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You may have guessed it already but the diving location at two tone garden appears to separate into two clear-cut scuba experiences that collide together for divers to enjoy.
This help guide explains how to get to the dive site, average depth limits, and what species of marine life animals you might see below the surface.
A benefit of Cambodia scuba diving is year round water temperatures ranging between 26-30° Celsius (78-86 Fahrenheit).
This area in Southeast Asia has a wet season from June to October and the dry season comes around November until May.
Nonetheless, most dive schools in Sihanoukville offer year round scuba diving and snorkeling activities at the offshore islands.
In fact, Sihanoukville is one of the popular destinations that caters well for backpackers and tourists trekking in the area.
There are twenty two (22) islands in the province of Sihanoukville, and a few of them have private ownership. Even so, many of the favoured diving locations have not yet been destroyed by any significant foreign investment.
The scenery at Koh Rong Samloem Island is beautiful and an ideal getaway from the chaos of city life. Most visitors will make the short journey from the coastal city of Sihanoukville and enjoy a relaxing day trip (or longer) at one of the sundrenched islands.
Stunning underwater topography stretches out westward from several dive sites near Sunset Beach. This area is a real delight for beginners. In general, you should base the destination on which particular sea life creatures you're hoping to see.
Note: Two Tone Garden dive site is shallow (maximum depth around 12 metres) and it is not prone to any strong water currents. Hence, local dive shops often use this pretty spot to conduct night diving activities and the PADI® Night Diver Certification course.
Unless you choose a bad day for local storms, you should expect to experience underwater visibility around six (6) metres (20 feet). But, you could get thirty metres (100 feet) of water clarity if you schedule your visit for the best time of year for scuba diving (e.g. December to March).
There are several different nudibranch species to see here, and this is an ideal shallow-water venue for snorkeling trips and for novice divers to gain some hands-on experience.
Divers heading for the deeper section close to the shoreline at Sunset Beach are likely to find lots of fishes darting around the hard corals found below ten (10) metres.
The reef becomes shallower as you move out towards the second part of the vibrantly-coloured gardens. If you get the opportunity to dive here at night-time you should see blue-spotted rays and a gathering of different species of saltwater crustaceans.
So, besides lots of multi coloured sea slugs (scientific name Nudibranchia), some of the other aquatic animals you could see around Koh Rong Samloem's Two Tone Garden dive site include:
Head out to Cobia Point dive site and you are more likely to see barracuda and cobias (black kingfish). Venturing out to deeper waters is where you may catch sightings of longfin batfish and the mighty whale shark.
There is no shortage of dive sites for divers of all certification levels to explore when scuba diving Koh Rong Samloem.
Some of the neighbouring destinations that are easily accessible from the beaches and popular with divers and snorkelers include:
Note: Another section explains more about the importance of diving safely around dangerous sea life and how to have a positive experience with marine animals.