Koh Rong & Koh Tang · Cambodia · Reef · Drift
Koh Rong Samloem
Two-metre cobia that come over to inspect divers
Photo: Hardlinerr · CC BY-SA 4.0
Koh Rong Samloem splits in two for divers: a 6-7 m coral reef inside M'Pay Bay, used for try dives and training, and Cobia Point at around 18 m, which often has a current and is usually dived as a drift. The island is an hour and a half to two hours from the mainland, and visibility runs from 5 to 25 m but is usually nearer 10 m.
Also known as Koh Rong Sanloem, Koh Rung Sanloem.
Where it is and how deep
10.5840° N, 103.2955° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Most operators run out of M'Pay Bay, where the best sites sit straight off the village, and the shallow reef in the bay is where try dives and training happen - warm water over coral to around 6-7 m, with nudibranchs, moray eels, scorpionfish, pufferfish, parrotfish and damselfish to look at while the skills get sorted. Visibility is usually about 10 m, so this is diving done close in rather than out into the blue.
Cobia Point is the deeper dive, plunging to around 18 m, and it is named for the fish: cobia, or kingfish, up to 2 m long and curious enough to hang around the group, which can be unnerving the first time one comes at you. The site often has a current and is usually run as a drift, so you drop in and let the reef pass rather than swimming a circuit. Barracuda, rays, octopus, cuttlefish and crustaceans fill out the rest of it.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Barracuda
- Stingrays
| 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
- Cobia here grow to 2 m and are curious enough to hang around a group; they are not aggressive, but having one shadow you takes some getting used to.
- Cobia Point often has a current and is usually dived as a drift - go in with the group and let the boat follow rather than trying to hold position on the reef.
Photos from Koh Rong Samloem
Reinhard Onasch · CC BY-SA 3.0
gbuschner · CC BY-SA 3.0
Dive videos
Scuba Diving in Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia · Danica Joysdottir on YouTube
Dive Koh Rong Samloem - Simon the Boss 50th! 👌🏼💕 · Suzanne Carr on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can beginners dive Koh Rong Samloem?+
Yes. The shallow coral reef at M'Pay Bay goes to about 6-7 m and is described as perfect for try diving, and courses run there. Cobia Point, at around 18 m and usually a drift, is the step up.
What is the visibility at Koh Rong Samloem?+
Between 5 and 25 m, but usually around 10 m, so the diving is worked close in rather than out into the blue.
What is Cobia Point?+
The island's deeper site, plunging to around 18 m and named for the cobia - kingfish up to 2 m long that are curious about divers and often stay with the group.
Sources
- Koh Rong Sanloem dive trips and sites — Scuba Nation (divecambodia.com)
- Koh Rung Sanloem — Wikivoyage
- OpenStreetMap: Koh Rong Samloem — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- Turquoise water and white sand along Saracen Bay on Koh Rong Samloem, with green hills across the bay. by Hardlinerr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Colorful sunset over the sheltered lagoon at Lazy Beach, Koh Rong Samloem, with boats at anchor. by Reinhard Onasch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Empty sand beach on Koh Rong Samloem with footprints in the sand and a forested hill behind. by gbuschner, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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