The Perfect Winter Escape – The Secret Tropical Islands of Cambodia

As part of our aspiration series, we explore the prospect of travelling to Asia for that special Christmas getaway.

If you been a frequent visitor to the Thai islands over the past 20 years, you’ll have seen the fast paced changes that a lot of the popular islands, such as Koh Samui and Koh Tao, have gone through. From a few huts spread along the beach, to fancy private resorts and multi-tower casinos; things developed quite rapidly once the Thai islands became a major tourist attraction.

Koh Rong – A Tropical Paradise

For those of you wanting to find your very own slice of personal paradise and missed the boat when the Thai islands were still left untouched – there are still options available to you close by.

The wonderful country that is Cambodia, boasts a number of simply picture perfect islands along it’s south coast, that are all located within the Gulf of Thailand. Thousands of miles of untouched white sands, warm clear sparkling turquoise waters and heaps of tropical jungle for you to spot all manner of exotic birds and wildlife in.

Koh Rong is one of the most upcoming islands in the area and still yet has only 15 or so guesthouses, bars and restaurants in total.

What to do there?

Koh Rong is the perfect place for diving and snorkeling in the dry season (Nov-June) due to the great visibility. It even has it’s own dive centre where you can go for practise dives or earn your PADI qualification.

Along with diving there are lots of activities to do on Koh Rong such as; jungle trekking, wildlife spotting, kayaking, sailing, fishing, beach hopping and of course just kicking back in your hammock and shooting the breeze with the locals – Koh Rong is a perfect tropical paradise you’ll just want to spend forever in.

Where to stay?

As previously mentioned there around 15 guesthouses and accommodation options on the main strip for you to choose from.

All budgets are catered for with dorm beds at ‘Bunna’s place’ going for around $3-6 a night (depending on the season) with luxury private bungalows in places such as ‘Paradise’ going for around $25 a night. There are a few mid-range options too at places such as ‘Coco’s’ and ‘Bamboo’ which are all located on the main stretch where the ferry drops you when you arrive.

How to get there?

The best way to get out to the islands and Koh Rong is via the port town Sihnoukville. You’ll be able to buy a open return ticket for $10 in low season (June/Sept) and $20 in high season (Oct/ May) from any travel agency in the Serendipity Beach area.

Important things to remember

There are NO ATMs on the island or ways of getting cash out, apart from going back to the mainland (Sihnoukville). Make sure you have more than enough money wise, before setting off.

If you do fancy a wonder in the jungle, REMEMBER to stick to the set out path, wear sensible clothing/footwear and ALWAYS tell your hostel where you heading before you set out. It is the jungle, so you have to keep your wits about you and watch out for snakes etc.

As like the Thai islands, it’s becoming less and less of a secret of how beautiful and amazing the Cambodian Islands are…so get your taste of real, untouched, tropical island beauty now before the mega malls get built!

Escape the rain and cold before it becomes too unbearable whilst you can! As right now Cambodia is coming into its summer/dry season with highs of 80-90c daily!