Con Co Island: a place to dive and admire coral reefs

PANO – Near shore coral reefs are one of the three tourism “specialties” of Con Co island district in Quang Tri province, attracting a large number of travelers. This interesting feature of this beautiful and pristine island makes it advisable for a visitor to the island to enjoy diving with a local guide in the early morning.

The most important principle to remember is safety. There are three warnings to visitors who wish to go diving on this island. Firstly, visitors should never go diving alone though the reefs are so much attractive. Secondly, visitors must be good swimmers and diving should only be done at dawn as at that time the water reaches the lowest level. Thirdly, visitors are advised not to bring anything from the sea back, even a tiny piece of coral. Besides, waterproof cameras should be on the list of visitors’ belongings so as to capture wonderful scenes and moments during diving.

Abundant coral reefs around Con Co Island

As the coral reefs remain pristine and tourism authorities have yet to officially exploit them, visitors are not charged. All they have to do is to keep a harmonious relation with the gentle and kind-hearted locals on the island. Any one, from a middle-age man to a strong youth, can become a free tourist guide. Visitors can borrow them a pair of diving glasses, a pair of swimming fins or a pair of sandals to protect feet from sharp corals and rocks. It should take visitors by surprise as they can explore beautiful scenes on the seabed with these simple things.

Following the guide to the sea, at about 50m from the shore or more, visitors will start to feel the uneven surface of the seabed. This is when they have to use their arms to swim sometimes. Then, when the water level reaches the breast, visitors are advised to put the swimming glasses and swimming fins on and dive under the water. The whole marine world is now in front of the visitors’ eyes. Different kinds of coral and marine life can be seen, from white and red corals to schools of small fish swimming around, touching the swimming glasses at times… It is really out of this world and unforgettable for any one experiencing the feelings for the first time.

There are abundant coral reefs around Con Co Island. The reefs remain pristine and quite intact as there have been virtually no human signs there. The corals grow straight upwards, forming all kinds of shapes, making dynamic, vivid and lively scenes under the sea.

Con Co Island is waiting for visitors who love adventurous tours. However, if visitors wish to experience something safer, they may come to the island in two years’ time as according to the tourism planning of the district, scuba-diving in coral reefs will be a tourism product of the locality and will be paid more attention to. Then, visitors will have chance to go scuba-diving and explore the reefs with professional guides or admire the scenes from inside a diving vessel.