The stops
- Adventure · Price: low 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 · Price: low 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, with wine on the beach waiting for afterwards.
- Adventure · Price: moderate 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 · Price: low 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 · Price: moderate 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 · Price: low 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.
The story
From the beaches of Koh Rong to peaceful yoga on Sanloem, with magical bioluminescent night swims.
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
- 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