Entry to this site is through a small lagoon which descends from the reeftop to an exit point on the reef at about 7m (23ft). Little more than 1.5m (5ft) wide at some points, this entry lagoon can act as a funnel for wave surge or runout form falling tides, so divers should be prepared for a strenuous swim.

Once outside the lagoon, a wide sandy slope leads off to the left (north), covered with literally thousands of garden eels that give the site its name. Across the sand lies a sloping reef wall with scattered coral heads on the sand at its 18-20m (60-65ft) base; south of the sand, the reef continues, with lots of fine coral growth but no exit point until the lighthouse.

There is an excellent selection of coral growth along both reef sections, with stony and soft species including Acropora, antler coral, plate, cabbage, elephant ear sponge, Dendronephthya and Xeniids. Anemones are pretty common here.

 As well as the eponymous garden eels, the site boasts large numbers of small grey morays, lionfish, bluespine unicorns, damsels and baslets, parrots, grouper, lyretail cod, and plenty of sand gobies.