Halong Bay Scuba Diving & Snorkeling: Complete Guide

Diverse Eco Systems In Halong Bay (Source: Baoquangninh.vn)

Diverse ecosystem

For years, Halong Bay has been listed in the World's Seven Wonders due to its tremendously diverse ecosystem, which is the perfect combination of tropical evergreen and oceanic seashore biosystems.

However, if you participate in sightseeing by boat or cruise, you will only see "the tip of the iceberg" through the conspicuous tropical evergreen made of plants, islands, and caves. But to witness the equally stunning marine life, which is hidden under the oceanic and seashore, you must join scuba diving and snorkeling to admire the whole magnificent beauty.

Easy to access

Besides, in the sleeping areas of the bay, where all of these beauties flourish the most, it can sometimes be hard to cruise or move around by fast boat because of the group of many tiny islands. In that case, scuba diving and snorkeling will be the water-based Halong Bay activities during your trip. The activities are also great for those who prefer calmness without any disturbance from vehicles.

Beautiful snorkeling and diving in Halong

Impressive corals

The incredible coral system, which is centered in 18 reefs in Cong Do-Tra San, Hang Trai-Dau Be, and has 110 species of hard coral and 37 species of soft coral, covers an area of around 5,108 hectares. Also, the coral system is home to thousands of marine animals such as fishes, crabs, shrimps, etc., which makes underwater life in Halong Bay so colorful that you will regret missing it during your vacation.

Halong snorkeling or scuba diving in these places, travelers explore the breezy life of the marine world with their naked eye and admire a wide coral reef displaying a myriad of colors and marine animals. You will have a closer chance to touch these reefs and dance with cool fish.

Good for your physical health

Finally, for those who are newbies, taking part in sports will be a chance for you to challenge your strength and all of your muscles to the test.

• Scuba diving will help you get back in shape, a firmer body
• Beneficial for the heart because when swimming helps to increase heart rate and strengthen the heart muscle, preventing heart diseases such as heart failure, coronary heart disease, high cholesterol, and hypertension.
• Being active in the water helps your blood circulation to be more circulated
• Scuba diving helps to improve bones and joints, people with bone and joint conditions or obesity are often advised to participate.
• This is also a wonderful way to reduce your stress

After that, you will feel much healthier. This kind of exercise is suggested During the drinking and eating binge vacations.

For more water activities, read about Halong Bay Swimming: A Must-do to Get Into Nature.

As the experience depends entirely on the weather, you'd better get to know what the weather is like in Halong Bay before starting your trip to diving or snorkeling.

Depending on weather conditions and experience from Local Travel Experts, Summer, and Autumn are the best time for Halong Bay Diving & Snorkeling.

Summer in Halong Bay (May to July)

• The weather is hot to enjoy activities like sightseeing, kayaking, etc.
• Immersing yourself in cool water is like in heaven, and you can also sightsee the charming coral reefs underwater
• The sunlight will make them even more sparkling and enthralling

Autumn in Halong Bay (August to October)

• A suitable time to scuba dive and snorkel because of the pleasant weather
• The natural light during this time is weaker can make marine life less clear to be seen
• This is also Halong Bay's peak season, your enjoyment will be disrupted by cruises, boats, and other things to do in Halong Bay

Besides, you should also NOTICE that storms can set in anytime at the end of summer in Halong (often from August to the beginning of September). To avoid this, you can start your trip in May or September as these are, respectively, the beginning and the end of the season, hence fewer possibilities of storms. Alternatively, if booking your tour in other months, try to check the weather forecast frequently and ask your travel agency for more information.

Places for scuba diving and snorkeling are various in Halong Bay as the activities are now popular with tourists. Such places include Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay, and Cai Bau Island, to name but a few. Among them, the following can be considered the best to be referred to when you book a Halong Bay tour.

1. Lan Ha Bay

Though known as an extended part of the World Heritage, Lan Ha Bay is more of a pristine and untouched paradise in which everything is in its primitive condition and has not been heavily exploited for tourism, unlike the crowded Halong Bay. The bay is home to 400 limestone islets spread over 76 km2 and high diversity of flora and fauna in the sea: about 98 species of plankton, 196 species of marine fish, and 177 species of coral.

Besides, Lan Ha Bay is adjacent to Cat Ba Archipelago, which is a complex of Cat Ba Island, Cat Ba National Park, Monkey Island, etc., and also features amazingly diverse marine life, especially the precious red coral. As the bay is far smaller than Halong Bay and has lots of islands in it, Lan Ha can give you a private space while enjoying your vacation as well as scuba diving or snorkeling.

2. Cong Do Island

Cong Do Island, or "Red Drainage," located in Bai Tu Long Bay, is a small island about 24 square kilometers in size. Like others, it is well-known for its pristine, natural charm and diversity in flora and fauna. Here, there's an abundance of sea life in an underwater world, like shrimp, crab, squid, seaweed, algae, various fish, and underwater vegetation. Besides, the island is also home to a 7-kilometer-long and 300-meter-wide coral reef, making it a must-see place for people who love snorkeling & scuba diving.

3. Vung Ha Island

Vung Ha is a large island right in the center of Halong Bay. This wonderful island features diverse marine life with many species of fish, crabs, squid, seaweed, and shrimp. The coral reef here is also vivid and colorful, making it an ideal place for scuba diving and snorkeling.

It is wonderful if you just need to prepare a beautiful soul to experience the trip instead of worrying about the complicated process before the journey. Here are some advantages of booking a Halong snorkeling tour:

• Includes a variety of services.
• To ensure safety, there is a guide.
• If you are unsure of what to see, don't be afraid to get lost in a popular tourist area like Ha Long.
• Without having to bother about lodging, take advantage of the entire service.
• Reduce the likelihood of fraud to decrease tourism

Table comparison between booking a Halong snorkeling tour and freediving

Where to book a Halong snorkeling tour?

High-recommended contacts

What is a Halong Diving/ Snorkeling tour like?

Morning

• 07:30 - 08:00 The tour guide will meet you at the Port, and you will be welcomed warmly with a small meeting and specific instructions about the tour
• 08:00 Move to the speedboat to travel to the diving/ snorkeling area in the Heritage of the World Halong Bay
• 09:00 - 09:25  Arrive at the amazing coral bay to prepare for your exploration under the sea with the introduction to coral diving regulations, and instructions on diving techniques
• 09:30 - 11:30 Time for you to be free to discover the wonderful Halong’s Atlantic with various colorful corals. 
• 11:30 After snorkeling, you will return to the ship to have lunch and take a rest. At the same time, you also participate in fishing, enjoying light meals or selfies,...

Afternoon

• 14:00 You continue to join various excellent beach activities such as kayaking, swimming, or water motor.
• 16:00 Come back to the ship to prepare for the farewell
• 17:30 - 18:00 Time to say goodbye to the tour guide and the crew, this is also the end of the Halong diving & snorkeling tour.

Halong Scuba diving and snorkeling are amazing sports that can help you increase your strength as well as admire the whole beauty of the World Heritage. To dive longer and deeper but still safely and see as many stunning things as you can, careful preparation is needed. Follow these tips, and you will never regret them.

• The best time to scuba dive is from May to September. For more detailed information about the weather, just ask the tour guide or travel agencies as they are the experts in it.
• Your strength must be good enough to go snorkeling and diving in Halong Bay, so make sure you don't have any heart or lung problems.
• Remember not to eat too much but also not to stay hungry before diving or snorkeling. Just enough.
• Practicing some physical exercise will keep your body warm and moving before joining the sports.
• While taking part in the activities, you have to listen and follow the instructions of the tour guide carefully.
• Be aware of jellyfish. First aid steps should be taken when you are stung by a jellyfish.
• Do not snorkel or dive alone near the propeller of the cruise ship.
• All facilities are regularly checked and match safety standards, such as masks, fins, snorkels, cylinders, wet suits, and life vests.

Scuba Diving Tour In Halong Bay (Source: Baoquangninh.vn)

Hope that the above information is helpful. Have fun with Halong scuba diving, and snorkeling. If you need help arranging the Halong Bay Tour to any of the beautiful places above, contact us for more details.