Koh Rong Islands

Cambodia's island paradise.

Cambodia's island paradise. From beach parties on Koh Rong to peaceful yoga on Sanloem, with magical bioluminescent night swims.

A Wine Memories curated trail · winememories.fi

7 experiences 🇰🇭 Cambodia moderate 4 days

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Stops

Curated by Wine Memories

  1. 1
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    Koh Rong Sunset Wine Beach

    Cambodia's party island has spectacular sunsets. Long Beach on the west coast has the best views and beach bars serving wine as the sky turns gold.

    adventure $
  2. 2
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    Koh Rong Beach Party Wine

    Cambodia's party island. White sand beaches, full moon parties, and backpacker chaos. Wine before the buckets take over.

    adventure $
  3. 3
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    Koh Rong Bioluminescent Swimming

    Swim in glowing water. Every stroke creates swirls of blue light as bioluminescent plankton react to movement. It's like swimming through liquid stars. Best experienced drunk, with wine on the beach waiting.

    adventure $
  4. 4
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    High Point Rope Park & Bar

    A jungle rope course ending with the island's best sunset view and a bar. Zip through the treetops, then order wine and watch the sun melt into the Gulf of Thailand. Adventure meets luxury in the most unlikely place.

    adventure $$
  5. 5
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    Koh Rong Samloem Lazy Wine Days

    The quiet sister island to Koh Rong. Lazy Beach and Saracen Bay offer pristine turquoise water and hammock wine sessions.

    adventure $
  6. 6
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    Koh Rong Sanloem Peaceful Wine

    The quiet sister island. No parties, just pristine beaches and jungle. The escapist's alternative to Koh Rong chaos.

    adventure $$
  7. 7
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    Koh Rong Sanloem Sunrise Yoga

    Beach yoga as the sun rises over the Gulf of Thailand. Stretch on pristine sand as the world wakes up. End with tea or wine - your choice - and the smug satisfaction of starting the day right.

    adventure $

Plan the trip

Getting there and around

Car required
No
Nearest airport
Sihanoukville Airport (KOS) - direct from KL, Singapore. Or Phnom Penh (PNH) + 5-hour bus.
Drinking and driving
Everything walkable on both islands. Taxi boats available but walking is fine. No vehicles to worry about.
Other airports
  • Phnom Penh (PNH) if flying internationally
Without a car
Ferries are the only way to the islands. Island Speed Ferry and Buva Sea are the main operators. On islands: walking or taxi boats between beaches. No roads on Koh Rong.

Where to stay

Base yourself in
Koh Rong: Long Beach (party) or Sok San (quiet). Samloem: Saracen Bay (developed) or Lazy Beach (remote).
Why there
Party people: Koh Rong Long Beach. Peace seekers: Koh Rong Samloem Saracen Bay. Hardcore isolation: Lazy Beach.
Booking tip
High season (Dec-Mar) book 1-2 weeks ahead, especially weekends. Low season walk-in OK.
Nightly range
$10-600/night
Peak season
Christmas/New Year period: 2-3x prices, books out weeks ahead. Full Moon nights busier.

Recommended stays

Shoestring
Vagabonds Koh Rong ($10-15/dorm, beach, party) or Monkey Island ($12/bungalow, basic)
Wanderer
Tree House Bungalows ($40-60, Koh Rong, sea view) or Orchid Resort Samloem ($50-80, quiet)
Flashpacker
Song Saa Private Island ($600-1500, THE luxury, Samloem) or Secret Paradise Resort ($100-150, Koh Rong)

What it costs

Includes
Accommodation, food, activities, ferry
Wine prices
Wine selection on islands is minimal and overpriced. Stock up in Sihanoukville at Lucky supermarket before the ferry. Island shops have basics but 3x markup.
Meals
Island restaurants $6-15 (inflated prices), beach BBQ $10-20
Per person
Dirtbag: $30-50/day | Wanderer: $60-100/day | Flashpacker: $150-600+/day
Ways to spend less
  • BYOB wine from Sihanoukville - island prices are 3x higher
  • Stay on Koh Rong Samloem if you want quiet - it's cheaper than party Koh Rong
  • Book ferry round-trip for small discount
  • Bioluminescence is free if you just wade in from any dark beach

Booking and timing

Lead time
Ferries: book 1-2 days ahead high season. Accommodation: 1-2 weeks high season.
Visas
Standard Cambodia: e-Visa $36 or VOA $30.
Walk-ins accepted
Yes
Closed days
Ferries run daily. Some restaurants close in low season (June-September).
Peak season
Christmas through New Year and Chinese New Year are insane. Book months ahead for those periods.
Rainy season
May-October has afternoon storms. Ferries may cancel in rough seas. Islands are quieter and cheaper but wetter.

Where to eat

Wine bars
  • Limited options - BYOB is the move
  • Some resorts on Samloem have basic wine lists
  • Stock up at Lucky supermarket in Sihanoukville before ferry
Street food
  • Limited on islands - mostly restaurant based
  • Beach BBQ stands on Koh Rong Long Beach, $8-15
  • Night market in Sihanoukville before ferry - stock up
Restaurants
  • Vagabonds (Koh Rong) - beach BBQ, backpacker vibe, $8-15
  • Lazy Beach Restaurant (Samloem) - seafood, chill, $10-20
  • Saracen Bay restaurants - various options, $8-15

If your time is short

Do not miss
  • Bioluminescent swimming
  • Beach sunset with wine
  • One beach party if that's your thing
If you only have one day
Not recommended - ferry time makes day trips impractical. Minimum 2 nights.
If it rains
Card games and books in beach bars. Rain usually passes in 1-2 hours.
Skip if time is short
  • Rope park
  • Island hopping to Samloem if only 2 nights

Mistakes to avoid

  • Don't arrive without wine - island prices are painful
  • Don't expect reliable WiFi or phone signal - embrace the disconnect
  • Don't book the cheapest ferry - pay for reliability
  • Don't swim in bioluminescence near party beaches - too much light pollution. Find a dark spot.
  • Don't expect ATMs on the islands - bring enough cash (USD accepted)

Worth stopping for

  • Bioluminescence: Long exposure (2-4 sec) with someone wading in. Or video on night mode.
  • Sunset: Long Beach looking north, palm silhouettes
  • Samloem: The swing at Lazy Beach is Instagram gold
  • Morning: Empty beach with no footprints, 6-7 AM