Arriving in Koh Rong from Siem Reap is already an adventure in itself — a slow transition between ancient temples and almost unreal beaches.
The journey requires a bit of patience, but it’s part of the trip. First, you need to reach Sihanoukville. You can take a night or day bus from Siem Reap — around 10 to 14 hours on the road, depending on stops and the, let’s say, variable condition of Cambodian roads. Companies like Giant Ibis or Virak Buntham are the most popular, and tickets usually cost between 15 and 30 USD. You can book online, through your hostel, or directly at local agencies — literally everyone sells tickets.
Once you arrive in Sihanoukville (which, honestly, is mostly just a transit point), you head to the port to catch a ferry to Koh Rong. The boat takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour 30 minutes depending on the company and stops, and costs around 25 USD round trip. Tickets are easy to book online or on-site, often combined with your bus ticket if you want to simplify things.
There are no ATMs on Koh Rong, so you really need to plan ahead before arriving on the island. Once there, everything runs almost entirely on cash, whether it’s restaurants, accommodation, or activities. In the main area (Koh Touch), some places may allow card withdrawals, but this usually comes with high fees and isn’t guaranteed everywhere. The best option is to withdraw money in Sihanoukville before taking the boat and arrive with enough cash for the duration of your stay.
Then everything changes.
As soon as you set foot on Koh Rong, the pace suddenly slows down. The water is an unreal shade of blue, the white sand crunches under your feet, and there’s this strange feeling that time becomes… less important.
The island is quite large, but it is divided into several distinct “areas.” The main tourist hub is Koh Touch. This is where you usually arrive. It has a backpacker vibe, beach bars, evening music, and restaurants right on the sand. It’s lively, sometimes noisy, but perfect if you want to meet people.
If you walk a little further, you’ll find Long Beach (also called Sok San Beach). The vibe there is completely different. It’s a stretch of several kilometers of almost empty beach, calm water, and a silence that makes you realize how overstimulated you were before. It’s the perfect place to read for hours, get lost in your thoughts, or just… do nothing. And it feels good.
There are also more remote spots like Prek Svay, a more authentic fishing village where you can observe local life away from mass tourism. Historically, Koh Rong was mainly inhabited by fishing communities. Tourism arrived relatively recently, and although some areas are developing quickly, there are still places where local culture remains very present — traditional fishing, stilt houses, and a simple daily rhythm.
Culturally, the island remains deeply connected to the sea. Many families still rely on fishing for their livelihood, and you can sometimes join local fishermen at sunrise. It’s raw, not touristy, not staged — just real life.
Koh Rong is truly the perfect place to slow down. Reading a book in a hammock, diving into warm, crystal-clear water, snorkeling straight from the beach, or simply watching the sun disappear over the horizon. And at night… if you swim, you can see bioluminescent plankton. Like stars in the water. It’s hard to describe, but it feels magical.
If you want even more peace, head to Koh Rong Samloem. It’s an easy boat trip from Koh Rong. This island is smaller and even quieter. Saracen Bay is the main beach: a long crescent of white sand with calm water, perfect for swimming. Lazy Beach, on the other side, lives up to its name — wild, silent, almost meditative.
Over there, everything slows down. Less partying, more sunsets. Less Wi-Fi, more present moments.
For the more adventurous, Koh Rong also offers jungle hikes. Trails connect some of the beaches, cutting through dense, humid, living vegetation. You hear insects, birds, sometimes nothing at all — just your breath. It’s not always perfectly marked, so it’s better to be prepared, but it’s absolutely worth it.
And then there’s the nightlife. Especially in Koh Touch, the bars come alive after dark. Fire on the beach, music, dancing barefoot in the sand. It’s a strange mix of party and total freedom. You can stay out until 3 a.m. or fall asleep at 9 p.m. to the sound of waves — no one judges, everyone follows their own rhythm.
But what really makes Koh Rong special isn’t just its beaches or activities. It’s the feeling that you don’t have anything to prove. That you can just be. Tired, happy, lost, inspired… it doesn’t matter.
And often, without really understanding how, you leave feeling a little different.
Leave a Reply