Jeremy Stein's RAINBOW DIVERS

Rainbow Divers is the oldest and most established PADI dive centre in Vietnam, founded by PADI Course Director Jeremy Stein in 1996. For over 27 years, the centre has built a reputation based on professionalism and a transparent approach to diving conditions, prioritising quality and safety over sheer volume.

The operation is multi-centred, providing access to some of the country's most diverse marine environments. While the headquarters and IDC centre are located in Nha Trang, they also operate in the macro-photography haven of Whale Island, as well as through trusted partners in Phu Quoc, Con Dao, and Hoi An.

The centre is a highly qualified PADI IDC facility, meaning they are authorised to train both recreational divers and future professionals. The team is composed of international instructors capable of conducting training in English, French, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, German, and Vietnamese.

Safety and individual attention are core to their teaching philosophy. Students are taught with a maximum ratio of 4 divers per guide, while those undertaking Discover Scuba Diving sessions benefit from a 1:1 instructor-to-diver ratio.

The course catalogue is exhaustive, covering the entire PADI progression. You can start with Discover Scuba Diving or the PADI Open Water Diver course and progress through Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and Master Scuba Diver.

As an IDC centre, they also cater to professional divers, offering Divemaster, Open Water Scuba Instructor, and even Course Director training. Specialist courses are widely available, including Nitrox, Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, and various specialty skills such as Navigation, Search and Recovery, and Coral Reef Conservation.

They also offer niche training like the Vietnam Nudibranch Specialty and the Vietnam Diver Specialty, alongside PADI TecRec programmes.

The fleet in Nha Trang includes custom-built vessels and traditional wooden dive boats, alongside speedboats for more rapid transit. Their largest vessel can accommodate over 50 people, suitable for larger groups or organized programmes.

For trips to Whale Island, the boats provide a stable platform for both reef and muck diving. On full-day excursions, lunch, water, and snacks are provided on board to keep you fuelled between dives.

Full equipment hire is available on-site, covering everything from regulators to wetsuits. This allows you to travel light if you are moving between the different dive locations.

Nitrox is available for divers looking to extend their bottom time. The centre also maintains oxygen safety equipment on hand, adhering to high safety standards across all their operations.

The reefs are teeming with life, from colourful Angelfish (Pomacanthidae) and Butterflyfish (Chaetodon) to large schools of barracuda. You will frequently encounter Parrotfish (Calotomus) grazing on the reef and various species of sea urchins and sea cucumbers on the seabed.

For macro enthusiasts, the area is a treasure trove. You can find a wide array of Nudibranch (Chromodoris willani), Ghost pipefish (Solenostomidae), Seahorses, and various species of pipefish tucked into the reef structure.

Larger pelagics and interesting residents also make appearances. It is possible to spot Bamboo sharks, blue-spotted rays, and various species of turtles, including Green sea turtles and Hawksbill turtles, particularly around the Con Dao and Whale Island regions.

Diving conditions vary by location and season. In Nha Trang and Whale Island, the best window for diving is from February to October. In Phu Quoc, the season runs from November to April, with the best conditions typically occurring between January and March.

Con Dao is best visited between March and September. While Whale Island offers a relatively peaceful environment even when the sea is unsettled, divers should be aware of the monsoon seasons in Phu Quoc, which can bring rougher seas outside of the primary diving window.