February 2018 - Jetsetamanda

Koh Rong, Cambodia: 24 hours in this Party Island!

February 9, 2018 No Comments

There’s something magical about islands. It almost never fails to amaze me and bring along good vibes! Any beach lovers could vouch for that. One last stop before making my way back to Sihanoukville – Koh Rong! It is always better to see somethings once than to hear about it a thousand times. My exact thoughts when it comes to Koh Rong. I’ve researched on what to do, asked some savvy travel blogging friends about it, heard many different versions of what this island entails – only to spend a night on this island. I wished I had more time to explore, but obviously I had a job waiting for me back home. Reality!

“Koh Rong (កោះរ៉ុង) was little more than a jungle-clad wilderness rimmed by swaths of sugary-white sand, with a few beach-hut resorts speckling the shore around tiny Koh Tuch village. You’ll either love it or hate it, but for young travellers who descend off the ferry in droves, Koh Tuch Beach is a vital stop on any Southeast Asia party itinerary.” – Lonely Planet

24 hours on this island and it was definitely not going to be enough! I recalled disembarking from Island Speed Ferry and couldn’t help feeling FOMO immediately. The journey was only 30 minutes from Koh Rong Samloem. Snapback to reality – the chalet was kind enough to arrange a pick up by motorbike. There were strips of restaurants, bars and backpackers hostels along Koh Tuch village.

Koh Rong Samloem Island Adventures, Cambodia!

February 4, 2018 No Comments

Sihanoukville is the gateway to the Koh Rong islands. For someone who haven’t even heard of these islands before like myself, there are notably TWO Koh Rong – Koh Rong Samloem (honeymoon material) and Koh Rong (backpackers material). Yes…so, choose your poison wisely. I happened to choose both because I feared on missing out. Honestly, there weren’t much to shout about the Cambodian islands. Having the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful islands and beaches previously, I guess I was able to relate to the laid back and chill out local scene that these two islands had to offer! I still enjoyed the my time mingling with the local Cambos in these islands!

“Koh Rong Samloem is owned by the Cambodian government. As a result, most development on the island is small-scale, with the low-key set up fostering an endearingly intimate aspect across the island.” – Travelfish.org

How to get to Koh Rong Samloem?

First, purchase a return ticket from Sihanoukville (Serendipity Pier – KRS) for USD $22. My ferry ride was at 3pm. They offered a pick up from the hotel at 2pm. I guess the cambodians are not punctual with their timings and I ended up leaving the pier close to 430pm. This was after a good hoo-ha between two ferries of the same company. Obviously, not the most pleasant experience because I was looking forward to arrive at Koh Rong Samloem by 430 pm. The journey was supposed to take only 1 hour.