Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Koh Rong & Koh Rong Samloem
Moving south from the Koh Sdach Archipelago, you'll eventually run into these large
neighbouring islands. They share more than confusingly similar names. Both are decept-
ively large islands with heavily forested interiors populated by an incredible variety of
bird and other wildlife, some of it endemic. And both have several head-turning beaches
that in terms of sheer brilliance would give anything in Thailand a run for its money.
The larger island,
Koh Rong
, is the only island in Southern Cambodia that shows any
hint of becoming more than a place to escape civilization entirely. Koh Tui, the village on
Koh Rong's southeast foot, has a growing range of accommodation options, plus some
bars where you might find a crew of drinkers until midnight or so.
In the late 2000s developers laid out plans to turn Koh Rong into a Cambodian version
of Thailand's Koh Samui, complete with a paved ring road, scores of resorts and an air-
port. Those plans have been slow to materialise, and for now Koh Rong remains a quint-
essential backpacker paradise.
Koh Rong Samloem
is also slowly taking off. A horseshoe-shaped, 10km-long island em-
bracing Saracen Bay to the east, many of the most popular resorts are spread out and re-
quire separate transport to reach. The old French road network is overgrown, but you can
fish, snorkel and take short treks. The island's amazing wildlife ranges from macaques,
black squirrels and sea eagles to oversized salamanders, lizards and iguanas. Saracen Bay
is also the venue for monthly full moon parties at The Beach Resort, accessible via the
Party Boat (
Click here
)
from Sihanoukville.
Beaches
You're spoilt for choice on Koh Rong.
Koh Tui Beach
, also called Pinetree Beach, extends
for about 1km northeast from the pier in Koh Tui and gets lonelier and lovelier the further
out you go. Rounding the headland (near Treehouse Bungalows) and continuing northeast,
you can walk at least another hour along the sand and encounter little more than hermit
crabs.
On the back (west) side of the island is a 7km stretch of the finest white sand, dubbed
Sok San Beach
after the fishing village at its northern end. There are simple resorts at the
extreme north and south ends of this beach, with virtually nothing in between.
Koh Rong Samloem's best beach,
Lazy Beach
, is unfortunately off-limits to non-guests,
but circumnavigate the island by boat and you'll find no shortage of similarly idyllic ex-
