Institute of Oceanography
A marine research institute founded in 1922 with a whale skeleton dug out of a rice field.
Updated 30 August 2026
The institute at Cau Da was founded in 1922 under the French administration as a fisheries and oceanographic research station and is among the oldest scientific institutions in Vietnam, still working on marine research alongside its public display. The collection runs to tens of thousands of preserved specimens from Vietnamese waters, along with live tanks. Its largest exhibit is the skeleton of a baleen whale about eighteen metres long, found buried in a rice field in Nam Ha province in 1994 several metres below the surface and a considerable distance inland - evidence of how far the coastline has moved.
Highlights
- A research station from 1922 - among Vietnam's oldest scientific institutions.
- Tens of thousands of specimens - from Vietnamese waters.
- An eighteen metre whale skeleton - dug from a rice field in 1994.
- A coastline that moved - which is what the burial site shows.
When to go
Year round. Two hours.
Before you go
Displays are old-fashioned and the preserved specimens are dated in presentation. English labelling is limited. The live tanks are small by modern aquarium standards. It is a research institution, not an attraction.
Nearby
Nha Trang is north; Vinpearl and the cable car are offshore.
What to pack for Institute of Oceanography
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Binoculars - The single best wildlife tool - even a compact pair transforms a sighting. Find on Amazon
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A zoom camera or long lens - Animals rarely come close; reach beats megapixels. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
