29°C84°F | 30°C86°F | 31°C88°F | 31°C88°F | 31°C88°F | 30°C86°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 26 mm1.0 in | 14 mm0.6 in | 40 mm1.6 in | 97 mm3.8 in | 189 mm7.4 in | 282 mm11.1 in |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Good | Prime |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 30°C86°F | 30°C86°F | 29°C84°F | 30°C86°F | 30°C86°F | 30°C86°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 311 mm12.2 in | 252 mm9.9 in | 335 mm13.2 in | 240 mm9.4 in | 179 mm7.0 in | 72 mm2.8 in |
2011–2025 averages. Sea surface: NOAA Coral Reef Watch, measured at the surface, so deeper water can run colder. Daytime high and rain: NASA POWER.
November to April is the time to go. The dry season brings the calmest seas, the most consistent boat trips and the best chance of reaching both the sheltered north-west sites and the more exposed islands in the south. October and May sit on the edges of the season: usable, but more changeable, with currents that shift from day to day. June to September is the rainy season. Onshore winds build on the west coast, visibility can fall to a few metres, and several dive centres close until the season turns; the few trips that still run head for the islands off the south coast. The water stays at 28 to 31 °C all year, so the season decides the sea state, not the temperature.
Best months: January, February, March, April, December
Phú Quốc water temperature and weather by month
The sea surface runs from 28 °C (82 °F) in January to 31 °C (88 °F) in May. Most rain falls from May to November, peaking at about 340 mm (13 in) in September; it stays largely dry from December to April. Daytime highs sit around 30 °C (86 °F) all year. The coldest water here is about 28 °C (82 °F), so pack a 3 mm, or even a 2 mm, suit.
Dive types & marine life
Nudibranchs, cuttlefish, octopus, scorpionfish and crustaceans are the regulars, with seahorses and frogfish for patient guides. Bamboo sharks, blue-spotted stingrays and sea snakes turn up now and then, and turtles only rarely, whatever the site names say. There is no migration to time a trip around; the weather sets the calendar.
- Reef
- Muck & macro
- Night
- Coral garden
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
- Sea turtles
- Reef fish swarms
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Frogfish
- Stingrays
Best dive sites in Phú Quốc
- 1
Dragon Rock
House-sized boulders under hard and soft coral with big angelfish; rated one of the island's premier sites.
- 2
Turtle Island
The best-known northern site: rock canyons at 7–10 m and hard coral from the surface to 12 m.
- 3
May Rut Trong
Shallow, sheltered southern reef that suits divers and snorkellers on the same boat.
- 4
Hòn Dăm Ngoài
Two easy southern sites, nudibranchs to 12 m and mixed coral to 18 m; the usual backup in poor weather.
- 5
Nudibranch Garden
Shallow northern reef known for godiva nudibranchs, dived slowly for small life.
- 6
Roi East and Roi South
Calm reef beside a pearl farm, and a boulder field hung with whip corals and gorgonians.
- 7
South Pineapple Point
The deepest regular site, to 35 m in strong current; Advanced Open Water recommended.
Site guides
Up to 20 sites around 13 coral-ringed islands
Reef
Two shallow coral sites: nudibranchs at 12 m, macro to 18 m
Reef
Rock canyons and hard coral from the surface to 12 m
How to get to Phú Quốc
Phú Quốc has its own airport, with domestic flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, plus ferries from Hà Tiên and Rạch Giá on the mainland. Divers base in Dương Đông on the west coast or in An Thới, nearer the boats. It is day-boat diving only, with no shore entries, and most operators wind down through the June-to-September rainy season.
Photos from Phú Quốc
Алёна Осипова · CC BY 4.0
Gonzo Gooner · CC BY 3.0
Alexey Komarov · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dive videos
Underwater Adventures in Phu Quoc, Vietnam | Private Diving Tour in the Southernmost Waters. · NADAM on YouTube
Dive Into Paradise: Scuba Diving Adventures in Phu Quoc, Vietnam | Phu Quoc | Scuba Diving | Vietnam · Wanderer_Mohit on YouTube
Questions divers ask
When is the best time to dive Phu Quoc?+
November to April. The dive season runs roughly from October to May, but the calmest seas and most reliable trips fall in the dry months. From June to September the rainy season brings rough water and poor visibility, and several dive centres close or move their operations to the mainland coast.
Is Phu Quoc a good place to learn to dive?+
Yes. Most sites sit between 6 and 12 m, the water is 28 to 31 °C all year and currents are usually gentle, which is why so many people learn here. Only a few exposed southern sites, such as South Pineapple Point at 35 m, call for Advanced training.
Is the diving better in the north or the south of Phu Quoc?+
The south. The islands of the An Thới archipelago have far more sites and the better coral, but they are exposed and conditions can change quickly. The north-west has only a few shallow sites, to about 10 m, and is more sheltered, so boats go there when the south is too rough. Dive centres choose on the day.
Are there turtles or sharks at Phu Quoc?+
Rarely. Fishing is still a major activity around the island and has thinned out the larger animals, and turtles are seldom seen even at Turtle Island. Bamboo sharks, blue-spotted stingrays and sea snakes turn up now and then; the reliable subjects are nudibranchs, cuttlefish, octopus and other small life.
Sources
- Diving in Phu Quoc: schools, seasons and sites — Local Vietnam
- Phu Quoc Dive Sites — Flipper Diving Club
- Diving in Phú Quốc — PADI
- Rainy Season in Phu Quoc Island Vietnam — tripAtrek
- Phú Quốc — Wikipedia
- Phu Quoc — Wikivoyage
- Quần đảo An Thới — Wikipedia (vi)
Photo credits
- Colorful beachfront restaurant on stilts above the shore at Dinh Cau, Phu Quoc, Vietnam by trungydang, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A Java rabbitfish swims over a shallow, algae-covered reef off Phu Quoc, Vietnam by Алёна Осипова, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A small fishing boat anchored just offshore along a quiet sandy beach on Phu Quoc by Gonzo Gooner, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Tourist and fishing boats moored in a harbor at dusk near Duong Dong, Phu Quoc by Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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In The Logbook
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