Dam Bay, Nha Trang: Easy Beginner Reef Dive

Austin Tuwiner
PADI Divemaster · 500+ dives · 20 countries & states
November 6, 2026
Dive Sites
Austin at the surface in mask and regulator with the dive boat and island behind at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Diver holding the handlebars of a rusted bicycle standing on the sandy bottom at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
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In August of 2026, I dove Dam Bay with Nha Trang Diving Club, by boat out of Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Dam Bay sits on Hon Tre, the big island off the Nha Trang coast.

This is definitely a beginner site, with lots of snorkel boats.

Dive Log · Nha Trang, Vietnam · August 2026

Dam Bay

Dive Score3.1 / 5
Dive Data from my Garmin Descent MK3i
Max Depth
23ft / 7m
Avg Depth
12ft / 3.7m
Dive Time
44min
Water Temp
78.8°F / 26°C
Visibility
16ft / 5m
Entry
Boat
Recommended Certification
Open Water
Why it scored 3.1#2 of 3 I've dived in Vietnam
My take: A shallow beginner site with lots of snorkel boats and a rusted bicycle on the bottom. Visibility was only about 16 ft (5 m) after recent storms.
My satisfaction3/5
Marine life3/5
Reef or wreck3/5
Conditions2/5
Crowds3/5
Getting there3/5
My 6 ratings above, plus visibility, water temp, cost, season and ease from the dive data. 5 = calm, uncrowded and easy to reach. How the Dive Score works
Reef Vietnam Coordinates: 12.188079, 109.292143

The Dive

Austin geared up in scuba equipment on the dive boat with other divers at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Geared up on the boat.

The site is shallow the whole way through. It has a rocky bottom running out into sand, with coral scattered across it.

Large rounded boulder coral heads across the reef top in hazy water at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Boulder corals sitting across the top of the reef.
Sandy rubble bottom covered in long spined urchins with limited visibility at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Recent storms led to ~16 ft (5 m) of visibility.
Branching hard coral colony on the reef slope with small fish and urchins on the sand at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Diver holding the handlebars of a rusted bicycle standing on the sandy bottom at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Pretending to ride the bicycle.

What Marine Life I Saw

Even with poor visibility, there was still plenty of marine life to see.

Fish with broad fanned fins pressed against rock beside urchin spines at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Lionfish fanned out against the rock.
Striped fish sheltering in an anemone beside long spined urchins at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Maroon Clownfish pair inside an anemone.
Thin striped fish hanging nose down over sand beside a cluster of urchins at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
A line of thin juvenile trumpetfish hanging nose down.
Small dark marine creature on the sand between rocky patches at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Small and dark nudibranch sitting out in the open.
Dense field of pale branching coral covering the reef at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Branching coral running the length of the reef.
Dense stand of soft coral on the top of the reef at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Soft coral coming off the top of the reef.
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Conditions & Logistics

Logistics

Wooden tourist and dive boats moored along the harbour pier before heading out at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
The harbour in Nha Trang before we left.

Nha Trang Diving Club picked me up at my hotel and drove me out to the marina.

View from the dive boat underway, wake and green island coastline at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Heading out along the coast.

From the marina it is a 1 to 1.5 hour boat ride out to the site, so this is a full day out rather than a quick trip.

A two dive day ran $75, which covered lunch, gear, and a guide.

Divers in the water beside the blue dive boat with the island behind at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Multiple dive boats tied off against each other.

Conditions

Austin at the surface in mask and regulator with the dive boat and island behind at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam

Visibility on my dive was around 16 ft (5 m). There had been winds and storms in the area in the days before and the water had not settled back down.

Nha Trang Diving Club say it can go upwards of 49 to 66 ft (15 to 20 m) here.

Water temp sat at 78.8°F (26°C).

Austin at the surface in scuba gear with divers and snorkellers behind him at Dam Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
Plenty of snorkellers and day trippers in the water at the same time as us.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Austin Tuwiner

Hey I'm Austin, a PADI Divemaster based in South Florida .

I initially got certified at 16 at a scuba camp in Kona, Hawaii, did my Advanced Open Water on Koh Tao, my deep and nitrox on Gili Trawangan, and my Rescue and Divemaster in Miami.

Since then I've logged 500+ dives across 20 countries and states. I write about the gear I dive with, the sites I've dived, and the trips I've taken.

Hear Austin's Story

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