Cambodia Archives - 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.

adventure, Cambodia, travel

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.

adventure, Cambodia, travel

Things to do in Sihanoukville, Cambodia!

January 26, 2018 No Comments

It’s 2018 ! Time flew by so quickly, especially when it was the month long holiday season back in December. With Christmas and the New Year dawning upon me – I took a good break off blogging for a bit. That said, the adventures obviously didn’t stop. Now… Throwback to last August – I visited Sihanoukville, Cambodia! Where exactly is this place, I had to google it myself!

At least, Air Asia flies directly to Sihanoukville from Kuala Lumpur. First impression when it comes to Cambodia is always Angkor Wat/Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. I’ve visited Angkor Wat back then in 2012 and I loved it! Phnom Penh is still on my bucketlist, but it can wait. So, what exactly brings me to this beach- cum-backpacker town? Well, it was the only decent access to Koh Rong and Koh Rong Saloem islands.

“Sihanoukville will remain as the jumping-off point for the best of Cambodia’s white-sand beaches and castaway-cool southern islands. The Serendipity Beach area is a decompression chamber for backpackers, who flock here to rest up between travels and party through the night.” – Lonely Planet