Koh Rong & Koh Tang · Cambodia · Reef
Koh Prins
Whale sharks reported in December and again in May
Area photo: TomFitzhenry · CC BY-SA 4.0
Koh Prins lies beyond Koh Tang, at the outer limit of the Cambodian overnight run and well out of day-boat range. The reef runs from around 6 m down to 18 m with the ground beyond it falling to 40 m, visibility averages about 20 m, and the draw is what passes through: eagle rays and blacktip reef sharks along Eagle-ray Alley, a dive flagged for more experienced divers.
Also known as Koh Pring, Jambul Island, Ile Prins.
Where it is and how deep
10.3733° N, 102.9612° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Koh Prins is the far end of the overnight run: five to six hours from the mainland, about three hours south-west of Koh Rong Samloem, which puts it out of reach of any day boat. The reef itself is straightforward, from about 6 m down to 18 m, but the ground around the island keeps going and the deeper dives sit between 10 and 40 m. Visibility ranges from 10 to 30 m and averages around 20 m.
Eagle-ray Alley is the dive people come for, and it is flagged as a dive for more experienced divers: it runs over rocks down to 30 m and can be a drift at certain times. Eagle rays are the reason, with blacktip reef sharks over the same ground and whale sharks reported in December and again in May. Elsewhere the reef holds batfish, schooling trevally, barracuda and fusiliers in the water column, blue-spotted and common stingrays on the sand, yellow goatfish, porcupine fish and boxfish over the coral, and white-eyed, hexagonal and white-mouthed morays in the holes. Nudibranchs, cuttlefish, marine worms and anemones make up the close work.
Marine life and season
- Whale sharks
- Eagle rays
- Reef sharks
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Stingrays
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Koh Rong & Koh Tang: Oct–Jun is the season with Nov–Apr calmest; the south-west monsoon makes the offshore crossing impractical Jul–Sep.
Know before you go
- Eagle-ray Alley runs over rocks down to 30 m and can be a drift at certain times; it is flagged as a dive for more experienced divers, so go in with the group and set your own depth.
- The ground around the island drops to 40 m and you are five to six hours from the mainland, so plan gas and no-stop time rather than following a guide down the slope.
Dive videos
Cambodia Koh Prins Island - Whaleshark · Cambo Sunny (CamboEntertain) on YouTube
Koh Pring Dive Trip (8th Jan 2022) · parakitos on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How do you get to Koh Prins?+
It is five to six hours off the mainland and about three hours south-west of Koh Rong Samloem, well beyond day-boat range, so the island is dived on overnight trips that also take in Koh Tang.
How deep is Koh Prins?+
The reef runs from around 6 m to 18 m. The ground beyond it drops to 40 m and Eagle-ray Alley runs over rocks down to 30 m, which is why that dive is flagged for more experienced divers.
Can you see whale sharks at Koh Prins?+
Whale sharks are recorded here, reported in December and again in May, along with eagle rays and blacktip reef sharks over Eagle-ray Alley. They are seasonal rather than something to count on.
Sources
- Koh Prins dive trips and sites — Scuba Nation (divecambodia.com)
- Overnight trips to Koh Prins/Koh Tang — Scuba Nation (divecambodia.com)
- OpenStreetMap: Koh Pring, Preah Sihanouk province — OpenStreetMap
- List of islands of Cambodia — Wikipedia
In The Logbook
- Where to dive with whale sharks, month by monthBig animals · 16 min read
More dive sites in Koh Rong & Koh Tang
Reef
Seahorses and bamboo sharks on a slope that ends in sand at 16 m
Two-metre cobia that come over to inspect divers
Reef
Stingrays in numbers at Sting Ray Alley, the deepest site here
Similar dives elsewhere
Blacktip reef sharks over a granite slope on the western side
Longest reef in the Similans, over 300 coral species
Close-in reef of nudibranchs, batfish and giant pufferfish
Boulders and coral off Karon Beach, dived from the shore in mild current