Okinawa: northernmost reef 415 coral species, 1,000 km. Ogasawara UNESCO. Hokkaido: ice diving. Vietnam Nha Trang: 300 fish species Hon Mun. Con Dao: whale sharks, dugongs. November-April best season in Vietnam.
Okinawa, the rest of Japan, and Vietnam are emerging as growing destinations among Spanish divers looking to venture off the beaten track. The language barrier is significant. Divers debate the best time of year according to currents and visibility, the difficulty of finding equipment rental outside major tourist centers, and whether to combine the dive trip with cultural tourism.
Okinawa and the Yaeyama archipelago are home to the largest coral reef in the northern hemisphere, with more than 415 coral species extending across 1,000 km². The Ogasawara Islands, a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, offer pristine diving with resident bottlenose dolphins. Vietnam has its diving capital in Nha Trang, with more than 300 fish species in the waters of Hon Mun Island. Con Dao hosts more than 35 dive sites with whale sharks, dugongs, and turtles. The best time to dive in Vietnam is from November to April; in Japan, the Okinawa season runs from April to November.