Vita-est-iter ...oder in 365 Tagen um die Welt :-): Tauchen bei den Cham-Inseln- 17.05.2013

Pünktlich, kurz nach 8 Uhr am Morgen, wurde ich abgeholt und wir fuhren zum Hafen. Dort bestiegen wir das Tauchboot, das uns zu den Cham- Inseln, welche inzwischen durch das Cu-Lao-Cham-Naturschutzgebiet geschützt werden. Die Inseln liegen etwa 40 km von Hoi An entfernt und sind nach einer einstündigen Bootsfahrt zu erreichen.

Das Boot war nicht voll besetzt (Nebensaison) und wir hatten lediglich 6 Taucher heute an Bord. Der Rest ging schnorcheln.

Unseren ersten Tauchgang hatten wir gegen 10 Uhr. Die Voraussetzungen waren nicht die Besten, aber ich glücklich, dass dieses Mal wieder alles o.k. war mit meinen Ohren.

Hier gibt es sehr viele Feuerfische, die nicht einem nicht nur gefährlich werden können, sondern hauptsächlich sehr schön aussehen.

Nach einem Ortswechsel gab es den nächsten Tauchgang um gegen 12 Uhr. Dieses Mal waren die Voraussetzungen und die Sicht besser. Wir konnten daher bis rund 19 m tief gehen und es gab Einiges an bunten Korallen zu sehen. Leider nicht so viele Fische, aber da es für mich wohl der letzte Tauchgang des Jahres sein wird (*seufz..ich werde es vermissen :-() hat es sich auf alle Fälle gelohnt.

Im Anschluss stoppten wir noch an einem schönen Strand , wo ein sehr leckeres Mittagessen für uns zubereitet wurde. Bis 15:30 Uhr hatten wir dann Zeit, diesen schönen Ort zu genießen. Ich habe meine Zeit genutzt, in dem ich mich sehr nett mit dem Schweizer Jörg unterhalten und dann später den Strand etwas erkundet habe.

Gegen 17:30 Uhr waren wir wieder zurück in Hoi An und ich hatte schon wieder Hunger.. Es ist unglaublich, welchen Hunger tauchen macht und Abends ist man dann dermaßen bettschwer, wie wenn man eine Flasche Rotwein gekippt hätte ;-P...Dabei hatte ich eigentlich echt zugeschlagen beim Mittagessen :-)..Da dies mein letzter Tat in Hoi An ist (schade!!), habe ich mir noch mal ein leckeres Törtchen beim Cargo-Club (http://www.restaurant-hoian.com) gegönnt und eine Portion selbstgemachtes Cremeeis...MMMMMMMmmmmmm...lecker!!

Zufrieden zuckergeschockt ging es dann zurück zu BLAN-Homestay, wo immer noch meine Bilder auf mich warteten :-P..

Disc 16 Nr. 150

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feuerfische

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cu-Lao-Cham-Naturschutzgebiet

Ach ja: hier übrigens eine schöne „Einführung zum Reisen in Vietnam“: entnommen der Website des Hotels NGOC ANH HOTEL in Ninh Binh; ich stehe also mit meinem Eindruck nicht alleine da..Hinzu kommt, dass dies die Website eines vietnamesischen Hotels ist!!:

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY VISITORS TO VIETNAM

So far there have been many tourists being cheated so that this is very good information for travelers to avoid the troubles when you are traveling in Hanoi or in Vietnam. This information is written by my experiences and some travelers who had been cheated. You should take a look and print it out to bring with you while traveling in Vietnam!

Problem 1
There is not enough information available to first time travelers to Ha Noi either on Vietnam Airlines or at Noibai airport. Thus, travelers are not aware of their options for getting to Hanoi from the airport, what such a trip should cost, and who are reliable drivers.

Solution 1Brochures with this information in many languages can be printed and put in seat pockets of all Vietnam Airlines planes; these brochures should also be made readily available at the airport.

Problem 2
Frequently visitors have trouble finding legitimate transportation from Noibai International Airport to their hotel in Ha Noi/ Ninh Binh. Sometimes they are driven by minibus drivers who promise to take them to a specific address in Ha Noi/ Ninh Binh. However, instead of being delivered to the requested hotel they are delivered to a different hotel where the bus driver has friends. They are frequently then overcharged at this hotel.

Solution 2 Travelers to Vietnam should be warned in advance or at the airport not to depend on either the airport driver or hotel staff that he recommends. In addition it should be a requirement that the street signs be pointed out to the traveler by the bus driver so that the traveler knows whether s/he is being delivered to the correct hotel.

Problem 3
Another problem arising for travelers from Norbai is that the price quoted for transportation from the airport normally includes the road tax. However, upon arrival, travelers are charged for the road tax again.

Solution 3
Travelers should be made aware by information available at the airport of standard prices for transportation and the fact that these prices already include the road tax.

Problem 4Travelers are frequently led to foreign currency exchange venues by airport bus drivers. At these exchanges they are given a poor exchange rate, e.g., 16,000 vnd for $1 USD rather than the standard rate at http://www.vietcombank.com.vn/en/Exchange%20Rate.asp. In addition the driver receives a commission from the foreign exchange seller.

Solution 4
Travelers should be encouraged to exchange money at the airport or at foreign exchange sellers recommended by legitimate hotel owners.

Problem 5Be aware of the denomination of Vietnam Dongs which consist of too many zero (0). Some unscrupulous drivers try to rip you off by adding one more zero to your fare OR cheating that your VND500,000 note is only VND50,000. i.e overcharges you 10 times higher than actual cost.

Solution 5
Distinguish Vietnam Dong notes and the exchange rates. Be alerted and stand firmed if the driver asks for more notes. Call local reliable sources (hotel staff, policemen, local people) for assistance if you feel unsured of the situation.

Problem 6The first person a visitor meets is frequently the boy selling postcards. These sellers frequently cheat the visitor either by overcharging for the cards or by asking for VND 5,000 but extracting VD 50,000 from the confused traveler.

Solution 6
Travelers should be encouraged to purchase cards, maps and other such items from bookshops rather than street vendors.

Problem 7
Even enterprising visitors who find a hotel on their own frequently find that a person claiming a commission has followed them to the hotel.

Solution 7
The receptionist should ask travelers whether such a person helped them to obtain lodgings or not.

Problem 8Travelers are frequently sold tickets by travel agencies for tours of local sites. They are frequently promised small group tours and good train seats. After paying, they find that either the tour does not exist at all or that there are very many people on the tour, that the quality is very bad and that they have paid for good train seats but received inferior ones.

Solution 8
Once they are in a legitimate hotel, travelers should be able to rely on hotel staff to advise them on tour agencies that are reliable and honest. In addition, it may be better to charge for the tour after it has been taken in order to guarantee that the visitor is satisfied with its value.

Problem 9
Tourists are prey to pickpockets when they travel to the market.
Solution 9Tourists should be advised to leave their valuables and extra money in the hotel safe.

Problem 10
There are imitated VND notes printed for ritual purposes like votive papers, but some taxi drivers will cheat you by giving these notes back as small changes.

Solution 10Tourists should be advised to check the notes carefully. The right notes should always have the imprinted words `Ngan hang nha nuoc Viet nam` (means `The State bank of Vietnam`) & the picture of the President Ho Chi Minh.