Cambodia - Koh Rong

Cambodia- Koh Rong 

After reading countless of blogs, we decided that Koh Rong was a must-see destination in Cambodia. From Sihanoukville, there are ferry companies to bring you to Koh Rong for a reasonable price. I can't remember the exact price but it wasn't ridiculous. 

I could have edited this picture so the sky and water looks blue and ridiculously out of this world but I didn't want to. This was the scene I saw when I got there. It WAS beautiful and the water was really clear, but it wasn't like THIS. 

Credits: http://amyrollo.com/adventures-on-koh-rong-island-cambodia/

I had expected it to look exactly like this, so yes i was a little disappointed when we got there. We went in July and maybe weather just wasn't on our side. It rained almost every day we were in Sihanoukville and Koh Rong so maybe because the sun wasn't out, the beach ended looking like it was drenched in grey. The sea was more green than blue, still pretty clear though. You could see corals in the distance and little fishes. 

Right after we reached the jetty in Koh Rong, we were briefed by a guy about the island's perks and quirks. 

SANDFLIES: We were advised to get coconut oil and not roll around in the sand because the beaches are teeming with sandflies. I have plenty of experience with them from the beaches I often go to in Malaysia, so i was constantly making sure I was covered in coconut oil. 

Unfortunately, they still got to me and I suffered badly for a week after :( 

ELECTRICITY: From 11pm to 7/8am, there isn't electricity, so only gas lamps and torches guide you back to your accommodation if you're hanging out at a bar or a restaurant near to the jetty. Also, there is hardly any hot water, so just don't hope for any. 

One thing I remember vividly was that the sand was squeaky clean. Literally squeaky! Before going, I had read somewhere that Koh Rong had 'squeaky clean' sand so when I got there, I realised what they were talking about! MJ and i were walking along the beach barefoot and it was the first thing we noticed. The sand is so fine and smooth you can really hear a 'squeak' as you rub your feet against each other. 

ACCOMMODATION 

From the jetty, it takes about 15-20 minutes to walk to the far end of the beach, where tree top bungalows was. We went there to check it out but decided not to stay there cos it was so far away from everything and I was being lazy heh. They do have pretty bungalows that overlook the sea and also a private beach for guests only. 

We walked back and found these beachside bungalows which were US$40/45 a night (can't rmb) and settled for that. One bungalow can actually house 4 since there are 2 queen sized beds. There is a pretty spacious bathroom and a balcony. 

View from the balcony 

AROUND & ABOUT 

We only had 2 days and a night at Koh Rong so we wasted no time at our bungalow. Walked around for a bit to find some food. 

There are food stalls like this all along the beach and they make these french baguettes stuffed with meat and few pieces of vegetables. Pretty okay. 

The locals are used to foreigners being on their island, most have picked up simple English. There is also a childcare centre run by a few caucasians. They teach them English and allow visitors to join in during their outings. If you have time, you can volunteer to teach in their classes too. 

This was GREAT. I think it was US 1.50 (??) Beef noodle soup. 

 

A lot of renovation was going on, more bungalows being built. 

Favourite puppy of that day! 

LONG BEACH 

Long beach is a 45-minute hike away from the beach you're dropped off at (gotta find the name of it). BRING A PAIR OF SANDALS OR SHOES. We were totally not prepared for this hike. For some reason, we felt haughty that morning so we trekked there in slippers....worse idea ever. The paths are slippery, muddy, and steep. Which means you want free hands to grab onto branches, roots, whatever you can find. The entrance is kinda tricky to find, but just ask someone and they'll point you to the right direction. 

Start of trek to Long Beach 

Our entire trek there was accompanied by rain so when we got there, we were disappointed yet again because we were greeted with grey sky and a green sea. 

 Long Beach is 7km long, hence the name, and has no accommodation or anything, just a cafe that didn't look like it was open for business. 

I was a little grumpy when we got there because we had trekked there barefoot (slippers were making it worse). I had scratches all over my knees, feet and was just so sick of the rain. Naturally, I wasn't appeased when I saw the gloomy view. (all that for this??!!?) 

To be fair though, the weather really spoiled everything. If not, it would have been a pretty great beach. 

Lucky for me, these few pups really cheered me up. There were dogs and puppies in Koh Rong and Sihanoukville everywhere!!!! They always popped up out of nowhere. They would just sit next to me quietly, whether or not I had food. 

I'd like to link you to 2 travel blogs that I found. 

On this one, there are pictures of the tree house bungalows, and the trekking journey to Long Beach. 

Also, her photos of the beach look a lot more hopeful than mine so you'll just have to try your luck and see if you get good weather there! 

http://pilgrimwithapassport.blogspot.sg/2014/05/cambodia-koh-rong.html

This next blog was the reason I really wanted to go to Koh Rong. 

It tells you more about life on the island and encourages you to go there NOW before resorts, casinos and clubs take over and it becomes just as commercialised as Phuket. 

http://www.thisamericangirl.com/2013/12/13/keep-koh-rong-right/

Sunrise on Koh Rong

I don't know when I will return to Koh Rong but I'm glad we'd stopped by for a night because it really is a very peaceful place, with so much more to offer. I wish we could have stayed longer to explore more. Even though the weather wasn't great, and part of the trip was ruined because of my wisdom tooth acting up, I liked the place a lot. 

Till next time!