Beyond Sihanoukville you’ll find water that shimmers with bioluminescent plankton, and islands with beach huts and the promise of solitude. Monica shares her insider tips after seven months living in Otres Beach.
Photo © Getty Images/Sunil Chaturvedi
Cambodia is a magical country best known for its crumbling temples, charismatic cities
Cambodia’s lesser-known destinations are waiting for you in the south, where you can enjoy solitude on deserted beaches and swim in crystal-clear water.
- Getting Around Cambodia's South
- Sihanoukville and Surrounds
- Ko Ta Kiev Island
- Koh Rong Island
- Koh Rong Sanloem
- Where to Go Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
- National Parks in Cambodia's South
- Cardamom Mountains
- Traveling Responsibly
Getting Around Cambodia's South
The bus system in Cambodia is affordable and efficient. Luxury buses and minivans connect most of the major cities, while domestic flights tend to be quite expensive. Ferries to and from the islands in the south run daily during high season. It’s wise to check schedules during the monsoon season (May to November) when the waves are rough or avoid traveling to the islands altogether.
Sihanoukville and Surrounds
There are 22 islands in Sihanoukville’s province, a few of which are privately owned. What was once a small, lively beach town is now a casino and resort hotspot. The unique and relaxed atmosphere of Sihanoukville is long gone; it now caters to a specific type of visitor looking for the glitz and glam you’d find in many beachside resort cities.
However, just outside Sihanoukville, you’ll find Otres Village and Otres Beach, hippie havens on a stretch of white sand flanked by beach bars with live music. On Saturday evenings you can check out the live music at the night market, which sells handcrafted jewelry and used clothing.
The locals own many of the restaurants, offering good western and local food like amok curry and
Occasionally, Otres Village can go without water for hours, even days, because the water reservoirs run dry. This tends to happen during the dry season from December to
Ko Ta Kiev Island
An hour longtail boat ride from Otres, Ko Ta Kiev Island is a great place to experience local island life. There's barely any electricity, no WiFi, and just a handful of guesthouses. Eat delicious seafood at the Fisherman’s Village, and watch the spectacular sunrise from a local guesthouse.
Koh Rong Island
About an hour’s ferry ride away from Sihanoukville, Koh Rong is the second-largest island in Cambodia. It’s a great place to start your scuba diving adventure, as many of the dive sites are nearby, where you’ll have the chance to see stingrays and whale sharks.
You might want to avoid Koh Touch, the touristy section, however, it does have bar shacks that offer good food and affordable but basic accommodation.
Instead, head for Lonely Beach, which lives up to its name. It’s an isolated area of Koh Rong in a serene setting undisturbed by visitors, and offering beautiful sunsets and fluorescent plankton that light up the dark sea. Close by, Palm Beach and Sok San Beach offer accommodation ranging from cheap guesthouses to luxurious high-end resorts.
Long Set Beach
Located on Koh Rong Island, about an hour’s ferry ride away from Sihanoukville, Long Set Beach (also known as
Koh Rong Sanloem
Thirty minutes by speedboat, and two hours on the slow boat from Sihanoukville’s ferry port, Koh Rong Sanloem is a 6 mi (9km) long horseshoe-shaped island with beach huts dotting the white sand, and sprawling jungle just a few steps from the shore. You can also reach Koh Rong Sanloem via 20-minute ferry from Koh Rong.
This is where to go to escape, swim with bioluminescent plankton, and feast on some of the freshest seafood you’ll find. Search online for cozy family-run guesthouses, rent a paddleboard or stay in a beach hut nestled into the jungle.
Where to Go Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
Enjoy the vibrant marine life that Cambodia has to offer by snorkeling and scuba diving. You’ll discover coral reefs and an abundance of sea life on islands such as Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem. Some scuba diving sites include Back Door, Khmer Garden, and Budda Reef, where you might see lionfish, pipefish, cuttlefish, and parrotfish.
National Parks in Cambodia's South
Ream National Park
Established in 1993, Ream National Park is just over 11mi (17km) from Sihanoukville and has colorful flora and fauna, an immaculate coastline, islands, mangroves, and forests that shelter endangered animals, including pileated gibbons and sun bears.
If it’s solitude you’re after, spend a night under the stars at one of the few guesthouses, letting the soft breeze and the sound of crickets lull you to sleep. There are well-marked trekking trails that take you along the north side of the park, through estuaries and jungle. You can take a riverboat tour with Ream Yacht Club where you’ll pass through mangroves and possibly see the Mekong freshwater dolphin between the months of December and April.
Botum Sakor National Park
The largest national park in Cambodia, Botum Sakor National Park has grasslands, deep jungles, and swamps. You’ll find otters, sun bears, and many species of birds by kayaking on the river or hiking through the National Park. You can camp at the Cardamom Eco-Camp and sleep under the canopy of trees in a safari-style tent to the trumpet of elephant calls in the distance.
Many of Cambodia’s endangered animals live here, including the Malayan tapir, pileated gibbon, and clouded leopard, as well as the largest population of Asian elephants. The Cardamom Tented Camp offers trekker and explorer package tours lasting three or four days.
Bokor National Park
Visit an abandoned casino, the Popokvil Waterfall, and Catholic Church ruins in Bokor National Park, and support the local community by eating at Epic Arts Café – a café that employs people with disabilities.
Kep National Park
Nearby, Kep National Park offers spectacular hiking opportunities to points such as Sunset Rock, Little Buddha, and Stairway to Heaven where you can watch the sunset from the lookout in the jungle.
On nearby Kep Beach, you can munch on crab caught and cooked straight from the water at a local restaurant, or visit one of the many local huts selling trinkets and jewelry along the water.
Cardamom Mountains
The Khmer Rouge fighters called this mountain range home, and untouched burial jars, that contain human remains, are scattered across the mountains, and giving some insight into ancient burial rituals. Wildlife such as tigers, elephants, monkeys, crocodiles
The peaks are unremarkable, reaching no higher than 6,000ft (1,800m), but the forests and mysterious history of the mountains draw many visitors for the numerous trekking opportunities to Chi Phat,
This area is also home to some of the Khmer ethnic groups of Cambodia, it’s possible to enjoy a homestay in Chi Phat to experience something of local Cambodian life in the south.
Traveling Responsibly
Plastic waste is a massive problem in Cambodia. Driving from Sihanoukville to Otres Beach, you’ll see tons of water bottles, beer cans, and plastic wrappers thrown onto the side of the road, which have now turned into massive mounds of trash.
During high season, expats and locals living in Otres get together to help clean up the waste. Unfortunately, there’s no efficient garbage disposal process to conquer the exponentially growing plastic crisis, so trash tends to make its way into the ocean.
To help reduce the plastic problem, use reusable water bottles – many restaurants and guesthouses in Sihanoukville and the islands offer cheap refills of water. Avoid drinking from cans and using plastic straws, as well as single-use plastic. Carry a reusable bag with you when you travel.
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