Koh Rong Beach — Discovering 5 best beaches in Koh Rong Island, Cambodia

If you enjoy gorgeous beaches, Koh Rong beaches are an excellent choice. The island is almost the same size as Hong Kong Island, however, it has its own numerous gorgeous and pure paradise beaches.

Koh Rong beaches and changes over time

Currently, the Royal Group controls 70% of Koh Rong Island under a 99-year contract and has set the goal of making the island the second Bali. When visiting this island, you can observe how fast things have changed in recent years, and how they may change much more in the next years. The first highways and large resorts are being built. Furthermore, once the infrastructure at this location is built, you will be able to fly to Koh Rong. Now, the island is a tourist haven for people who want to enjoy the island’s magnificent beaches without crowding hundreds of other visitors. Now, let’s go on a Focus Asia Travel adventure to the top 5 Koh Rong beaches listed below.

4K Beach

Until recently, the most tropical beach on Koh Rong was 4K beach. This beach is 4 kilometers long and has nothing else save a tiny café. If you are looking for a beach with long stretches of white sand and crystal blue water, you should visit during the dry season in Cambodia.

The wet season is 30-50 percent less expensive than the dry season, there are less visitors, and you would want to enjoy your own private beach.

How to get there: This beach is about 15 minutes walking from Koh Touch village — the village where you can reach by express ship from Sihanoukville. Keep going along the beach towards the Tree House Guesthouse, you will find a path leading to the 4k beach after crossing a small golden stone strip.

Southwestern Beach

With over 50 kilometers of shoreline, Koh Rong is one of the most stunning islands in the Gulf of Thailand. South West Beach, which is approximately 5 kilometers long, attracts visitors with its blue cold water, immaculate white sand, and green palm forest surroundings.

Visitors to the South West beach may enjoy swimming, diving and snorkeling, and seeing ray fish, guppies… or beautiful parrot fish under the sea. The most delightful sensation, though, is undoubtedly seeing the first dawn moments on the gorgeous beach.

How to get there: From Sihanoukville, catch a train to Koh Rong with the holiday home on the island. The trip takes 2-3 hours.

Accommodation: Monkey Island (on the southeast coast of Koh Rong; Tel: +855 81 830 991; monkeyisland-kohrong.com) or Paradise Bungalows (on the southeast coast of Koh Rong; Tel: +855 34 933 664): Both are located on the other side of the island but have to sell ship tickets and can help you hire a fishing boat to get to the west coast of the island.

Palm Beach

As its name suggests, this beautiful Koh Rong beach has a lot of palm trees and it is the perfect place to watching the sunset. If you want to visit Palm Beach at this time, you will surely have to consider using the “taxi boat” to travel because this place has not yet built roads.

Long Beach / Sok San Beach

Long Beach is approximately 7 kilometers long and is also the longest beach on Koh Rong Island. It was still crazy when we arrived. Unfortunately, the Royal Group is chopping down trees to make way for the resorts. Whatever the circumstances, this beach remains one of the most beautiful on Koh Rong. The water is crystal clean, and the sand is identical to that of 4K Beach. Long Beach is the most picturesque spot to view the sunset in Koh Rong and is a must-see for anybody visiting the island.

How to get there: From Koh Tuich Village, you can trekking about an hour through the jungle, and the final destination will be Long Beach. And if you are not healthy enough to move so far, do not worry because this place also offers boat trips for around $ 3-4 per person.

Long Set Beach

Long Set beach is located in Koh Rong’s southern coast, behind the coconut plantations, mango and cashew trees, and offers beautiful white sand, a peaceful area, moderate winds, and a calm blue water. Long Set Beach, just a few minutes’ walk from Koh Rong’s south-east coast, is ideal for sunbathing, with genuinely peaceful moments spent submerged in the cold water, picking up seashells, and catching crabs.

In the nights of the crescent moon, visitors can also watch the bioluminescence – are the bio-luminescent phytoplankton create the sparkling scene underwater.

How to get there: From Sihanoukville, take a boat for 2-3 hours. The guesthouse closest to Long Set Beach is Treehouse Bungalows (on the southeast coast of Koh Rong, Tel: +855 16 594 177).

Please note that even if you go to any beach, do not throw rubbish away. Nowadays, the beaches have to suffer a lot of garbage, and this will affect the name “paradise” of this island. If you think these beaches above are not really attractive, we suggest that there is another pristine island with lots of beautiful beaches and lovely resorts, which is called Koh Rong Samloem.