Vietnam halts scuba diving off popular Hon Mun island to protect coral

Hon Mun island -- about 14 kilometres from the city of Nha Trang and popular with divers thanks to its diverse ecosystem -- showed the reef bleached and damaged. - Vietnam News/ANN

HANOI, June 27, 2022 (AFP): Vietnam has banned swimming and scuba diving at a popular central tourist spot in an attempt to revive its damaged coral reef, officials said Monday.

The communist nation boasts more than 3,200 kilometres of coastline with crystal clear waters, vibrant sea life and sandy beaches that are a huge tourism draw.