Koh Rong: long beaches and glowing plankton

Cambodia’s second-largest island, with long white beaches, forested hills, a lively village and, on dark nights, a sea that glitters with plankton.

Area

Islands & Ream

Start from

Sihanoukville

Distance

about 100 km from Kampot to Sihanoukville, then 45–90 minutes by ferry

Time needed

2–3 days

Best season

November – April

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Bus or minivan to Sihanoukville, then speed ferry

Tickets & rules

Ferry ticket; check whether any island fee applies

Why go

Koh Rong is the biggest of the islands off Sihanoukville and the one most travellers have heard of. Its western and northern coasts are lined with long, almost empty beaches of fine white sand that squeaks underfoot, backed by forest that climbs steeply into the hills. Koh Touch, the village on the southeast corner where most ferries arrive, is the lively hub, with guesthouses, cafés, dive shops and bars on wooden decks over the water.

The island’s great natural spectacle is bioluminescent plankton. On a moonless night, wading into the shallows away from the lights, every movement of your hands and feet sets off a shower of tiny blue-green sparks, as if the sea were full of stars. The first time I saw it I laughed out loud in the dark, alone in the water.

Beyond that, Koh Rong is about slowing right down: a morning snorkel, a long walk along a beach, an afternoon in a hammock, grilled fish for dinner. After a week in Kampot’s river towns, a few days of sea and sand is the perfect ending.

The story

For most of the twentieth century Koh Rong had only a few small fishing villages, reached by long-tail boats from the mainland. Backpackers began to arrive in the late 2000s, sleeping in simple huts at Koh Touch, and for a while the village had a reputation as a party place, with fire shows and music late into the night.

Much of the island has since been leased for long-term development, and in recent years a ring road, a few resorts and better electricity have arrived. Change is uneven: some beaches now have smart hotels, while others still have nothing but a fishing family’s house and a few coconut palms.

Long Set Beach, also called 4K Beach for its length, and Sok San, a long bay on the west coast with a fishing village at one end, are among the most beautiful in Cambodia. The island’s interior is steep, forested and wild, with hornbills and monkeys in its quieter parts.

The plankton glow is produced by microscopic organisms, mostly dinoflagellates, that flash when the water around them is disturbed. It is strongest in calm water on dark nights, so plan your night swim around the new moon and walk well away from bars and their lights.

Getting there

From Kampot, buses and minivans run to Sihanoukville in roughly two to two and a half hours. Speed ferries leave from the city’s ferry pier for Koh Rong several times a day in high season; the crossing takes around 45–90 minutes depending on stops. Buy tickets through your guesthouse or at a ferry company office, keep the return ticket safe, and check current schedules, which change with the season.

On the island, water taxis and motorbike taxis on the new road link the main beaches. Walking trails also connect some of them, but they are hot and can be confusing.

A suggested plan

1. Day 1Travel from Kampot to Sihanoukville and take an afternoon ferry to Koh Touch.
2. Day 1 eveningDinner by the water, then a night swim with the plankton away from the village lights.
3. Day 2Water taxi or road trip to Long Set Beach; swim, snorkel and do nothing at all.
4. Day 3 morningSok San beach and its fishing village on the west coast; sunset over the open gulf.
5. Day 3 or 4Morning ferry back to the mainland and on to Kampot or Phnom Penh.

Where to stay

Koh Touch has the most choice, the most food and the most noise at night. Long Set, Sok San and the quieter coves have bungalows and small resorts for those who want calm; many have their own restaurants, which matters because there is little else nearby.

Good to know

• Bring enough cash; ATMs on the island are few and can be out of order.
• Book accommodation ahead in December – February and on Cambodian holidays.
• Pack reef shoes for rocky areas and a dry bag for boat transfers.
• Use reef-safe sunscreen and don’t stand on coral when snorkelling.
• Check the moon phase before you go if plankton is high on your list.