Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS
They may lack the cachet of Southern Thailand, but the two dozen or so islands that dot the
Cambodian coast offer the chance to see what places like Koh Samui and Koh Pha-Ngan
were like back in the early days of Southeast Asia overlanding. Until recently all signs
pointed to the whole lot of them being pawned off to well-connected foreign investors for
unchecked development. Instead, pretty much the opposite has happened. The global reces-
sion scared away the big boys, paving the way for DIY development to move in with rustic
resorts targeting backpackers.
This is paradise the way you dreamt it: endless crescents of powdered, sugary-soft sand,
hammocks swaying in the breeze, photogenic fishing villages on stilts, technicolour sunsets
and the patter of raindrops on thatch as you slumber. It seems too good to last, so enjoy it
while it does.
Getting There & Away
The logical jumping-off point for any of the main habitable islands between the Koh Kong
Conservation Corridor and Ream National Park is Sihanoukville. Scheduled boat services
link Sihanoukville with Koh Rong, Koh Rong Samloem and Koh Sdach. Other islands are
reached by private boats, usually owned by the resort you're visiting. Cambodia's largest
island, Koh Kong Island (
Click here
)
, is best visited from Koh Kong.
The Koh Sdach Archipelago is accessible overland from Koh Kong or even Phnom
Penh, via the new four-lane highway that cuts through Botum Sakor National Park.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Koh Ta Kiev
Koh Ta Kiev, a delightful little island just off Ream National Park, is something of a black
hole for backpacker bungalows. New resorts open and then close with alarming regularity.
Ask around Sihanoukville to see if anything is operating on Koh Ta Kiev. You'd do well to
stay out here, as there's a wide white beach on the northwest side along with some pretty
forest walks. This may prove irrelevant anyway, as the entire island has been leased to the
same French property company that is driving development on Koh Russei.
