In the early afternoon, on a sunny day like pouring honey, the canoe turned the waves to take me from An Thoi port to dock on a floating ferry in the middle of the sea. Standing from the top of the ferry, it is hard to imagine how brilliant the ocean would look in the world of more than 200 species of corals, and hundreds of species of fish and marine life under the blue waters.
Although we were very excited about the upcoming experience, we still had to go through a short "training course" on how to handle some common underwater situations as well as the communication signs we needed to know with the accompanying divers. These are mandatory operations that you must remember because you can't talk in the water. There is a symbol that people will easily mistake is the Thumb symbol. If you're on the shore, give a thumbs up to indicate that everything is "OK is good." In the water, this symbol has the idea of "Give me up".
Photo: namaste.vn
The journey of 10,000 miles begins with familiarity with seawater. The staff asked me to step into the sea and stop when the water was at chest level. The sea water is quite warm and clear. When ready, the staff slowly snapped the dedicated oxygen supply cap on their heads.
The underwater expedition reminds me of the famous type of "captive zoo" tourism in safari parks. The thing here is that the park is underwater and the explorer is "locked" in oversized hats and transparent glass like astronauts. Outside the ocean, there are countless types of corals that are "free-flowing", "flying" and many colorful fish swimming in the ocean world.
It was quite uncomfortable for me at first when I wore a big and heavy hat on my head, the pressure changed to make my ears ring, and the deeper I went into my chest, the more I felt like I was being squeezed. This is very normal when you are in the water. I beckoned to return to shore, but the accompanying diver reassured me and instructed me on the technique of dealing with tinnitus by putting my hand into the helmet cavity, squeezing my nose while closing my mouth and breathing heavily. After about 2 minutes of self-adjustment, my body seemed to gradually meet the underwater conditions and become more relaxed. The hat also seems to be "weightless" when it goes completely under the sea. All the initial pressure disappeared, and there was only a feeling of excitement in me.
Photo: namaste.vn
With each step, the ocean landscape constantly changes in front of my eyes with layers and layers of colorful corals. The most interesting thing to see are the clusters of red corals, soft like seaweed, swaying with each wave. As an instinct, everyone wants to swoop in to touch those coral beams with their hands. But immediately, divers will stop and steer visitors in the right direction to avoid impacting ocean heritage sites.
Schools of fish swam around, hiding, and appearing. There is a feeling that just by reaching out your hand, you can hold it all in your heart. It is impossible to count the names of the fish that are bending in the deep sea. The underwater world is far from the world on shore. In the deep blue water is the world of corals, of colorful fish. Vegetation attracts anyone when they are "face-to-face" with the vast ocean for the first time.
Engrossed in "chasing" each school of 7-colored fish, I suddenly realized that divers were posing to take pictures, snapping their memorable moments in the ocean world. Just like that, 20 minutes passed with me like a blink of an eye, so that when I gradually went ashore, there was only nostalgia in my heart: "I wish I could stay longer".
Photo: namaste.vn
Walking under the deep ocean is an unforgettable experience for any tourist when coming to Phu Quoc. As a new and more pleasant experience with a snorkeling and scuba diving experience, the astronaut hat ocean expedition tour is suitable for both non-swimmers and children aged 6 years and up. Since its appearance on the pearl island of Phu Quoc, this service has attracted a large number of tourists to try and become "astronauts" on the vast seabed.
- Location: Sea World Namaste Coral Park, south of Phu Quoc Island. The park is more than 1 hectare, of which 500m2 is for the seabed walking service area.
- How to get there: From An Thoi port, you can rent a boat, canoe to the experience point or book a shuttle service provided by the park (pick up at 14 o'clock at An Thoi port, take 20 minutes to travel).
- Cost: 950,000 VND/person/sea-walker ticket, 1,340,000 VND/person/combo of sea-walker ticket and canoe transfer, photography - videography. Each sea-walker ticket comes with 1 diver to accompany you throughout the diving period.
- Object: Suitable for children from 6 years old, people who do not know how to swim or dive can also participate.
- Time: From 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
Note:
The walking point is 5-6 m above sea level. You should bring a swimsuit and a waterproof bag for your phone if you want to take more photos of yourself.
Make sure to comply with the park's 3 no's: Do not touch corals in any form, do not get too close to corals, do not sit or lead on corals.
Synthetic Migo