Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
lowland evergreen forest and the
islands
of
Koh Thmei
and Koh Ses. At least 155 species of
bird
have been recorded in the park, and for resident and visiting waders, the mangrove-
lined
Prek Toeuk Sap
River is an important habitat. Besides supporting a large population
of fishing eagles, the river is also home to milky and adjutant storks, and kingfishers, which
are regularly spotted on the river trips - and dolphins often put in an appearance between
December and April. The list of
mammals
includes deer, wild pig and fishing cats, though
these are all elusive and you're more likely to see monkeys.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
REAM NATIONAL PARK
DAY
TRIPS
Most visitors to the park go on an all-day trip arranged
through cafés and guesthouses in Sihanoukville, on tours
with outfits including Romney Travel and Tours (see p.260),
or through travel agents such as Ana Travel (see p.251).
Costing from $20/person, trips include a boat trip down the
Prek Toeuk Sap, a guided walk through the jungle either
from or to Thmor Tom (a small village in the park), and
swimming and a barbecue at the stunning white-sand
beach of Koh Sam Pouch.
the day before to book a boat or guide from here.
By moto/tuk-tuk
A moto/tuk-tuk from Sihanoukville to
the park entrance will cost about $10/$15; if you're coming
for the boat trips, ask your driver to drop you at the ranger
station from where the boats leave.
Boat trips
Boat trips on the Prek Toeuk Sap cost about $35
for up to five people ($8/person thereafter) for a 2hr
voyage to Mangrove Island or $50/boat for a 4-5hr trip
that continues on to Thmor Tom village and Koh Sam Pouch
beach. Arrange via the park headquarters or at the ranger
station next to the bridge over the Prek Toeuk Sap, on NR4,
25km towards Phnom Penh, which is where the boats
depart. You'll need to take food, water and sun protection.
Guided walks
Treks - which you arrange at the park
headquarters - cost from $8/person for a 2hr wander
along forested nature trails.
TRAVELLING INDEPENDENTLY
Park headquarters
The park headquarters (daily 7.30-
11am & 2-5pm;
T
016 767686) is in
a green wooden
building just beyond the entrance to Sihanoukville
International Airport (see p.251) - turn up early or phone
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Koh Thmei Resort
T
097 737 0400,
W
koh-thmei
-resort.com.
A very secluded island resort (the only one)
within Ream, with back-to-basics bungalows with newish
bathrooms, and a simple restaurant. Pass the time in a
hammock,
or t
ake one of the rubber tubes and go floating
in the sea.
$25
Koh S'dach and the outlying islands
Lying in clear blue waters roughly halfway between Sihanoukville and Koh Kong, just off
the coast of Koh Kong province, the small rocky island of
Koh S'dach
(King's Island) gets
its name from the legend surrounding the
royal spring
behind the port, which is said to
have gushed forth miraculously when the king and his army were desperate for drinking
water as they battled invaders here. Supporting a population of a couple of thousand, Koh
S'dach may not look too exciting at first glance, but is refreshingly authentic, has wonderful
snorkelling and fishing (even quite close to shore, though you'll need your own equipment)
and is a good base from which to explore little-visited, and still largely undeveloped
outlying islands. It is also, by fishing village standards anyway, quite a prosperous little
community due to the village's ice factory, which supports the fishing fleet.
Koh S'dach is just a couple of kilometres long, and 1km wide. There's a rocky
beach
on its seaward side, reached by a path through the compound of the simple pagoda,
Wat Koy Koh
. The beach isn't brilliant, but vivid coral and shoals of fish found close to
shore compensate.
The best of the nearby islands is
Koh S'mach
, just 1km away, home to a small fishing
community and with some sandy beaches. Tiny
Koh Totang
, 2km off
Koh S'dach
,
has a
population of just seven (plus a few dogs) that almost doubles during the dry season
when the owners of
Nomad's Land
, the island's only accommodation option, return to
set up shop. Aside from this it's completely undeveloped and you can wander through
the wooded interior to seek out hidden beaches.
