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Whale Island & Van Phong Bay · Vietnam · Reef

Whale Island Bay

Clownfish in anemones among big boulders

Whale Island Bay is the relaxed, easy dive off Whale Island itself, built around large rocks at about 15 m. Clownfish live in the anemones, and trevally, groupers and snapper shelter among the boulders, while the bottom continues down to around 50 m for those trained to go deeper.

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Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Whale Island Bay: typical dive to 15 m (to 50 ft), deepest point 50 m (164 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit15 m50 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 60 m (197 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

12.6490° N, 109.3969° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive centres on the large rock formations at about 15 m. Clownfish dart in and out of their anemones, and the rocks themselves are home to trevally, groupers and snapper. Below the rocks the bottom keeps going to around 50 m (164 ft), a depth only for divers with deep training.

Marine life and season

  • Trevally & jacks
  • Groupers
Month-by-month season rating for Whale Island Bay
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeFairFairFair

Season follows Whale Island & Van Phong Bay: Whale Island's dive season runs from mid-February to mid-October, and April to September are the best months for diving.

Questions divers ask

Can Whale Island Bay be dived deeper than the rocks?+

Yes. The main dive stays around the rocks at 15 m, but the site reaches about 50 m for divers trained to go deep.

Sources

  1. Top 5 diving destinations in Vietnam — Local Vietnam
  2. 20 Best Dive Sites in Vietnam — DiveIn
  3. OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap

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