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Day 6 - Koh Rong Paradise Island, Cambodia

I took the speed ferry boat from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong which was $25 open return.  It only took 40 minutes and was a great well maintained boat.  I'm glad I paid the $5 extra and didn't go on the 2 hour slow boat.

Koh Rong is Paradise.  

It is exactly what I was hoping for.  A beautiful white sand beach, tons of friendly backpackers, and a great social atmosphere.  Best of all, no one tries to sell you anything!  No tuk tuks, no kids begging for money or asking you to buy bracelets, nothing.




The island itself is actually huge, but 99% of people are on the main beach where the ferry drops you off.  If  walk right off the pier you immediately pass by all of the bars and restaurants where most people eat and drink at night.  Further on the right are bungalows and a quite beach.  

I made the mistakes of staying to the right of the pier as all of the bungalows were fully booked.  The music that night stayed on until 3am and the generator was even louder.  The bungalows are great for 2 or more people but are a bit unnecessary if you are by yourself.

Last night, I moved into a room that perfectly suited my needs.  If you go to the left of the pier you walk into Koh Toi Village which is really on a 2 minute walk from the main bars and restaurants but is a lot quieter at night.  I stayed at a little guesthouse called Dream Catch Inn which is extremely basic as all places are on the island but at only $12-$14 a night for a private room, was perfect.


Koh Rong vs. Koh Rong Salomon


Confusing I know.  But Koh Rong has Wifi and KR Salomon doesn't, which is why I'm on this island. Plus it's peaceful and beautiful enough, where I don't feel like I need to be even more remote.  Instead I'll head to Koh Rong Salomon on day drinks to snorkel or scuba dive which will be tomorrow's blog post.


Wifi on Koh Rong 


I'm sitting here at Bamboo Cafe which has become my go to place for breakfast and wifi, which I don't check again until the next morning.  It's good enough to blog and check email, but don't try to skype or upload videos.  




Long Beach / Broken Heart Bay:


One of the most beautiful beaches I've seen in my life, and I've been to some of the best, is a 45 minute hike through the jungle on the other side of Koh Rong.  I went right before sunset and got there just in time to have a cold soda, watch the sunset and jump on a $3 boat back to the main side as we didn't want to trek through the jungle in the dark.

I would recommend you go earlier in the day and spend a few hours there instead.  There are boats that leave every night at sunset back but you'll have to wade waist deep into the water to get on and off of them so bring a waterproof bag or hold your electronics in a bag over your head.  The hike is medium hard and can be done in flip flops, but it would be easier in shoes.  Bring a bottle of water, some cash, as there is a bar and restaurant on the other side, but make sure you watch your valuables and don't leave them on the beach when swimming.


Passport Theft in Cambodia:


It's really sad, but I've met a new person almost every day that had their passport and money stolen. But the story has always been the same.  They left their bag on their beach while swimming and it was gone when they came back.  Most of the time it was at night, but it happens during the day as well.  Please keep your passports in a safe somewhere!  Mine is at the Koh Rong Dive Center.  But you can leave it at your reception, or even in your room under your mattress.  Most people don't actually want to steal your passport, they want your money and electronics, your passport just happens to be in the same bag.  This is serious and ruins people's trips.  Don't ever carry your passport on you, especially when you're drinking. 


Sunset in Koh Rong:



The only place to watch the sunset in Koh Rong is on the other side of the island at Long Beach, but it's worth the trip.  Plan on staying in Koh Rong for 3-7 days to make the most of it.  It's seriously one of my favorite beach/islands I've been on.  I wouldn't want to live here as it's really small, but it's perfect for about a week.


Overall:


Koh Rong reminds me of Koh Tao in Thailand but with more jungle, even less built up and zero motorbikes or cars.  Dorms start at $4 a night and bungalows are $30-$55 a night with basic rooms like mine at $12-$14.  It is a must do if you are in Cambodia, and has really made me like this country as a whole.


Warm Regards,

Johnny

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  1. wow that sunset on the beach is awesome! ive heard so many good things about Cambodia!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really loved my time in Koh Rong and look forward to going back!

      Delete
  2. Hello. Thank you so much for writing about our island paradise Koh Rong – We need all the help we can get to keep spreading the good word! We are a non-profit, independent organisation created to help keep the Koh Rong Islands clean and help the local fishing communities. Would you mind sharing the link to our new guide to help our project? Your help would be very much appreciated! You can find our guide on Koh Rong & Koh Rong Samloem here: http://kohrong.guide/

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You shouldn't lie and say your website is a non-profit when it's not.

      Delete

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