Where swimmers can touch corals

      On calm days, vacationers may opt to travel by boat to Hon Do Island in Van Phong Bay just before or after their lunch to touch and see a world of coral reefs exposing their colors and shapes under the sunlight.
The corals may not be as colorful as those at the seabed near the shore of Hon Mun Island in Nha Trang Bay in the same central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, but they grow so near the water surface that people can touch them when swimming.
Even those who cannot swim can easily explore the world of coral reefs in Van Phong Bay. All that is needed is a life jacket, a pair of swimming goggles and a snorkeling tube. When the boat arrives at the coral habitat one can jump from the boat and float freely on the water to see the world of coral reefs. As one nears the shore the corals are close enough to touch; they feel like a piece of velvet cloth.
For stronger swimmers and divers, there are more chances to discover the underwater world, where schools of fish in different colors and types shelter or wander and dart around the corals. Other creatures of the sea will accompany the divers on a wonderful tour that is more or less the same to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
When swimming and diving at the waters of Hon Do, remember not to stand on the coral reefs as it will hurt the corals.
The best time to dive and see coral reefs at Hon Do Island is when the sun is high in the sky because the scorching sunlights will shine through the bobbing turquoise water and reflect the color and beauty of the corals.
Hon Do is less than an hour by boat from Dam Mon, a beautiful lagoon nestled at Van Thanh Commune in Van Ninh District. The area located at the end of a newly built road leading to Hon Gom Peninsula is a retreat, where vacationers can rest in hammocks tied to coconut trees along the beach to enjoy the sweet sound of gentle waves lapping against the shore after swimming in the sea.
From Dam Mon, visitors can hire a boat for a cruise around Van Phong Bay, which is 50km from Nha Trang City. Considered a tropical paradise, Van Phong Bay in Van Ninh and Ninh Hoa districts is home to beautiful white-sand beaches, sand dunes, islets and peninsulas featuring a diverse eco-system with almost untouched forests and various species of plants and animals.
Experts rank the 15,000ha bay Van Phong as one of Asia's most ideal sites for eco-tourism and scuba diving. It also boasts magnificent mountains with many rocks carved naturally into art works.
Visitors to the bay can shrug off the worry of their daily chores and enjoy the many activities available, including windsurfing, snorkeling, mountain climbing, rowing and fishing for squid and cuttle-fish at night.