Sihanoukville – Cambodia Diving

About Sihanoukville – Coastal & Nearshore Reefs

Sihanoukville serves as the primary diving hub for Cambodia, offering easy access to a diverse collection of coastal and nearshore reef sites within 10 to 20 minutes by boat from the mainland harbour. The region features six distinct dive sites ranging from Koh Khteah (Chiva Reef), a shallow fringing reef ideal for training with seahorses and pipefish, to the unusual Volkswagen Reef where sunken VW vans and concrete pipes have been transformed into an artificial reef paradise with frogfish and ghost pipefish. Treasure Island Wreck provides an accessible wreck experience at 12 to 18 metres, while Koh Preus (Harbour Reef) offers gentle sloping coral with stingrays and large snapper schools. Koh Trangol adds rocky island diving with occasional bamboo sharks, and the Sihanoukville Harbour Wrecks deliver dramatic silhouette photography in silty conditions. The compact nature of the dive site cluster allows divers to experience multiple sites in a single trip, with short boat rides between locations. Water temperatures remain warm at 26 to 31 degrees Celsius year-round with visibility ranging from 5 to 18 metres depending on the site and season. The dry season from November to April provides the best conditions with improved visibility and calmer seas.

Highlights

• ✓Koh Khteah (Chiva Reef) – premier training site with seahorses and pipefish
• ✓Volkswagen Reef – Cambodia's most unusual site with sunken VW vans and macro life
• ✓Treasure Island Wreck – accessible wreck with lionfish, batfish, and pufferfish
• ✓Six distinct dive sites within 10-20 minutes by boat from the harbour
• ✓Koh Trangol with occasional bamboo shark encounters on sand patches
• ✓Sihanoukville Harbour Wrecks for dramatic silhouette photography

Getting There

Sihanoukville is located in southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand coast. Sihanoukville International Airport (KOS) receives flights from Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City, and other regional hubs. The city is approximately 4 hours by road from Phnom Penh. The dive sites are reached by boat from Sihanoukville harbour with 10 to 20 minute transfers. Tuk-tuks and taxis connect the town to the dive departure points. The compact size of the site cluster makes multi-dive days logistically straightforward.