Welcome to Octopuses Garden

Hello!

You are about to visit Koh Sdach and our little dive center, Octopuses Garden
Here we have gathered a some information for you, with links to our webpage and the answer to many FAQ

Please do not hesitate to ask us if you have further questions!

koh_kong_areas_cityGetting here
Koh Sdach is a bit off the grid, thats how we like it, and probably why you also chose to visit our Island.
There is basically two ways of getting here, either by private car which is comfortable and fast. Or by local shared car, a budget friendly adventure.
On our website we have added useful information, phone numbers and contacts so you can get to us the easiest way.

Note that in most cases there are no bus terminals, tickets or route tables.  The local food on the food stops is very good and safe.
Let us know if you need a private car, we will often get you the best price.

Also, the bigger organized bus companies do not go to Koh Sdach,  they only travel between the bigger cities.
And no matter what is listed on other web pages: Sorry, there are NO ferries from Koh Kong, Sihanukville or Koh Rong/Koh Rong Samloem
If you are not totally sure where our island is: We have a overview map for you here

The DivingHege Shark Island
If you have signed up for a diving course, you should have received a PADI medical statement. You can also find it here.
Please read it and if you must answer yes to any of the questions, you must see a doctor and bring the doctors statement with you, in order to be cleared for diving.
If you have signed up for fun diving, we have all the equipment you need. If you bring your own equipment; our tanks are ready for joke and DIN regulators.

bungalow_base_kate_west_watermarkwebStaying with us
We have cool, special bungalows and a mezzanine available for Bed & Breakfast.
Our accomodation is mainly recerved for divers, so be prepared for lots of dive stories around the kitchen table.
Our rooms have mosqito nets, linens, towels and fans and we can host up to 11 people.

Food and Drink Drinks
Please let us know if you have any dietarian requests, allergies, dislikes or favorites.
We have communal breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. We like good food and cook western, fusion and Khmer.
We also have a nice selection of wine, proper coffee, beer, lemonades and fruit shakes.
There are a few restaurants in the village and we buy most of our food, fruit, vegetables, fish and meat from the local marked on the island.

riel and dollarMoney
Cash is king here in Cambodia. We accept both Dollars and Riel. The going exchange rate in most markets, shops and cafés are fixed $1 to 4000 Riel. In the bigger shops and exchange offices, they mostly follow the official exchange rate. (Tip: Save the small 100 riel bills for the first beggar you meet every day)
Note there are  NO Atm’s on the Island, actually finding a cash machine outside the bigger cities as Koh Kong, Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh, Battambang, Siem Reap, Kep and Kampot is close to impossible.
So bring enough cash for your rural travels. We can in some cases accept bank transfers for an additional Island fee.
The smallest local shops might have a problem to split your $100 bill so bring small money.
But when you change, make sure that the dollar bills you get are not torn or discolored, some shops refuse to take damaged dollar bills. The Riels are no problem, they can be torn, crumbled and taped.
In house altars it is normal to put stacks of $100 dollar bills, these are of course fake copies, but sometimes they do end up in circulation, and you will see the locals check very closely for fakes, so should you.

Wifi and Phonesmart phone
To get the best connection on the island you get a Smart or Metfone simcard $1/2 (available everywhere) and you refill your balance as needed.
(The others phone companies do not really work on our tip of the island)

In the end, Cambodia is in general a very safe and fun place to travel. Be polite, say a friendly no to tuktuks, haggle with a smile and enjoy your stay!

Phew.. that was a lot… hopefully it was a bit of useful information.

We are looking forward to see you here!
Now enjoy your travels, don’t panic and always travel with a towel!

Best Regards
Octopuses Garden

+855(0)86 41 33 80 or +855(0)86 41 24 32