Koh Rong, Cambodia’s second largest island is located off the coast of the town of Sihanoukville, in the Gulf of Thailand. What was once a lowly fishing island has developed into the country’s major island getaway. However, it still features a largely pristine environment and huge tourist crowds are yet to hit the island. You can fly to Sihanoukville and take a ferry to Koh Rong.
Koh Rong boasts of stunning beaches and dense rainforest clad mountains where you can enjoy adventurous activities or simply relax and appreciate the lovely surroundings. If you can’t get enough of Koh Rong’s natural beauty, you can head over to the nearby Koh Rong Sanloem, which might seem even better!
There is no shortage of beaches in Koh Rong and you will always be just a few minutes away from stumbling upon perfect white sands and crystal clear blue waters. Sok San, located in the western part of the island, is considered the finest beach and a great place to watch the sunset.
The southeastern coast is lined by the Police, Koh Tuch and Long Set beaches. Police Beach gets its name as Koh Rong’s police station is located here and it hosts crazy all-night parties, especially on Wednesdays, Saturdays and on full moon nights. Long Set beach is lined with a few boutique resorts and backpacker hostels and from here, you can walk to the serene Nature beach and jungle clad Coconut beach. Koh Tuch is probably the noisiest beach on the island and it lies near the Koh Tuch village and features numerous restaurants and bars.
Koh Rong Sanloem, the sister island of Koh Rong is just a 20-minute ferry ride away. If you were pleased with the seemingly laid back vibe of Koh Rong, then prepare to completely fall in love with the pristine environment and serenity of Koh Rong Sanloem. It boasts of lovely peaceful beaches like Sunset beach, Lazy beach and M’Pay. The best thing you can do here, is do nothing and simply relax with a drink and watch the skies change colour and listen to the waves crash.
The clear turquoise waters around Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem, with an underwater world of rich coral reefs and colourful fishes are perfect for diving and snorkelling. If underwater exploration is not your cup of tea, you can opt for kayaking or paddle boarding in the calm seas. Both the islands have lovely hiking and trekking trails that pass through dense jungles, stunning waterfalls and beaches. Sok San waterfall in Koh Rong and Saracen Bay waterfall on Koh Rong Sanloem are the most famous waterfalls and are quite easy to access. Mountain biking is another popular activity. There are also boat tours that take you to parts of the island that cannot be accessed by land and to small neighbouring islets like ‘small island’.
Koh Rong is the kind of place where you take a break from the noisy world, monotonous routine life and social media. If you are seeking quality time with nature, then this is an ideal destination for you.
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