Khmer Garden

Khmer Garden is a serene shallow dive site located off the northern tip of Koh Rong island in Cambodia. Reaching a maximum depth of just 9 metres, this beginner-friendly reef offers a tranquil underwater garden experience in the warm, clear waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The site's name pays homage to Cambodia's Khmer heritage, and the underwater landscape does indeed evoke a cultivated garden, with neatly arranged coral formations interspersed with sandy corridors that create natural pathways for divers to follow. The shallow depth ensures excellent natural lighting throughout the dive, bringing out the full spectrum of colour in the corals and reef fish. Hard coral coverage at Khmer Garden is notably healthy, with table corals forming broad canopies over the sandy substrate and branching corals creating dense thickets that pulse with small reef fish. Porites colonies, some of considerable size, suggest the reef has been developing undisturbed for many years. The coral health here ranks among the best in the Koh Rong archipelago, possibly benefiting from the site's distance from the more populated areas of the island. The marine life at Khmer Garden centres on a thriving community of reef fish typical of the Gulf of Thailand. Pairs of butterflyfish navigate between coral heads with their characteristic grace, while schools of chromis hover in shimmering clouds above the reef. Hawkfish perch motionless on coral branches, their camouflaged bodies difficult to spot until they dart to a new position. In the sandy areas between coral patches, garden eels sway in the gentle current, retracting into their burrows at the approach of divers. Visibility at Khmer Garden ranges from 8 to 15 metres, with the best conditions occurring between December and April. The site is typically calm enough for diving year-round, though the dry season offers the most comfortable surface conditions for boat access. Khmer Garden is a true gem among Cambodia's dive sites, offering a peaceful, life-rich diving experience that delights beginners and satisfies experienced divers seeking a relaxing second dive.