Koh Rong

Koh Rong, Cambodia

A low-angle view of Long Set Beach on Koh Rong at sunrise, with a wooden boat on the sand and the curving coastline leading into the distance.

Koh Rong is Cambodia's second largest island, with long white and rose-tinted beaches, forested hills and water that glows at night.

The place

Koh Rong (កោះរ៉ុង) lies in the Gulf of Thailand, about 25 km from the port city of Sihanoukville in Preah Sihanouk province. It is the second largest island in Cambodia and the biggest of the islands off that stretch of coast. Its area is about 78 square kilometres, and it runs diagonally from south-east to north-west. Most of the interior is forest. A mountain of about 316 m rises at the north-western end, and the hills there feed the creeks and estuaries that reach the sea.

The coastline is the island's main draw. Roughly 43 km of it is beach, spread across at least 23 separate stretches, with sand that runs from white through beige to a pinkish rose. Rocky headlands and sandstone outcrops divide the bays, and the views from the water are often the most striking part of a visit.

Four village communities live on the island: Koh Touch, Doeum D'keuw, Prek Svay and Sok San. Koh Touch is where most arrivals land and has the cheapest eating and sleeping. Development has gathered in bungalow resorts, guesthouses and beach bars, mostly along the main beaches. Electricity comes largely from generators, so power is strongest in the evening. Koh Rong suits beach holidays and divers, but peak weeks feel busy, and the party scene can be loud compared with the quieter bays.

Its story

Koh Rong's modern history is short. For many years the waters around the island were under Navy authority, which kept it largely undeveloped. Since 2000, the Department of Fisheries has been the main government body responsible for managing living aquatic resources, working with local authorities, villagers, fishers and NGOs. That was also the year Koh Rong was set up as a commune.

Development followed. The Cambodian government issued a land concession, and a consortium called the Royal Group took a 99-year lease. The group announced plans for a resort it presented as a model of environmental planning. Those ambitions have sat uneasily with conservation concerns. In 2010, Cambodian authorities warned developers about the environmental impact of tourism and infrastructure projects, which were speeding up across the island.

Two later milestones shape how the island is governed. In February 2018, the Koh Rong Marine National Park was declared around the island, the first marine national park in Cambodia. In January 2019, a government sub-decree created a new city from Koh Rong and the neighbouring Koh Rong Sanloem. Television has also left its mark, since several seasons of the reality series Survivor were filmed here, bringing attention well before the bars and resorts did.

The island appears in older travel writing too. The French naturalist Henri Mouhot sailed past this island group on his way from Bangkok towards Kampot in 1864, and he recorded how much the scenery impressed him. Those same waters now sit inside a national park and a busy holiday coast.

What to see

Culture

Koh Rong is a working island, not just a holiday resort. Four village communities live here, with fishing families, schools and small shops that have nothing to do with the beach trade. Khmer is the everyday language, and a few words of greeting go a long way in the villages around Koh Touch. Visitors are generally welcome to walk through, but pointing a camera at a house, a school gate or a child can feel intrusive, so ask first and show any photograph you take. Modesty matters once you leave the sand. Cover shoulders and knees when you walk through a village or visit a pagoda, even though swimwear is normal on the beach. Party nights run late at a few bars, and sound carries across the water, so keep your noise down after the last bars close and avoid taking the party into the village lanes. Ask before photographing any villager, and never share an image of a child from the village without permission.

What to wear

On Koh Rong, traditional dress belongs to the Khmer wider culture rather than to any island-specific style. The sampot is the long woven cloth wrapped around the waist, worn by both men and women, and it is still seen in villages and at festivals. The krama is a checked cotton scarf worn around the neck, head or shoulders, and it is practical as well as traditional. Silk and cotton weaving are the old textile crafts, and silk is kept for ceremonies, weddings and religious occasions. Most people on the island now wear everyday clothes: T-shirts, shorts, sarongs, sportswear and flip-flops. Visitors should pack light, quick-drying clothes for the heat, with long shorts or skirts for villages and temples and a sarong to cover your legs. Bring a hat, sunglasses and sun cream, and sturdy sandals or shoes for rocky paths and wet forest tracks. Swimwear is fine on the beach but change back into covered clothes before walking into a village.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Check the forecast before you travel. Generally, the drier months from December to April suit beach days and snorkelling best, while the wet season runs from May to October and peaks in July. The wetter months bring heavier rain, rougher seas and more ferry disruption, and the seasonal waterfalls run strongest after rain.

How long. 3–4

Getting there. Take a ferry from Sihanoukville, about 25 km away. Daily high-speed ferries leave the mainland port for Koh Touch and take about 30 to 45 minutes, while slower boats also run. The slower boats are basic, with wooden benches, a small toilet and a plank to step across, so travel light and check the timetable locally.

Budget. low

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources