In Hon Mun Marine protected area, visitors can explore the mysterious underwater world.

Wise management of one of Vietnam’s most beautiful marine areas has benefited tourists, locals and the creatures of the underwater realm.

Despite the pressure from economic development, Nha Trang Bay-considered one of the world’s most beautiful bays – retains some of the very few intact coral reefs in Vietnam and Hon Mun has become a pioneer in marine environmental protection in Vietnam.

It takes an hour to travel by boat from Nha Trang Town’s Cau Da Port to Hon Mun Marine Protected Area.

Famous for its white sand, clear blue waters and wild bird’s nests, the 160 square-kilometer Hon Mun Marine Protected Area, the first of its kind in Vietnam, is also a paradise for divers. Underneath the sea there are more than 300 species of coral, 196 species of reef fish, seven species of sea grass, 300 algal species, 112 species of mollusks, as well as several species of star fish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Rare marine turtles such as Eretmochelys imbricata and Chelonia mydas are also found in the area.

“Amazingly, my wife and I dived 10 meters deep,” said Le Anh, an overseas Vietnamese who was visiting his homeland. “We saw a kingdom of corals.”

Anh toured Hon Mun with more than 20 other travelers in a vessel named Le Mont St. Michel, which belongs to the Coral Reef Dive Center, one of some 10 businesses that offer diving services in Nha Trang.

But to Thien Long, a local tourist guide: “At the depth of 10 meters tourists have only reached the edge of the ‘forest’ and are yet to see the fantastic world of the interior.”

Only those who have diving licenses are allowed to dive down to 18 meters, where they can witness the busy lives and interactions of lobsters, turtles, groupers and seahorses.

“To look into the 10-meter-deep caves on the seabed, divers have to use flashlights,” Long said.

During the May to September dry season, some local tourist agencies hold night diving trips for the more adventurous.

Japanese tourist Tanaka said his first-ever night diving trip of his life was an eerie experience.

“I jumped into the pitch-black water and tried to survive with a flashlight,” he said. “I felt like that some sea monster was targeting to attack me from the back. It felt chilly, dangerous, but challenging and extremely exciting. The seabed looked amazingly stunning at night, like a bustling city. I could see many kinds of creatures that are said can’t be seen during the day.”

As well as diving, tourists at Hon Mun can try snorkeling, mooring on buoys, jetskiing and parasailing.

Huts on Hon Mun Island are available for groups who want to have a picnic or relax after a morning of swimming, sunbathing and diving.

A model of saving the sea

The appeal of Hon Mun today is the result of a protection project which started in 2001 financed by the World Bank’s Global Environmental Facility, the World Conservation Union and the governments of Denmark and Vietnam.

Local residents of Nha Trang Bay are dependent upon the resources of the bay for their daily livelihoods. However, other than fishing, there are few other activities to support local communities. In 2001, more than 79 percent of women had little or no opportunities for employment and the primary occupation of 79 percent of men was fishing.

Over the last five years, the project has placed significant emphasis on employing people from local villages. By 2005, the average income of people living near the marine park had increased significantly.

The Hon Mun Marine Park Area is the first marine park in Vietnam, representing a new approach to marine protection and management.

It is a successful example of sustainable use of a natural resource. The marine park maximizes biodiversity conservation, minimizes the impact on the environment while appealing to a solid tourism base.

Reported by Luu Hong