When is the best time to dive Koh Rong?

The best months to dive Koh Rong are November, December, January, February, March, April, when conditions are most favorable.

What certification do I need to dive Koh Rong?

Koh Rong requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically mild and the maximum depth reaches 20 m.

How much does it cost to dive Koh Rong?

A 2-tank dive at Koh Rong averages around $55 USD. The destination is in our budget tier.

What will I see diving Koh Rong?

Koh Rong is known for seahorse, nudibranch, bamboo shark, pipefish, cuttlefish, with 5–15 m visibility and 26–30°C water temperatures.

Why does Koh Rong score 58.6/100 on OkToDive?

Koh Rong earns a 58.6/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 155 operator reviews.

Koh Rong Diving — Score: 58.6/100 | Conditions, Operators & Guide

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World Class

Beginner Friendly

Koh Rong

CambodiaAsia-Pacific

58.6

SCORE

10.6797°N

103.2311°E

Koh Rong's white-sand beaches hide a nascent dive scene with macro-rich reefs, bioluminescent plankton bays, and some of Southeast Asia's lowest prices. Bamboo sharks rest on sandy bottoms and nudibranchs festoon the rocky outcrops. The backpacker island vibe is gradually evolving as resorts arrive.

Cambodia's Island Diving Paradise

Visibility5–15 m

Temperature26–30°C

Max Depth20 m

Currentmild

2-Tank Dive$55

Best MonthsNovember, December, January, February

CertificationOpen WaterBeginner Friendly

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

50.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine Life Diversity

50.0

Coral & Reef Health

42.0

Visibility & Conditions

40.0

Dive Site Variety

48.0

Water Temperature

88.0

Depth & Access

45.0

Operator Quality

62.0

Topside Experience

72.0

Getting There

55.0

Value & Cost

88.0

Crowding

68.0

Social Proof

45.0

Key Species

seahorsenudibranchbamboo sharkpipefishcuttlefish

Dive Types

reefshore

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Great news for traveling couples and families — this is a budget-friendly destination with plenty of affordable topside activities to keep non-divers happy while you explore below the surface.

Activities for Non-Divers

bioluminescent plankton night swimmingLong Set Beachjungle trekkingisland hopping to Koh Rong Samloem

Nearby Cultural Sites

Local fishing village

Non-Diver Partner Score

8/10

Excellent for non-divers — they'll love it here.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifemoderate

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org

Hyperbaric Chamber200 km — Royal Phnom Penh Hospital

Nearest Hospital30 km

Basic clinic on island; boat to Sihanoukville then road to Phnom Penh; no local chamber

Skill LevelBeginner Friendly

Current Strengthmild

Top Operators

Dive Shop Cambodia

PADI

4.4

90 reviews

Koh Rong Dive Center

SSI

4.3

65 reviews

Compare This Dive Site

Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives

10+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Open Water

“Accessible to most certified divers with basic open water skills.”

What will challenge you

→Nearest hyperbaric chamber is ~200 km away. Evacuation is slow. Dive conservative profiles and get DAN insurance before you fly.
→Variable visibility
→Navigation in low viz

What will surprise you

→Thermoclines can drop water temp by 4°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
→Koh Rong has more marine life variety than most divers expect
→Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..

Morning

Viz
moderate
Current
mild
Crowd
light

reef exploration
photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon

Viz
moderate
Current
mild
Crowd
moderate

drift diving
second tank

Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	10–15	28	Mild	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Feb	10–15	28	Mild	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Mar	10–15	28	Mild	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Apr	10–15	28	Mild	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active
May	10–15	28	Mild	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active
Jun	5–10	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active
Jul	5–10	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active, manta season
Aug	5–10	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active, manta season
Sep	5–10	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active, manta season
Oct	5–10	29	Mod	Mod	Wet	70%	reef fish active
Nov	10–15	28	Mild	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active
Dec	10–15	28	Mild	Calm	Light	70%	reef fish active

Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects71

Wide angle40

Viz stability35

Hover friendliness100

Natural light34

Recommended kit

→Macro lens (60mm or 105mm), focus light, dual strobes positioned for fill

Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

Dive planning
foundational
Variable conditions teach you to adapt on the fly.
Buddy awareness
foundational
New environments sharpen your team diving skills.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$1,750–$2,400

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $1,100–$1,300
Accommodation / day: $25–$50
Diving / day: $50–$60
Food / day: $10–$25
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$2,650–$3,750

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $1,550–$1,850
Accommodation / day: $60–$120
Diving / day: $60–$70
Food / day: $30–$60
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$4,350–$6,600

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $2,250–$2,750
Accommodation / day: $150–$300
Diving / day: $70–$90
Food / day: $70–$140
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here

Koh Rong Diving — Cambodia