De ultieme Koh Rong Samloem reisgids

If you're visiting Koh Rong Sanloem soon, you've come to the right place. After reading this guide, you'll know which area to stay in, where to find the best restaurants, the best things to do and how to get around this idyllic island in Cambodia. 

Wat te verwachten in Koh Rong Sanloem

Koh Rong Sanloem is a small island paradise in the Gulf of Thailand, a 30-minute ferry from its ‘big brother’ Koh Rong. 

Despite the proximity, these islands are pretty different. Koh Rong Sanloem is much smaller, with a lot less development and a little bit closer to paradise in our opinion. 

Koh Rong Sanloem boasts pristine white-sand beaches, dense jungles and only dirt roads to get around. It’s the kind of place where nothing is a rush, and relaxing on the beach is the only thing you need to accomplish for the day. The more rustic vibes allow you to feel in touch with nature again and enjoy a more simple life. 

Is Koh Rong Sanloem een bezoek waard?

If spectacular turquoise waters, swaying palm trees and a relaxed vibe is your thing, then Koh Rong Sanloem is definitely worth visiting. It’s like nowhere else you’ll find in Cambodia ,and the perfect place to chill for a few days while in Cambodia. 

Throw in some awesome snorkelling and diving, the chance to climb a lighthouse with panoramic views of the island, plus the friendliest locals, and you can’t get much better than that. 

Hoeveel dagen moet je doorbrengen in Koh Rong Sanloem?

Like with any island paradise, knowing how long you should stay is pretty hard. Really it depends on how long you’re spending in Cambodia, and how much time you have to spare for Koh Rong Sanloem. We promise that once you arrive, you won’t want to leave. 

If time isn’t on your side and you need to stick to a strict time schedule, we recommend a minimum of three days on the island. That makes the journey there worth it, and gives you some time to unwind and relax. 

Waar te verblijven op Koh Rong Sanloem

Choosing where to stay on Koh Rong Sanloem mainly consists of choosing which beach you’d prefer to spend most of your time on as moving around the island isn’t the easiest thing to do. Or, where the accommodation you like the most is situated. 

There aren’t a ton of accommodations on Koh Rong Sanloem, so we recommend booking in advance to make sure you get to stay where you want. 

Hier zijn de drie belangrijkste plekken om te verblijven op Koh Rong Sanloem:

Locatie #1: Saracen Bay - het belangrijkste knooppunt van het eiland

Het beste voor: in het hart van het eiland zijn. Saracen Bay is the most developed area of the island and is where the majority of tourists stay. It’s by far the most convenient place on the island as this is where you’ll find the two main piers and the meeting point for most boat trips. 

Voor wie is het: those who want to be close to amenities like restaurants, bars, cafes and shops. Over the last couple of years, the bay has seen a large number of new places popping up. 

Niet te missen: the glorious white-sand beach and turquoise waters. It’s not hard to miss, we just encourage you to make the most of the beach as it’s pretty spectacular. 

Grootste nadeel: tussen december en maart ervaart Saracen Bay sterke noordoostenwinden. Proberen te ontspannen op het strand met een Angkor biertje in de hand en weggeblazen worden door de wind is niet ideaal!

Accommodatie in Saracen Bay

Saracen Bay, being the main hub of the island, is where you’ll find the most accommodations. There are around twenty places to choose from, ranging from budget hostels and guesthouses, to stunning resorts. 

Je hebt echt keuze te over bij het kiezen van een verblijfplaats, want er zijn een paar echte pareltjes. Er zijn een aantal resorts die eigenlijk veel meer zouden moeten kosten dan ze doen. Sara Resort en Eden Beach Resort for example. 

Prices for private rooms are more expensive here than the rest of the island, starting at $20 per night. 

Locatie #2: M’Pai Bay - een klein vissersdorpje populair bij backpackers

Het beste voor: in een rustiger deel van het eiland zijn. M’Pai Bay is a local fishing village that’s a lot more chilled than Saracen Bay. Being less popular, prices are lower here when it comes to accommodation and places to eat. 

Voor wie is het: mainly backpackers. Offering cheaper accommodation, nightlife and a more laid back vibe, M’Pai Bay has become the island’s hub for backpackers. 

Niet te missen: the scuba diving and snorkelling. It’s one of the best spots on the island to do this. 

Grootste nadeel: if luxury resorts are what you’re looking for, you won’t find any like in Saracen bay. The accommodation is still nice in M’Pai Bay, but not as fancy. 

Accommodatie in M’Pai Bay

You’ll find accommodation on the cheaper end of the scale in M’Pai Bay. Instead of resorts, it’s mainly guesthouses, hostels and small hotels. 

Prijzen voor een privékamer beginnen bij ongeveer $13 per nacht. Beach House is one of the most popular accommodations in M’Pai Bay. It’s great value for money, has a private beach and offers the cutest rooms with balconies overlooking the sea. 

Locatie #3: Sunset Beach - een afgelegen en rustig strand, perfect voor zonsondergang

Het beste voor: we worden steeds meer afgelegen naarmate we de lijst met verblijfsgebieden doorlopen. Sunset Beach is de rustigste van alle gebieden, met slechts een paar accommodaties en de meest serene sfeer.

Voor wie is het: those that are looking to escape the world for a little bit. This place feels intimate and secluded. It’s a popular spot for hippies and those looking for peace. 

Niet te missen: as the name suggests, Sunset Beach is the spot to catch the sunset every day. The golden glow across the beach is magnificent. 

Grootste nadeel: getting to Sunset Beach isn’t the easiest. No boats from Sihanoukville go directly there. So, you can either take on the 40-minute hike from Saracen Bay to Sunset beach, or hire a private longtail boat from M’Pai Bay. 

Accommodatie in Sunset Beach

There are only a few accommodations to choose from on Sunset Beach, but they’re pretty cool. Most of them are beach bungalows, only steps from the sea. 

Onze favoriete plek om te verblijven op Sunset Beach is Sleeping Trees which offers tents, tipis, bungalows and dorm rooms. 

Private rooms in Sunset Beach start at around $17 per night. 

Beste plekken om te eten op Koh Rong Sanloem

Koh Rong Sanloem is still largely undeveloped, but there are a good number of restaurants and cafes to choose from, with more and more popping up as the months go by. 

You’ll find everything from BBQs on the beach to upscale restaurants in the luxury resorts on the islands. One thing is guaranteed — fresh and delicious seafood. 

Here are our three favourite places to eat on Koh Rong Sanloem: 

Paradise Restaurant - een coole plek om rond te hangen met lekker eten

Paradise Restaurant is situated right on the beach in Saracen Bay, offering every type of seating arrangement you could think of — a swing, tables on the floor, deck chairs on the beach and your standard table arrangement. This creates a really relaxed ambience and a great place to chill. 

They offer both western and Asian dishes, with a ton of different curries on the menu to try. We recommend trying the barracuda curry. 

Seapony Cafe - de beste plek in M’Pai Bay voor ontbijt en lunch

Als je in M’Pai Bay verblijft of het voor een dag bezoekt, moet je 100% eten bij Seapony Cafe. They serve the best breakfasts and lunch dishes in the bay. On the menu you’ll find a plethora of bowls, pancakes, bagels, wraps and salads. 

You have to try one of their bagels that overflow with fillings. It can get messy! But the fresh flavours and ingredients make the mess worth it. As well as great food, Seapony Cafe is simply a nice place to hang out with its open-air vibes. 

Sweet Times - goedkope en heerlijke Khmer-keuken

Het is niet de gemakkelijkste taak om een goedkope plek te vinden om te eten in Saracen Bay, dus we raden aan om naar Zoete Tijden. It’s a simple restaurant situated right on the beach that serves classic Khmer cuisine. 

De amok curry is verreweg het beste op de menukaart!

Hoe je je kunt verplaatsen op Koh Rong Sanloem

Being on an undeveloped and remote paradise island has its positives and negatives. One of the downsides of Koh Rong Sanloem is that getting around the island isn’t the easiest thing to do. 

There are no proper taxis, tuk-tuks, and of course, no buses. That leaves you with two ways to get around; by foot and by boat. 

By foot 

You’ll need to rely on your own two feet quite a lot on Koh Rong Sanloem. If you’re staying in Saracen Bay and want to visit either Sunset Beach or Lazy Beach, you’ll have to take on a small hike through the jungle. 

Don’t worry, the walk through the jungle isn’t very strenuous, and you might spot some wildlife on the way. It takes 40 minutes to walk from Saracen Bay to Sunset Beach, and 25 minutes to Lazy Beach. 

You can’t walk from Saracen Bay to M’Pai Bay. 

By boat 

The only way to get from M’Pai Bay to Saracen Bay is by boat. There are scheduled ferry boats costing $6 each way that stop at both locations throughout the day. But as it’s Cambodia, these schedules are pretty loose. 

The ferry operators are Speed Ferry Cambodia, GTVC and Buva Speedboat. Head down to the pier to arrange your ticket, or ask your accommodation to help. 

Anders kun je een privé longtailboot huren, maar deze kunnen tussen de $25-45 per enkele reis kosten, wat prima is als je de prijs met andere mensen deelt.

Top tips voor een bezoek aan Koh Rong Sanloem

Geen geldautomaten op Koh Rong

There are no ATMs on Koh Rong Sanloem and nowhere accepts card. You need to bring enough cash with you from the mainland to pay for everything on your trip. 

If you realise that you didn’t bring enough money with you, there are a few convenience stores that have payment terminals offering card-to-cash transactions. This usually comes with an eye-watering 10% fee, so only use these in an emergency. 

Koop een simkaart

Wi-Fi isn’t great on Koh Rong Sanloem. If you need to be connected to the outside world, we suggest buying a sim card on the mainland before visiting Koh Rong. 

Smart and Metfone are two companies that we recommend using in Cambodia which can be recharged in Koh Touch. 

Top 5 dingen om te doen in Koh Rong Sanloem

#1 Ontspan de hele dag op het strand

What else is there to do on a paradise island other than relax on the beach and spend every hour of daylight swimming in glorious turquoise waters? 

Okay, there’s definitely other things that you can do on Koh Rong Sanloem, but exploring its pristine beaches is something you have to do on the island. The beaches you can find on Koh Rong Sanloem are exactly the kind of beaches most of us spend our days dreaming of. They’re idyllic and stunning. 

Hier zijn enkele van onze favoriete stranden op het eiland:

Lazy Beach

Lazy Beach is deemed to be one of the best beaches on Koh Rong Sanloem, and it’s not just us that’s saying that. It was placed at number two on the 'Top 21 Beaches in the World' list by National Geographic. 

There’s only one accommodation on this beach who does a daily clean up, meaning it’s one of the cleanest beaches on the island. Pair that with its delightful golden sand and idyllic waters, and you can’t get much better than that. 

Saracen Bay

Saracen Bay is where the majority of the accommodations on the island are situated. They wanted to make the most of a stunning beach, who could blame them? 

The beach feels endless, whilst the water is crystal-clear and shallow. You’ll need to walk out some way before you’ll be able to swim here, but trust us, the swim will be worth it. 

Sunset Beach

Zoals de naam al doet vermoeden, Sunset Beach is the place to watch the sun say goodbye to another day. It’s one of the more remote beaches on the island with only a few rustic bungalows and fewer people — exactly what we love! 

Clear Water Bay

Er is een thema in Azië waarbij ze hun stranden vernoemen naar hoe ze eruitzien. Nogmaals, zoals de naam al doet vermoeden, Clear Water Bay has some exceptionally clear water. 

Not everyone makes the journey to Clear Water Bay, so it sometimes feels like your own private beach. Make the most of it! Clear Water Bay is currently completely untouched, which isn’t going to stay like that for long. There’s plans for resorts to be built here soon. 

#2 Verken Koh Rong Sanloem tijdens een boottocht

One of the best things to do on Koh Rong Sanloem is to embark on a boat tour around the island. This way you can visit the more remote spots without having to spend hours trekking through the sweaty jungle to get there. 

On your boat trip, you’ll spend the day stopping off at picturesque spots around the island, snorkelling and learning how the locals go fishing using plastic bottles. 

After spending a day in the sun and sea, the fun isn’t over. As the sun begins to set and the sky gets dark, the sea comes alive. It lights up with bioluminesce, one of nature’s most magnificent phenomenons. 

#3 Ontdek de onderwaterwereld van Koh Rong Sanloem door te snorkelen en duiken

Between Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem, you’ll find a number of great dive sites and snorkelling spots — some of the best in Cambodia. 

The dive sites are full of opportunities to spot marine life such as scorpionfish, starfish, stingrays, eels, puffer fish, octopus and even sharks if you’re really lucky. There are also some beautiful spots with coral and tropical reefs. 

If you just want to snorkel, then we recommend heading to the far end of Lazy Beach, around the rocks. Here there’s some nice coral, fish and apparently a resident shark. Hiring a snorkel and fins costs $2. 

Hoe te duiken op Koh Rong Sanloem

We recommend diving with Scuba Nation Diving Centre. They’re very professional and have worked with thousands of people during their time operating on the island. 

Hun PADI Open Water Course kost $445, wat aanzienlijk duurder is dan het duikcentrum dat we aanbevelen op Koh Rong. That one costs $300. You’ll visit similar dive sites, so consider staying on Koh Rong if you want to get some diving qualification. 

#4 Get the best views of the island from the lighthouse 

Koh Rong Sanloem is a stunning island from the ground, but somehow it gets even better from the sky. And how do you go about seeing it from the sky? 

Je beklimt de oude vuurtoren! The climbing won’t be the only exercise that you’ll need to do to earn this view. First you have to embark on a 5 km hike, more of a walk, from Saracen Bay to the lighthouse. 

The trail starts by Dolphin Bay Resort and takes around 1-hour. When you reach the lighthouse, you’ll probably have to pay a guy waiting there $1 to climb the lighthouse. 

De panoramische uitzichten op de jungle en het eindeloze water zijn adembenemend. Of misschien komt dat door de trappen naar de top!

#5 Neem een verfrissende duik in een waterval

If you get tired from the sea (if that’s even possible) then you can go swimming in a waterfall instead. 

In de buurt van Freedom Island Resort vind je Freedom Waterfall, a plunging waterfall with a refreshing pool at the base of it. There’s also a bar and restaurant by the waterfall which means that you can enjoy an ice cold drink whilst relaxing in the pool. Perfect! 

Het eten in het restaurant is ook niet half slecht!

Hoe kom je op Koh Rong Sanloem

Vertrek vanuit	Duur	Prijzen vanaf		Bekijk details
Vertrek vanuit Sihanoukville	2-3 uur	$10		Sihanoukville naar Koh Rong Sanloem
Vertrek vanuit Koh Rong	30 minuten	$6		Koh Rong naar Koh Rong Sanloem

Samenvattend

Now that you’ve finished reading this guide, you should be ready for your adventure in Koh Rong Sanloem. Create your personalised itinerary with our top picks of things to do in Koh Rong Sanloem and you're all set to make lasting memories.