Koh Rong: Backpackers Paradise

Koh Rong was a perfect last stop before I headed back to America. The best way to describe it would simply be paradise. It was one of those places where you had to pinch yourself after you’ve arrived. I had an amazing time checking out the island and seeing that there are still places out there that aren’t super touristy and over developed. I really hope that it continues to keep its charm. If not, I guess there is always Koh Rong Samloem. This place definitely takes the cake for most beautiful beach I’ve ever visited (so far at least!).

How To Get There

Make your way to Sihanoukville, a seaside town in Cambodia. I didn’t stay here because I heard mediocre things about it, but some friends of mine were there for a few days and said it was fun, but nothing special. You can get there from many places in Cambodia. I chose to take the bus with the company Mekong Express. For 23 USD, I booked a roundtrip ticket from Phnom Penh.  Then, I purchased an open return ferry ticket with a company called Speed Ferry Cambodia. I’m pretty sure I paid about 20USD for it.

If you decide to go between Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem, there is a 5 dollar ferry that goes between the two islands. You can use your return ticket back to Sihanoukville from either dock.

Where to Stay

For those of you who prefer to book a room ahead of time, you’re out of luck. Unless you’re planning on staying somewhere fancy, you won’t be able to book accommodations ahead of time on Koh Rong. Try to hop on the morning ferry from Sihanoukville and then you won’t have to worry about finding vacancies at the numerous hostels and guest houses that line the beach. I’m not sure how crowded it gets during high season, but there were plenty of vacancies when I was there.

I chose to stay at Dreamcatch Inn, which someone recommended to me. It was pretty bare bones, and I paid 12 dollars a night for the room, but there were two beds in the room (a double bed and single bed), so if you have a group of three, it really wouldn’t be bad at all. I just wasn’t in the mood to be staying in a hostel. (They also apparently have the best breakfast on the island)

What to Do

I was really bummed out that I wasn’t able to go on an Adventure Adam Tour around the island. Since I was there in low season, he wasn’t running the trip as often. A few girls I had met in Phnom Penh raved about the tour, so if you go when its running, definitely hop on it.

Instead, I opted for one of the boat tours you’ll find advertised around the beach. Our tour was about 15 USD each and included dinner, fishing, snorkeling, two beers and a trip to Long Beach for sunset. Since I was dying to go to long beach. But, by far the best part of the trip, was swimming with phosphorescent plankton. Basically, when you move around in the water, the plankton light up. It was such a crazy experience.

You can also hike to Long Beach if you’re interested. It takes about 45 minutes and you should absolutely where sneakers! It’s a real hike, so don’t wear flip flops.

If you’re in to taking it easy, walk down the beach, away from all of the hostels, restaurants and guest houses to find pristine blue water and one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. After a big night of partying on the island, wake up early to be the first one on the beach, you won’t regret how perfect the view is when its just you and the sea.

Nightlife and Food

There are a ton of restaurants scattered along the beach. I usually had a smoothie ($2 USD) for lunch. They were the best smoothies I’ve ever had so it was a no brainer. There were also several places that served delicious, fresh seafood, as well as western food. I actually didn’t really eat that much Cambodian food while on Koh Rong because I had heard that some food could be a bit questionable since the island is a bit isolated and don’t have the same resources as the mainland. I was fine, but some friends of mine did get sick.

At night, bar hop between the different hostel bars. Some nights there is a pub crawl. There is also a big party every few days on Police Beach. You won’t miss out on it because on the day of, everyone will be trying to sell you tickets.

Koh Rong Samloem

I didn’t have enough time to head over to Koh Rong Samloem. But, here are some tips from my friends that did.

• If you want to stay at Mad Monkey, book way ahead. They book up really fast. But apparently they will let you sleep on their bean bags if you want. They are also located on the other side of the island so its a bit isolated.
• Koh Rong Samloem is much quieter than Koh Rong. It’s less inhabited and definitely more of a chill place. Don’t go there expecting a party.

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