Cambodia’s second-largest island: 43 km of coastline, a handful of villages, and beaches that still look like the brochure.
Koh Rong is big enough to have two completely different personalities. Koh Touch, where the ferry docks, is the party village — cheap bungalows, beach bars, late music. Walk twenty minutes east to Long Set (4K) Beach and it goes quiet almost immediately.
On the far side, Sok San is a four-kilometre arc of near-empty sand with a scattering of resorts and a jungle trail back across the island.
Bring cash. ATMs are unreliable, and many places are generator-powered with electricity off for part of the day. That is the trade for the water, which after dark lights up with bioluminescent plankton on a moonless night.
Ask before booking whether your resort has 24-hour power and how far it is from the pier. Some “beachfront” places are a 30-minute boat transfer away.
November to April. The sea is clearest from December to March; the wet season brings rougher crossings and some resorts close.
Fast ferries from Sihanoukville take 45 minutes to an hour. Book the return sailing when you arrive — boats fill up.
Four kilometres of sand, reachable on foot from Koh Touch along the shore.
The island’s longest and quietest beach, on the western shore.
Night swims and kayak trips on dark nights — best away from village lights.
A hot, muddy, thoroughly enjoyable 2-hour trail from Koh Touch.