For all those who like an escape from terrestrial life, diving provides a wonderful outlet to explore the wonders of the sea. The serene atmosphere brings peace and tranquillity. Cambodia offers a diverse aquatic life to explore with its clear waters and untouched seas. In addition to its pristine waters, scuba diving in Cambodia is very affordable, which adds to its value.
Here are the best diving sites in the country -
1. Koh Sdach Archipelago
This hidden gem is one of the most visited diving sites of Cambodia. The Koh Sdach Archipelago is a collection of 12 islands located in close proximity to each other. The islands are remote and largely uninhabited, thus making for a wonderful touring and diving experience. The untouched waters are crystal clear and aid in viewing the wonderful and diverse marine life. Sightings include multiple varieties of eels, crabs, rays, scorpionfish, lionfish and more. In addition to these, the vibrant coral reef adds to the beauty of these waters, making for a wonderful diving experience.
2. Koh Rong Samloem
Diving in Cambodia is considered incomplete if one does not visit Koh Rong Samloem. These waters are home to a rich aquatic life and offer a diverse range of things to see. This dive spot is perfect for divers due to the shallow and clear waters. Horned starfish, Seahorses, Scorpionfish and Stingrays are the commonly found species here. The sea bed is a vast sand desert, and thus divers can find all sorts of creatures clinging onto the floor. It also makes for a beautiful sight before diving into the water. The best diving spots here are Secret Garden, Cobia Point, Rocky Bay and Nudibranch Heaven.
3. Koh Tang
This secluded island makes for an exclusive and memorable diving experience. The clear water makes for excellent visibility for up to 15metres. The marine life is exotic and diverse, making for an enriching diving experience. The most commonly found aquatic species here are leopard sharks, eagle rays, triggerfish, large barracuda, nudibranch, and a range of crustaceans. In addition to the sea life, the vibrant coral reef is a wonderful sight to behold and explore with its vibrant and diverse vegetation. The island offers sandy beaches and is untouched, thus making for the perfect beach getaway.
4. Koh Kon
Koh Kon is often referred to as “ Baby Island” because of its size, but the variety of aquatic life it harbours makes up for this drawback. The untouched waters are home to a variety of aquatic species, which make for an exotic and memorable diving experience. The clear waters provide visibility of 10metres, thus making it suitable for all divers.
Seahorses, species of octopus, pipefish, nudibranch and stonefish are a few of the well-known species spotted by divers. The rocky terrain surrounding the islands add to the beauty and make for a wonderful diving experience. The best diving spots are the Western and Southern Diving sites.
5. Condor Reef
Providing one of the country's clearest waters with visibility up to 30 metres, Condor Reef provides a diving experience like no other. This diving site offers a multitude of experiences for the divers to relish. The diverse aquatic life attracts marine life lovers from all over the globe. The underwater architecture and vibrant coral reefs add to the beauty.
There are shipwrecks in the area, which attract great attention due to the mystery and fascination surrounding them. This spot offers all one can expect out of a diving session and thus is one of the most popular in the world. The aquatic life can be seen include reef sharks, turtles, and even whale sharks if you are lucky.
6. Koh Prins
One of the most secluded islands, Koh Prins, is a collection of 3 big islands, all making for a beautiful diving experience. The vibrant and exotic coral reefs, along with the clear waters, make for a breathtaking and memorable experience. Covered in hard and soft corals, you’re guaranteed to discover a range of marine life at this premier location. The aquatic life includes triggerfish, giant barracuda, nudibranch and whale sharks in certain months. The best diving spots here are Drop Off, Anemone Garden, and Shark Point. Drop off is a 30m rocky wall that looks over the sea and makes for a beautiful free diving experience.
7. Koh Rong
Koh Rong is the second largest island in Cambodia and is often called the party island. The real party, however, takes place underwater with beautiful reefs and amazing marine life. It offers multiple diving experiences depending upon the preferences of the tourists. From shallow reef diving to deep drift dives this place provides it all. The off-shore diving and the exotic marine life makes this one of Cambodia's top diving places. Back Door is one of the most famous diving spots here, which is underwater architectural landscapes that are beautiful to see.
8. Koang Kang
Providing shallow waters to easily explore the rich marine life, Koang Kang is one of the most sought-after diving spots in Cambodia. In addition to the clear waters, the shallowness makes for a great snorkelling experience. The aquatic life consists of a variety of fishes and eels indigenous to Cambodia. The coral reef has colourful and vibrant vegetation, which is striking to the eye.
Best Time for Scuba Diving in Cambodia
Diving in Cambodia is a perennial activity, but it is best to visit between November to May as the clear skies and calm currents make it easier to dive and explore the seas. December to May is also known to attract whale sharks which add to the excitement of diving around this time.
Tourists can easily find a variety of diving schools for their endeavours, thus providing a hassle-free and comfortable diving experience.