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Rainbow Divers 
Since 1980-the 'real' pioneers!  Jeremy Stein started Rainbow Divers in the mid 90’s and is responsible for opening the 1st PADI divec entre in Vietnam. Now, Rainbow Divers seems to be omnipresent throughout Vietnam and certainly synonymous with professional training and diving standards. Jeremy and his International dive team continue to pioneer diving in Vietnam!     

THE DIVE VIETNAM TEAM:
Diving in Vietnam is possible throughout the year with the season in Nha Trang & Whale Island between January – November, between October – May in Phu Quoc, March – August in Hoi An & March – September in Con Dao.The name Rainbow Divers derived from a famous Bar & Night Club on the beach in Nha Trang. Unfortunately the bar was demolished at the end of 2002, but the Rainbow name continues to grow from strength to strength in the International diving community. The Rainbow Bar has now re-opened in the centre of Nha Trang and operates as the National HQ for Rainbow Divers. The strength of Rainbow Divers is undoubtedly it’s unique combination of offering top quality PADI training and the finest recreational diving: 

TRAINING: Rainbow Divers has the highest qualified team of instructors in Vietnam.
Jeremy P. Stein : English PADI Course DirectorGrant Martin : English PADI Course DirectorSean Porter : English PADI Master InstructorHiromi Mashiguchi : Japanese IDC Staff InstructorSteve de Poot : Belgian IDC Staff InstructorTodd Hansen : Australian IDC Staff InstructorSuzy Phipps : English IDC Staff InstructorSu Thai Binh : Vietnamese IDC Staff InstructorGeorges Erhard : English IDC Staff Instructor
Anh, Viet & Hoang are probably the best known and most experienced divers in Vietnam with over 10,000 dives each!

RECREATIONAL DIVING:
Part of the cultural experience of diving in a foreign country is meeting the people. The Rainbow team of Diveguides are English speaking Vietnamese Divers. Their wealth of experience has been amassed over the years from military, commercial and, for the last 10 years, recreational diving. Anh Nguyen : PADI Assistant Instructor & Rainbow Dive-guide TrainerViet Nguyen : PADI Assistant Instructor & Rainbow Dive-guide TrainerHoang Nguyen : PADI Assistant Instructor & Rainbow Dive-guide Trainer Duc Nguyen : PADI Divemaster & Senior Rainbow DiveguideChien Nguyen : PADI Divemaster, Boat Captain & Senior Dive-guide Kha Nguyen : PADI Divemaster & Rainbow DiveguideTan Nguyen : PADI Divemaster & Rainbow DiveguideLam Nguyen : PADI Divemaster & Rainbow Diveguide All other Dive-Guides are a minimum of a Rainbow-Trained PADI Rescue Divers and are well experienced at all the sites in Vietnam. So, to see the best of what diving in Vietnam has to offer, enjoy the experience of diving with the real professionals – we won’t compromise your safety or fun! 

Well established
Jeremy Stein's RAINBOW DIVERS are well established throughout Vietnam offering divers the best dive sites and highest quality Training Courses available in the country.  Our associate office, Rainbow Adventures, based at 173 Pham Ngu Lao St, in Saigon’s District 1, can provide information about diving in Nha Trang, Whale Island, Phu Quoc Hoi An and Con Dao. A small deposit of 100,000vnd (US$7) guarantees your booking on any of the dive boats at any of our dive centres and you'll even be given a free Rainbow T-shirt for booking!! Hotel accommodation & Travel can also be booked here.  

Tourists, by prior arrangement, can also obtain course information and materials and begin studying before arriving at their chosen dive destination. Ex-pats now have the opportunity to start many of their PADI courses in Saigon and then choose a destination to complete the training dives. This means that you can study during the week and then complete confined water (swimming pool) training & Ocean dives over 2 weekends at one of the Rainbow Divecentres to complete the course. It needn’t be consecutive weekends or even the same Rainbow centre. YOU make the decision!.  

Diving 
Nha Tang Dive Sites The majority of the dive sites are within a 1 hour boat ride (or 15 minutes by our speedboats) from Nha Trang to the stunning nearby Islands of the Hon Mun Marine Park. 

This represents the BEST diving in The South China Sea. Some of our favourite diving spots are: 
1 Madonna Rock. 5-25 metres. Hard Corals. Swim Thru's.
2 Hard Rock 2. Wall dive to 15 metres. Hard corals.
3 Hard Rock 3. Wall dive to 20 metres. Hard corals.
4 Hard Rock 1. Wall & Cavern dive to 25 metres.
5 Goat Rock. Wall dive to 40 metres.
6 The Range. Wall dive to 25 metres with caverns.
7 Tiger Wall. Wall dive to 25 metres.
6 Debbie's Beach. 15 metres. Outstanding hard & soft corals.
9 Dopey's Ear. 18 metres. Wall & Pinnacles.
10 Rainbow Reef. 20 metres. Outstanding hard & soft corals.
11 Moray beach. 20 metres. Hard & Soft corals. Giant Morays.
12 Seahourse Bay 1. 15 metres. 'Muck diving'.
13 Mama Hahn beach. 18 metres. hard corals.
14 Electric Nose. 45 metre wall dive. Currents. Advanced only.
15 Bob's House. 25 metres. Hard & Soft corals.
16 Uta bay. 15 metres. Sandy & rocky.
17 Hon Mot East. 20 metres. Outstanding coral garden.
18 Seahorse Bay 2. 18 metres of 'muck diving'.
19 Hamburger Hill. 20 metres. Rocky pinnacle with soft corals.  

Whale Island
“THE MALDIVES OF VIETNAM”RAINBOW DIVERS opened this PADI 5 Star Gold Palm IDC
Center at the beginning of 2002. However, the Island has been associated with Scuba Diving for many years. For example, did you know that it was here on Whale Island that Jacques Cousteau first discovered his passion for diving! The resort is located 80 kms North of Nha Trang at the tip of an archipelago. It is absolute paradise – your own ‘desert island’ where you can really get away from it all! The bamboo bungalows right on the beachfront are complete with shower & wc, and offer accommodation for up to 60 guests. Meals are served 3 times a day and are a delicious combination of traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a strong French influence. (Probably something to do with the fact that the resort is owned and run by a Frenchman called Michel together with his lovely Vietnamese wife, Lan Phuong) Advance booking is essential as the resort is extremely popular. The island offers a wild and natural environment where the marine life, flora & fauna are a nature lover’s dream, both above and below the water! The diving here is perfect for beginners and experienced alike. There is safe & simple diving from the beach to a maximum depth of 15 metres.

The morning boat dives offer more exciting & adventurous diving; wall dives down to 40 metres, coral gardens at 10-15 metres, racing drift dives and of course less strenuous Nudibranch spotting! Whales, sharks & whale sharks are unfortunately not so regularly seen: same for rays and big pelagics!. Whilst the diving here on Whale Island & in Nha Trang will never compete with The Red Sea and Great Barrier Reef, we are convinced that your overall dive experience will be un-matched! All PADI courses are offered here, from the introductory Discover Scuba Diving upto Instructor Courses. The RAINBOW DIVERS Instructor Team is the most professional and highest qualified in Vietnam. Headed by English PADI Course Director Jeremy Stein and PADI Master Instructor Graham Lee (English), the team is managed on a daily basis by French PADI IDC Staff Instructors Fabrice Ricaud and Geoffrey Godde who also speak Fluent English.

The rest of the team comprises Instructors and Divemasters from France, Japan, Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Australia, America and of course Vietnam. If you are intending taking a course during your stay and need a specific language, please use our contact us form and select Whale Island. For 8 year olds we can offer the PADI Bubblemaker program which is a dive experience one on one with an Instructor to a maximum of 2 metres. For 10-12 year olds the PADI junior Open Water course and a couple of specialties are available, full details of courses for kids & youngsters available from the Family Page. If you are intending to take a PADI course during your trip, please download and check through the medical questionnaire. If you answer yes to any of the questions, please visit your doctor and obtain medical clearance before arriving.   

Phu Quoc 
VIETNAMESE ISLAND... IN THE GULF OF THAILAND... OFF THE CAMBODIAN COASTLINE...The ONLY PADI divecentre on Phu Quoc Island.  This beautiful island lies 65 miles off the south-west coast of Vietnam and is genuinely unspoiled by time & tourism. Travelers say that “Vietnam is like Thailand 20 years ago”. If that’s true, then Phu Quoc is like Vietnam used to be 10 years ago! Phu Quoc is about the same size as Singapore, 600 sq. kms and is the largest of all Vietnamese islands. There are 99 mountains and hills covered in green primitive forests with majestic waterfalls and babbling streams. The fresh sea breezes and stunning sandy beaches touching crystal clear blue waters make this a true paradise. The tourist season is similar to Thailand’s. The good weather and clear waters start mid November and last until early June. Then the rainy season usually starts and diving conditions are not so good.

This however compliments diving in Nha Trang & Whale Island where the rainy season can begin mid November till early January. Information on the Internet about the island is limited and what there is tends to be outdated and can give a dire overview of the fate awaiting tourists! Our advice is ignore this and discover for yourself one of the best kept secrets in SE Asia. Scuba Diving and PADI were introduced to the Island during 2002 by Jeremy Stein, better known for his 5 Star diving and Instructor Training Centres in Nha Trang, Hoi An, Con Dao & Whale Island. So whilst diving is relatively new here you have a rare opportunity to be amongst the first to dive this area and to discover new divesites. Diving in the North is similar to the rest of Vietnam, whereby there is not a proliferation of large fish life, nor the pelagics, Mantas or Sharks. It is however teeming with smaller reef fishes and is a perfect site for new divers or divers who have not dived for a while. The hard & soft corals are pristine around the mass of small islands to the South and are home to a huge variety of small colourful reef/coral fish, many of them endemic to the Vietnamese waters.

At times it is difficult to see the corals due to the masses of Fairy Basslets & Damsel fish! The mysterious Dugong has also been sighted here! All PADI diving and experience courses are offered here, as well as daily dive trips and is run by the highest qualified Instructors in Vietnam together with the Rainbow Divers team. Jeremy Stein is an English PADI Course Director. He has lived in Vietnam for many years and is responsible for introducing PADI into the country in the 90’s. Jeremy and his team at Rainbow are considered to be the pioneers of diving in Vietnam. PADI Instructor Development Courses are run at their 5 Star IDC centres in Nha Trang 6 times each year. The General Manager of the diveteam on Phu Quoc is Georges Erhard (English PADI Staff Instructor) and he is ably assisted by English Staff Instructor, Vicki Jones & German MSDTs Steve Denke & Stephanie Koppel. Divemasters from Vietnam, France, Scandinavia & England complete the team whose primary focus is to ensure that you have fun and safe diving experiences! There are limited medical facilities available on the island and no recompression chamber.

Therefore safe diving practices are essential and full medical & evacuation insurance is recommended. Policies available through PADI and DAN SEAP (Divers Alert Network) – Please click on the DAN icon on the left side of this page for immediate 30 day cover. Diving in the North begins at 8am with a 90 minute trip to the sites. 2 or 3 dives are available as are ‘Try-Dives’ and Snorkelling. Trips to the South start at 7.30am. The journey is for 2 hours 30 minutes. We only offer a 3-dive package to the South as well as ‘Try-Dives’ and snorkeling. Lunch is available between the dives for 40,000vnd (about $2.50). Water, soft drinks & beer are also available on board, or you are welcome to bring your own. We do restrict the number of divers to ensure comfort, relaxation and enjoyable day. Accordingly, we recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment. 

HOW TO GET THERE 
- AIR: Vietnam Airlines ATR72 planes leave from Ho Chi Minh City (45 mins) & Rach Gia.
- SEA: Public boats leave the mainland from Rach Gia (7 hrs) and Ha Tien (4 hrs).  

Con Dao THE BEST DIVING IN VIETNAM 
Situated 200 kms due South of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) these 16 remote and mainly unexplored Islands offer the best diving available in Vietnam. Some sites are hard to match in the rest of Asia! The Con Dao

Archipelago OVERVIEW
The remote Con Dao group of islands is about 180km from Vung Tau, and has a local population of around 5,000. The main island, Con Son, was a much-feared former penal colony until 1975. Most of the archipelago is now a National Park with some good beaches, clear water with pristine coral, lush tropical forest with many flowers, coconut groves, and few visitors are starting to generate interest in visiting this largely unspoilt area. 

LOCATION
8°37'-8°46'N, 106°32'-l06°45'E; 85 km off the coast of the Mekong Delta, 180 km SSW of Vung Tau and 200 km south of Ho Chi Minh City. 

HISTORY
Once known as ‘Poulo Condor’ and long considered a Southeast Asian ‘Devil's Island’, Con Son is the largest island in the archipelago. The infamous Con Son prison complex was established by the French colonial authority early in the nineteenth century. From then until 1975 the French colonial administration, followed by the Saigon government, incarcerated political prisoners in brutal conditions, often in tiny underground boxes known as ‘tiger cages’.

The Hang Duong cemetery holds the remains of the many prisoners that died there.Throughout the colonial period and its use by the Saigon regime, Con Dao’s only inhabitants were the prisoners, their guards, and a small contingent of soldiers and administrators. The true extent of the appalling treatment of inmates only became known after victory and reunification in May 1975. Since then, a small town has developed on the western side of Con Son in and around the old penal colony complex. It’s an attractive community with excellent civic amenities and a road layout that would put most Vietnamese towns to shame, despite its size. 

THE WEATHER
Con Dao is located at a point where cool and warm ocean currents converge and create a localised climatic system. From June to September, frequent fierce squalls buffet the west facing aspects of the islands whilst the east is sheltered. In September, the currents and winds reverse thus exposing the east of the islands to bad weather until January. The weather is calm all over the archipelago during the remainder of the year. This unusual weather pattern allows swimming, snorkeling and diving to be an all-year-round activity.See our Real Time Weather for Con Dao (Con Son) 

THE NATIONAL PARK
The French wardens forced prisoners to collect live coral and turn it into lime. The coral reefs survived, but only to face further damage from uncontrolled and destructive fishing. The National Park was established in 1977, but protection extended only to the flora and fauna on land. The park now covers fourteen of the sixteen islands and their surrounding marine areas.The forest cover on the islands is dense: a sizable proportion is in pristine condition, particularly the humid hill forest growing above 500m above sea level.

Even though control over the exploitative use of the sea was established as late as 1993, and despite the damage wreaked by the French, over a thousand hectares of Con Dao National Park's coral reefs survive in the shallow waters - a stark contrast to other areas of Vietnam that have low coral cover as a result of overexploitation, destructive fishing, and sedimentation. The entire marine area is rich in biodiversity: over 1,300 species of sea animals have already been identified. The ecosystems on Con Dao are favorable habitats for rare species such as the Hawksbill, Green Turtles & Dugong, the strange creatures popularly known as ‘sea cows’ and believed to be the source of the ‘mermaid’ legends from their habit of sunbathing on rocks. 

CONSERVATION EFFORTS
The World Wide Fund for Nature has been active in protecting sea turtles and dugong. Since 1995, more than 300,000 baby turtles have been released to the sea and nearly 1,000 mature turtles have been tagged.Con Dao National Park is now considered one of the best examples of marine conservation in Vietnam, complete with regulations to limit fishing activities and prohibit destructive fishing, and is a model for marine conservation throughout the country. There are plans for eco-friendly development within the park’s boundaries. 

THE FUTURE
Con Dao has significant value for many types of conservation and eco-friendly tourism development. Five-star PADI scuba diving is available through Rainbow Divers; the Islands’ only dive operator, as there are many outstanding dive sites offering sightings of dolphins, turtles, sharks, rays, bumphead parrotfish and dugong as well as a wide range of other species. Con Dao is definitely a place for nature lovers, but also an opportunity to visit an unspoilt tropical island before development. There is little doubt that it will soon become a popular destination, so if you want peace and solitude in a pristine setting, now’s the time to go. 

OTHER POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES
There is a small museum in what used to be the French Governor’s residence overlooking the main bay. Its four rooms cover the islands’ history, most of which centres upon the penal colony. The first room contains general information about the archipelago. The second is called ‘Hell on Earth’. On its walls are faded photographs, illustrations and paintings depicting the inhuman treatment meted out by their gaolers.Under the French, there was some semblance of order and control. Prisoners incarcerated for relatively minor offences could gain privileges for co-operation and be released to the mainland.

Under the Saigon regime, prisoners were treated even more brutally. Pictures of the comfortable life of the prison administrators and their guests contrast eerily with the squalor of the inmates. Various artifacts, memorabilia and examples of the instruments of torture are on display – particularly poignant are fragments of paper weapons and costumes made by inmates as props for New Year celebration performances. The third room has a wall of photographs of prominent Vietnamese agitators and revolutionaries who underwent slow execution in the tiger cages, and other prisoners who served time and later rose to prominence after liberation. There is also a display of makeshift weapons. The final room depicts the years since liberation.The museum arranges a tour of the complex with a guide. However, the level of English spoken is low, so patience and a phrase book are necessary. The tour should take a couple of hours.

The main island offers good hiking and trekking opportunities – the National Park Headquarters on the outskirts of the town can provide you with information about suitable trails and paths.There are some good beaches on Con Son. Some can be reached on foot, but the better locations involve a long hike or hiring a motorbike. There are many secluded beaches on the other islands. 

FACILITIES
There are no taxis on the islands, and virtually no ‘xe oms’ (motorbike taxis). However, it’s easy to hire a small motorbike to get around the island. Prices are somewhat higher than on the mainland. Accommodation is basic and limited. Restaurants are few and far between, and the cuisine is rudimentary. Don’t be misled by tales of exotic fruits in abundance – it’s mainly bananas and coconuts. Everything else comes from the mainland. However, the seafood is first-rate. 

THE DIVNG
The dive centre is managed by the senior Instructors at Rainbow Divers. They rotate on a monthly basis onto the Island to rediscover for themselves the best diving in the country. The dive boat is purpose-built for upto 20 divers. Diving is possible every day, subject to a minimum of 2 divers. Single dive trips will be surcharged. The boat usually departs at 7.30am after breakfast at your hotel. Water & fruit is complimentary on board, but please ask your Hotel to prepare a ‘snack-box’ if you wish to eat something more during the trip. We do however usually return in time for lunch.Personal Accident & Evacuation Insurance is necessary because of the remote location of the Islands. You can arrange this directly with DAN through Rainbow Divers. It will only cost AU$16 plus an AU$4 admin fee. 

GETTING TO CON DAO
Regular Flights from Saigon.Operated by VASCO, a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines.Booking well in advance is essential! Enquiries for tickets:In-country: VASCO 08.844 5999Rainbow Travel, Saigon 08.920 7753Abroad: GrantAll international bookings will require prepayment and are subject to a 5% booking fee.   

HOTELS 
SAIGON-CON DAO RESORTSituated overlooking the ocean.Low-rise building: clean & comfortable rooms with air con. Restaurant. Tennis Court.Prices: Single room $30, Double/twin $35, Triple $45 NEW PREMISES - OPENING AUGUST 2007!   

CON DAO RESORT
Modern new hotel & annexeSwimming pool. Beachfront.Prices-hotel: Single room $35, Double/twin $40, Triple $55Prices-annexe: Double – mountain view $45,Double – garden view $55, Double – sea view $75 

ATC HOTEL
Friendly, family-run resortOverlooking the sea. Excellent RestaurantPrices: Single room $30, Double/twin $35, Triple $50 

Hoi An
The beautiful Riverside Town of Hoi An is situated on the coast about 45 minutes South of Da Nang. It is a living museum oozing charm & culture from every corner. Hoi An was almost completely destroyed during the Tay Son rebellion in the 1770’s. It was then rebuilt and served as an important International port until the river silted up which allowed Da Nang to flourish as a commercial centre. During French colonisation, Hoi An served as an administrative centre and later, during the American War, the Town, with the co-operation of both sides, remained almost completely undamaged. Thus, Hoi An really offers a sense of history unique in SE Asia. Rainbow Divers started diving in Hoi An at the beginning of 2005.On the beach at The Hoi An Beach resort they have a booking office, classroom & swimming pool.

Their other office is in the centre of the town on Le Loi Street. All PADI courses are offered here from Discover Scuba Diving to Divemaster & Instructor. Courses can start every day. For certified divers there is a daily dive trip to the nearby Cu Lao Cham Marine park, some 25 minutes by speedboat. The Marine Park comprises 8 islands which are home to 155 species of corals, 202 species of fish, 4 species of lobster and 84 species of mollusks. The centre is a MARES dive centre and is managed & run by English PADI IDC Staff Instructors, Gary Davis & Sarah Martini. They both have spent their time in Vietnam at Rainbow Divers in Nha Trang & Con Dao, so their levels of service, safety & professionalism are as high as you would expect from a Rainbow centre! 

ALL PADI COURSES INCLUDE YOUR OWN ORIGINAL MANUALS & MATERIALS

If you are intending to take a PADI course during your trip, please download and check through the medical questionnaire. If you answer yes to any of the questions, please visit your doctor and obtain medical clearance before arriving.