Koh Rong - Koh Rong

Koh Rong (កោះ រ៉ុ ង) is an island of the Cambodia.

To know

Until a few years ago, Koh Rong was an island to discover with only a few local families living off what the sea provided. There are about four small villages. Tourism started slowly around 2008, but the island remains mostly deserted. In 2012 new bungalow resorts and guesthouses appear in Koh Tuich, the main tourist destination.

The island has been sold to an investor who intends to create an eco-friendly resort, but the huge development probably won't start until 2020.

The development of the small villages continued in 2013 with more and more guesthouses, restaurants and bungalow resorts. Unfortunately almost all places seem to be interested solely in short-term profits: unfiltered garbage and sewage are directed to the sea and you can see the island getting dirty every month.

If you are planning to visit during the Chinese New Year, you may want to book accommodation in advance as it is a popular holiday destination for Chinese families and the guesthouses will fill up.

Geographical notes

Koh Rong is the largest of the islands off the coast of Sihanoukville, in the Gulf of Thailand. It extends from south-east to north-west, is approximately elongated in shape and covers an area of ​​78 km².

Territories and tourist destinations

Villages

• Koh Tuich
• Dam Dkeuw
• Prek Svay
• Soksan

Other destinations

How to get

On boat

Koh Rong is accessible by ferry from Sihanoukville. The ferries themselves are pretty straightforward. There are wooden benches on both sides of the ferry and plastic covers in case of rain. The roof is typically accessible, allowing you to stretch out and take a short nap. Make sure you bring a hat and sunglasses for running and use sunscreen if necessary.

As of 2012 there are two daily ferries leaving Sihanoukville at approximately 08:00 and 13:30 from the port. They both head to Koh Tuich. Return ferries depart at 10:00 and 16:00 from the island. The boats are quite slow so the journey takes around 2 hours.

Not all ferries sell water or snacks, so it might be a good idea to bring some with you, especially if you're traveling with children. There is a small toilet on board the ferry which appears to be clean and in decent working condition.

To board and disembark from the ferry you will need to walk on a medium-sized wooden plank that connects the pier to the ferry. The process is not very efficient and can be a little tricky the first time you try it, so keep this in mind if you have foot injuries, special needs, etc.

• The Dive Shop and Monkey Island ferries pick you up at Monkey Republic near the Golden Lion roundabout at 12:30 (or if you plan ahead at 13:00 at the bus station). The ferry departs at 13:30 and arrives in Koh Tuich at 15:30.
• The other ferry to Sok-San bungalows may not be operational since 2012. However, a fishing boat can be taken from Koh Tuich for USD 25. It is probably best to arrange your arrival in advance when booking your accommodation.

Make sure the ferry you booked to take will drop you off at your destination. There have been instances where resort owners refused to let guests take boats across the island (from Sok-San to Monkey Island, etc.). And they insisted that I stay on their beach.

Prices seem to vary depending on the season and where you book. Expect to pay between $ 10 and $ 20 for round trip including pickup in the main city area in Sihanoukville, so you shouldn't have to pay extra for that.

How to get around

On boat

The only other option is to hire a local fishing boat to take you around the island.

The journey from Koh Tuich to Bai Tau it costs $ 25 per boat.

On foot

There are no roads on the island yet so the only way to get around is on foot, however there is no map of the trails: you will need a guide or a good instinct and a compass.

However, the tourist village areas are easily walkable, usually there is only one path and the only obstacles can be occasional streams.

There are four villages:

• Koh Tuich (or sometimes just Koh Toch or Koh Tuit) which takes its name from the small southeastern island, has seen most of the tourist development
• Sok-San (also known as Bai Tau) is a village on the west of the island at the northern end of the 7km long Long Set beach. Behind the village there is a small lagoon and about 5 minutes walk in the jungle there is a large waterfall (only in the rainy season).
• Dam Dkeuw (also known as Dam Skal) is a village on the east coast which is somewhat reminiscent Venice.
• Prek Sway it is the last village on the east coast.

What see

With 23 white sand beaches to choose from, Koh Rong has plenty to see and do. For the more adventurous there is plenty of trekking to do through the relatively pristine jungle. The diving and it snorkeling they are excellent both off the beach and at nearby sites.

But above all the best attraction is the phosphorescent water which glows when disturbed like twinkling stars.

It is best seen at about 4 feet of water and in a dark part of the beach. Since Koh Rong has minimal development and light pollution, conditions are perfect for phosphorescent plankton and it can be seen every single night.

What to do

• Hiking. A Koh Rong Island hiker (an Israeli boy named Gil, who is in Paradise Bungalows) has marked trails leading from the closest beach to Monkey Island and Paradise Bungalows to other beaches, but most of the island is still a dense jungle. Gil knows the island's hidden trails very well and offers 1- to 4-day trekking tours (cost ~ US10 per day per person). There is also a well-marked trail to Long Beach which starts behind the Sky Bar (~ 45 min one way). US $ 10 per person. 
• Dance, Police Beach (Just west of Koh Tuich, past Adventure Adam). 22:00 - dawn. EDM parties each night start around midnight or 1. In the morning, a boat picks up survivors to go to the afterparty on another beach. Tix can be purchased in advance from various companies in Koh Tuich for $ 10 or $ 12.50 during the event.

Buy

There are no ATMs on the island. Plan accordingly.

At the table

There are many restaurants available. TO Koh Tuich, the cheapest are the Khmer restaurants in the village (mains US $ 2-3) which offer surprisingly good food. Each bungalow resort also has its own restaurant. Although more expensive, they offer a more pleasant atmosphere. Various restaurants offer the standard beach barbecue fare for $ 4-6 a night.

Drinks

Most restaurants also serve alcohol and cocktails. A can of Klang typically costs around $ 1.

Monkey's also has buckets and often throws a fireworks show at night, so this is probably where the party activity will begin. Most restaurants and bars will close by midnight. One or two bars will stay open and with electricity until late depending on the crowd.

Where stay

As electricity is mainly supplied by generators, energy is usually only available in the evenings from around 6pm to 10pm. Bathrooms are generally very basic, with water provided by streams running down the mountains, so the water can sometimes have a brown tone.

• 10.7039103.31331 Coconut Beach Bungalows, Krong Preah Sihanouk (The "Buva Sea Speed" ferry takes you directly to Coconut Beach. The other ferries take you to Koh Toch. Coconut Beach Bungalows can be picked up from there for US $ 5 per person.). from US $ 7 per night per person. I'm on a small hill near the beach. They have sleeping rooms and tents. The rooms are on the hill and the tents are right on the beach. They provide a facility to take guests to see the luminescent bio plankton around 02:00 in the morning. They also offer a full day tour of the entire island with activities such as snorkeling and fishing. They take you to the long beach, and a barbecue dinner (along with beer and whiskey) is also included at US $ 10 per person. 

Safety

On Koh Tuich, Wi-Fi is available in several restaurants.

Around

• Island of Koh Rung Sanloem