There is really only one dive destination in Cambodia and that is the beach resort town of Sihanoukville which is slowly developing as a tourist destination.

The diving at Sihanoukville is very similar to that of the Gulf of Thailand in terms of visibility and marine life.

The big advantage of Cambodia diving over Thailand diving though, is that the dive sites are uncrowded. Whereas some Thailand dive sites, particularly around Koh Tao, have suffered from too many divers, that is not the case with Cambodia dive sites.

Many of the dive sites are only just being discovered. It is possible to find pristine coral reefs however it is also possible to see signs of dynamite fishing in places.

Daytrips to offshore dive sites are available from Sihanoukville to islands such as Koh Takiev and Koh Russel in the Ream National Park. Corals are generally healthy and reefs are home to schools of smaller fish. Corals are predominately hard corals including brain, cabbage, lettuce and pore coral plus barrel sponges, seafans and crinoids. Reef fish include schools of surgeonfish, bannerfish, snapper and wrasse. Angelfish, puffers, parrotfish, trumpet fish and many more species can be found. Clownfish can be found in anemones. Moray eels are common as are lionfish and scorpionfish. Koh Thas has several good dive sites for critter hunting. Visibility averages 10-15 metres.

There are also longer daytrips trips (about 2 hours ride from the mainland) to outer islands such as Koh Rong Saloem and Koh Kron where coral and fish life becomes bigger.

Further out at Koh Tang and beyond, dive sites are still being discovered. Pelagic encounters are possible at these dive sites. It takes 4-5 hours to reach these dive sites from the mainland so the Sihanoukville dive centres often organise short liveaboard trips to take in the best dive sites over a few days.

Cambodia Dive sites continued >>

Cambodia Tourist Information