Painting on Silk

This has nothing to do with diving.... but.... whilst I am locked on land in Saigon, I can only dream about the underwater world! Or paint it!

Dive Vietnam: Rainbow Divers - Phu Quoc

Dive Vietnam: Rainbow Divers - Phu Quoc: Johnny made a big net for your bird and Nico's bird with the house also Rena..then they can boom boom together.When they have baby bird i wi...

Rainbow Divers - Phu Quoc

Johnny made a big net for your bird and Nico's bird with the house also Rena..then they can boom boom together.When they have baby bird i will send for you,hope you are happy.But your bird is very Fat and lazy like you,Johnny want to kill him and make a food for my birthday present.!!! great.

Whale Island Resort in Vitenam

Are there whales on Whale Island in Vietnam?

Whale Island Resort- Vietnam

As part of our aware project, Whale Island Resort and Rainbow Divers welcomed 34 kids from the local primary school of Dam Mon Village to talk about the environment issues in Van Phong Bay and Vietnam. The pieces of art that they have drawn will be soon displayed in their village to spread the word. 
We would like to thank them and their teacher to share our concern about the respect of the nature.

Dans le cadre de notre projet sur l'environnement, Le Resort de l'ile de la Baleine et Rainbow Divers ont accueilli 34 élèves de l'école primaire de Dam Mon pour parler des problèmes d'environnement dans la baie de Van Phong et dans le Vietnam. Les chefs d'oeuvres qu'ils ont dessiné seront bientot affichés dans les ruelles de leur village pour passer le message.

Đây là một phần dự án nhận thức của chúng tôi , whale island resort và Rain bow diver đã mời 34 em học sinh từ trường tiểu học của làng Đầm Môn để nói với họ về các vấn đề môi trường Ở Vịnh Vân Phong và Việt Nam. Các phần của nghệ thuật mà họ đã thu hút được sẽ sớm được thể hiện ngay trong ngôi làng của họ đi khắp nơi.
Chúng tôi muốn cảm ơn họ và giáo viên của họ đã quan tâm chia sẻ cùng chúng tôi về sự tôn trọng của thiên nhiên.

Underwater Photography

Caroline Istas 

Caroline is Belgian and graduated from the University of Brussels with a double Masters in History of Arts and Photography. She speaks French, Dutch, English & Indonesian.

On a photographic trip throughout Vietnam, she met and worked with Long Thanh, the internationally acclaimed black & white Vietnamese photographer. He introduced her to his friend Jeremy Stein, PADI Course Director and owner/founder of Rainbow Divers. This is where she learned to dive and started her love for underwater photography.

A couple of years later, she married Jeremy in Tokyo.

She soon became a PADI Divemaster and then took her IDC in Vietnam, passing her IE under the scrutiny of PADI Examiner Mike Holme.

Her choice of equipment is a Nikon D80 with Ikelite housing and twin Ikelite DS125 strobes. Choice of lenses include a Sigma 17-70 & 10-20, Nikon 60 & 105. This allows for most types of shot from macro to wide angle.

Favourite subjects to shoot include Nudis, Lionfish, Shrimps and Jawfish for the critters, and then Turtles, Mantas & Cuttlefish for the bigger stuff.

Most shoots have taken place throughout Vietnam, Malapascua, Sipadan and Sangalaki.

Caroline recently spent 18 months on Sangalaki to capture the beauty of the Mantas, Turtles & Cuttlefish. She probably has the most extensive library of marinelife around Sangalaki.

Due to the commonplace corruption in Indonesia, the venture on Sangalaki has now been cancelled.

Caroline & Jeremy spend their time now in Vietnam & Belgium.

You can see more of Caroline Istas' photography on her flickr page

Children Dive Programs

Have you ever wondered what it's like to dive with flashlights, find things underwater or float like an astronaut? Well come and find out with the Saigon Seal Team! Here you go on special Aquamissions with PADI Instructors where you learn the skills of scuba and become an ambassador for the underwater world! As a member of the PADI SEAL TEAM your skills help you to go further into Wreck diving and Photography and maybe one day the Open Water World!


The PADI Seal team is based in a swimming pool where children learn the fundamentals of diving in a confined, safe environment. Here at Rainbow Divers we bring a unique flare from teaching in schools to private lessons. Well trained and experienced PADI Instructors guide the children through initially 5 Aquamissions learning how to be safe underwater and of course fun and enjoyment. This then certifies as a PADI Seal Team member.


The majority of students love the underwater world so much they continue on a further 10 Aquamissions learning things like navigation and wreck diving to become a PADI Master Seal Team Member. Unique to Rainbow Divers children can do an additional 10 Aquamissions to qualify as a Rainbow Seal Team Junior Assistant. These 25 Aquamissions cater for over 30 hours of safe and exciting learning opening children to the new world of Scuba.

In order for children to take part they have to be aged 8 and above and feel comfortable in water too deep to stand. All equipment is provided by Rainbow Divers using only specialised children sizes. Learning takes place poolside through interactive teaching with an emphasis on the environment as well as action and adventure. Students are provided with a Seal Team Aquamission and Log book that contains a DVD, learning materials as well as commemorative emblems and stickers.

At Rainbow divers we have a ratio of a maximum of 4 children to 1 PADI Instructor. We pride ourselves on being the best facility in Vietnam where we have certified in excess of over 200 children in Scuba Diving. Safety is of the upmost importance to us – a lesson children learn in their first Scuba Diving session.

So whether you are aged 8 or 80 come and develop your diving skills, explore a variety of Aquamissions, meet friends and share in the adventure of the underwater world. And best of all join a winning team – become a PADI Seal Team member!


Each Aquamission in Seal Team builds upon the previous. You must complete all 5 in order to be certified as a PADI Seal Team Member

Aqua Mission 1All about diving, your ears and the air in your tank.
Aqua Mission 2 How to take out your regulator, the purge button and how to wear the mask.
Aqua Mission 3 Your BCD, the extra regulator, S.A.F.E. diving
Aqua Mission 4 How to find your regulator, the fin pivot and hovering - feels like you're in space!  Come and be an aquanaut!
Aqua Mission 5How to move through the water, SEAL Team skill circuit.


The Speciality Aquamissions can be completed in any order. Finish all 10 and you will be certified as a PADI Mater Seal Team Member

Creature ID Environmental Specialist Innerspace Specialist Navigation Specialist Night Specialist

Search and Recovery Safety Specialist Skin Diver Specialist Snapshot Specialist Wreck Specialist

Once completed you qualify for Distinctive Specialities offered uniquely by Rainbow Divers.

If you are aged 10 or above by the end of your course you can use your membership towards your Open Water Diver Certificate.

Learn to dive in Tien Nga Pool in D2, Saigon

PADI OPEN WATER COURSE in Saigon. Learn to dive in the pool in An Phu, D2.

Dodgy Diving!

The malpractice of unscrupulous Hotel staff dealing ‘under the counter’ with small, local divecentres is rife. We have received several recent complaints from divers and snorkelers who booked at their hotel for a trip with Rainbow Divers. However, their booking and their cash, was diverted to a local divecentre. When they realized, it was too late to get a refund or to literally jump ship!

After School activity for 8 - 10 years old

Hey everybody,

Thinking of a fun activity for your child? Is your child 8 to 10 years old and up for some adventure? Why not book a Seal Team dive course?

The Seal Team course is a fun and educational experience for youngsters. It is very safe and enjoyable for them. We will take them into the pool at our center in district 2 and teach them various dive skills. Then we do fun games with them to get them comfortable in the water. Knowing more about fish and the aquatic world is a big part of this course so we spend time with them talking about this. They have 5 sessions to complete which will each take about an hour. 

The benefits of the course are not only their extended knowledge of the under water world but also learning to problem solve, work in a team and confidence.

Our instructors are all EFR trained and very experienced in working with children. We often teach this course at the British International School in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Courses are 175 USD including all equipment and material.

Care for Children

All parents know children hurt themselves. On the playground at school, in the garden and even in your own house there are situations which can be potentially harmfull. Nothing a bandade and a hug won't cure right? But what about the kind of 'hurts' that are not cured so simply? No parent wants to think about it, but what do you do if your child collapses after sport, chokes on a piece of fruit or drinks fluids which are not intended for drinking. Parents have to rely on EMS to get there fast and hope their child is going to be ok. But the reality is that we live in a country where EMS is not always nearby and not always the best. So what can parents do untill EMS arrives to help their child recover? Those extra minutes of first and secondary care can save their childs life. Because eventhough we don't want to think about it, anything can happen and we need to be prepared. We owe this to our children.

This month we are starting with new Care For Children Workshop at Rainbow Divers. Our CFC instructors are well trained and dedicated to give you the best training. The Care For Children course is dedicated to teaching parents and all those who work with children how to deal with emergency situations involving a child or infant. By reading through the manual, watching a video and practising skills with your instructor, you will be better prepared for those situations. We teach you CPR, barrier use, choking skills, emergency plans etc.

The course will take one full day or can be split into two half days. We charge 175 USD including all teaching materials and certification. We are flexible and will work around your schedule. There is even the possibility of us teaching you in the comfort of your own home. An extra charge will be added for this convience.

For more information please do not hesitate to contact us. caro@divevietnam.com

Vietnam's Leading Dive Operator

Rainbow Divers are the longest established and ONLY National Geographic dive centres around Vietnam. We have been omnipresent throughout the South of the country for 15 years now. We have the only two PADI Course Directors in the country, who are complemented by an International team of multilingual Instructors.

To really get the best out of pleasure diving we have the most experienced team of Dive Guides in Vietnam also. Having been trained over the last decade to professional PADI levels and in excess of 8,000 dives in the local marine parks they are the best in the business.
Rainbow Divers offers a full range of available PADI courses and a buffet of choices for pleasure divers

Rainbow Divers on Con Dao

Con Dao is Vietnams “best kept secret”. A short direct flight from Saigon this archipelago is a nature haven. It boasts the most diverse range of dive sites in Vietnam, the only diveable wreck in the country and a smorgasbord of history and nature to see on land.

Con Dao with over 20 dive sites, from simple novice dives to challenging offshore drifts and deep dives. It’s the only location in the country that you can see Pelagics, Turtles, Sharks, Rays and of course the myriad of Macro life that has made Vietnam famous.

Rainbow Divers on Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is a real get away from the crowds and noise of mainland Vietnam. This relatively undiscovered part of the country is fast becoming a hot-spot for tourism. Best you visit soon and experience the Vietnam of 10 years ago.
Diving and snorkelling around the warm waters of Phu Quoc takes place on the the North-Western side of the island or around the small archipelago to the South. Diving is accessible all year round and the best location for diving truly depends on the prevailing conditions.
Due to the Islands proximity to the Mekong delta region peak season visibility is rarely that of the Eastern seaboard of Vietnam. However the nutritious run off from the Mekong and the constantly warm water temperatures give Phu Quoc the best hard coral growth in all of Vietnam.

Rainbow Divers on Whale Island

RAINBOW DIVERS opened this PADI 5 Star Gold Palm IDC Centre at the beginning of 2002. However, the Island has been associated with Scuba Diving for many years. For example, did you know that it was here on Whale Island that Jacques Cousteau first discovered his passion for diving?
The resort is located 80 kms North of Nha Trang at the tip of an archipelago. It is absolute paradise – your own ‘desert island’ where you can really get away from it all!
The bamboo bungalows right on the beachfront are complete with shower & wc, and offer accommodation for up to 60 guests. Meals are served 3 times a day and are a delicious combination of traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a strong French influence.

Rainbow Divers in Nha Trang

Nha Trang is the traditional home of diving in Vietnam. Jeremy P. Stein made the bay famous in the mid 90’s as a diving destination and the Government embraced the sport in 2003 by establishing a Marine Park protected area on the Island of Hon Mun.

Around a 40 minute cruise by boat, the Island offers fabulous scope for long dives with great macro life. One of the best value areas in the World for a PADI training course and Vietnams Elite dive guides to ensure certified divers see everything the Marine park has to offer.

Rainbow Divers in Saigon

Vietnam's second city hosts an eclectic mix of ex-pats, tourists and large International schools. Rainbow Divers opened in the city to extend our knowledge and customer service right into the back yard of Vietnam's primary entry point.

We can arrange all PADI Theory/confined water training in luxury pools in the centre of Saigon. We can organise all your dive travel and packages across South Vietnam. All to fit your schedule and needs.

For those resident in the city we can meet your tight schedules offering all inclusive quality, relaxing weekends on the coast. For those with children we have the Saigon PADI SEAL team which runs weekly and is a great skills builder and preparatory course for Ocean training.