Coral Bay

Coral Bay lives up to its evocative name as one of the more picturesque dive sites around Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia. Reaching a maximum depth of 12 metres, this beginner-friendly site occupies a sheltered bay where healthy coral formations have flourished in the calm, warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The bay's natural protection from prevailing currents and swells creates stable conditions that have allowed corals to develop into impressive colonies. Table corals spread wide across the sandy substrate, their broad platforms providing shade for congregations of cardinalfish and sweepers. Staghorn coral thickets rise from the seafloor in dense clusters, their branches alive with territorial damselfish defending their algal gardens. The dive profile follows a gentle slope from the bay's sandy shallows out to the reef edge, where the bottom drops slightly to the 12-metre mark. This gradual progression makes air management easy and allows divers to extend their bottom time significantly compared to deeper sites. Many dive centres use Coral Bay for training dives, taking advantage of the calm conditions and the wealth of marine life that keeps students engaged between skill exercises. Macro photography enthusiasts will appreciate the variety of small creatures hiding among the corals. Ornate ghost pipefish occasionally appear during the cooler months, while porcelain crabs nestle in the tentacles of carpet anemones alongside their clownfish hosts. Flatworms glide across coral surfaces in their distinctive undulating motion, their vivid patterns rivalling those of any nudibranch. The site is diveable year-round, though the period from November to May offers the most reliable conditions with warmer water temperatures around 29 to 30 degrees Celsius and visibility reaching up to 15 metres. Even during the wet season, the bay's sheltered position means diving remains possible on most days. Coral Bay exemplifies the quiet charm of Cambodian diving, where unhurried exploration and attentive observation yield rewarding encounters on every dive.