A DEFINITIVE TRAVEL GUIDE TO KOH RONG SAMLOEM
Located just off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Koh Rong Samloem is Koh Rong’s stunning sister island. It is a peaceful relaxing destination with breathtaking scenery – Pristine white beaches, clear turquoise ocean waters, và a tropical jungle wilderness. A real ‘island paradise’ – As it is often called by tourists. Here’s all the information on Koh Rong Samloem’s beaches, tourism, history, geography, & villages.
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(See also: About Koh Rong)
Small reefs và the rocky surfaces of the sea waters are home to a fantastic variety of marine species. Divers và snorkelers regularly emphasize the abundance of delicate miniature eco-systems, seahorses, và nudibranches (see: Snorkelling on Lazy Beach, Koh Rong Samloem).
The Geography of Koh Rong Samloem
Koh Rong Samloem (also romanized as Kaoh Rong Sanloem) is located in the Gulf of Thailand, about 25km (16mi) off the coast of Sihanoukville và 4km (2mi) south of Koh Rong Island (a short trăng tròn minute ferry trip away – see đoạn clip map).
Koh Rong Samloem is roughly 9km long (north lớn south), 4km wide (east to west), và 1km wide at its narrowest point. The terrain on Koh Rong Samloem is mainly hilly, with a few medium-sized mountains and a maximum height of 210m (689ft) in the north-west.
Most of the island’s interior is covered in jungle forestry, with the coastline being characterised by sandstone rock formations và several beautiful beaches (there are three yellow sand beaches on the island’s western coast, 2 of which have been developed to accommodate tourism – Lazy Beach và Sunset Beach. Read our Ultimate Koh Rong Beach Guide to lớn learn more)). The eastern side of Koh Rong Samloem is characterised by bays & headlands. This side faces towards the mainland và is less affected by weather conditions & the monsoon. Take a look at this đoạn phim for some beautiful scenes of Koh Rong Samloem’s landscape:
A fantastic feature of the island is the 3km crescent shaped Saracen bay Beach. The beautiful cất cánh got its name from a British survey brig, HMS Saracen, that charted the area in the late 19th century. This is now the main tourist area on the island (see above).
To the north of Koh Rong Samloem is the uninhabited island ‘Koh Koun’, followed by its stunning sister island Koh Rong.
History of ‘Koh Rong Samloem’
Inconsistencies on whether ‘Samloem’ or ‘Sanloem’ is the correct spelling date back to lớn the 19th Century. Early divergence came from the maps makers during French rule.
The word “Sanloem” translates to: 1) Drowsiness; 2) Far out & hard khổng lồ discern. There is some uncertainty over the history of the word ‘Rong’ – Some islanders say that it refers lớn a historical person’s name, while others think it might refer khổng lồ an old term for ‘cave’ or ‘tunnel’, or to the phrase ‘shelter island’.
Marine Protection on Koh Rong Samloem
Cambodia has finally launched it’s very first large-scale marine protection project – Several areas (totalling about 405km²) around the Koh Rong islands are now ‘Marine Fisheries Management Areas’.
FAQs
Q: When is the best time khổng lồ visit Koh Rong Samloem?
A: The best time khổng lồ visit Koh Rong Samloem is between the middle of November & the start of May. During these months you’ll have beautiful hot days with very little cloud & low humidity. To lớn give you a rough idea of the average temperatures over this past year:
Middle of November / December / January / February: Warm and dry. 25°C daytime.March / April / May: Hot và dry. 35°C daytime.June / July / August: Hot và wet. 35°C daytime.September / October / Early November: Warm and wet. 25°C daytime.
Please see our Weather Guide for more information.
Q: How vị I get to lớn Koh Rong Samloem?
A: There are now 5 modern ferry services from Sihanoukville to lớn Koh Rong Samloem – tốc độ Ferry Cambodia, Island tốc độ Boat Cambodia, Buva Sea, Angkor speed Ferry, & GTVC. (There are also a couple of $5-$10 ‘Slow Boat’ services that take 1.5 – 2.5 hours – These services are not professionally run và are not recommended).
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It will take about 40 minutes to get to the island if it’s the first stop. If the boat first stops elsewhere, it may take 1 hour or so.
All 5 services will charge roughly $25 return, though prices can vary depending on time of year, special offers, etc. All services leave from the Ochheuteal (AKA ‘Serendipity’) pier in Sihanoukville và go khổng lồ the main tourist beach (Saracen Bay) on the island. If your khách sạn is not on Saracen Bay, please read Sihanoukville to Koh Rong Samloem.
The 5 services offer modern tốc độ boats with comfortable chairs, life jackets, and the option to lớn buy food and drink on board. Not all of the ferries have air-conditioning, but once the boats set off there is a strong cool breeze throughout the sitting areas which more than makes up for it.
All ferry services tend lớn be very busy – we strongly recommend you buy your tickets in advance. You can buy your tickets online now here: Book Ferry Tickets Online Now
Q: What activities are there?
A: Snorkeling và Scuba DivingThe Koh Rong islands are known for their stunning underwater panorama. Whether it’s snorkeling or scuba diving that you’re after, there are plenty of superb locations on Koh Rong Samloem.
Kayaking và Paddle BoardingEnjoy the crystal clear ocean waters by Kayaking or paddle boarding your way around – An ideal activity for couples and families alike.
Jungle TrekkingExplore the exotic jungle habitat by foot. If you’re staying on Saracen bay (the main tourist area of Koh Rong Samloem) we would definitely recommend for you to lớn see Lazy Beach – A 40 minute walk through the jungle trail.
Bioluminescent PlanktonSparkling lượt thích a starry sky all around you, the bioluminescent plankton are a wonderful sight to lớn behold at night times. Please speak to your hotel about booking a plankton tour.
Q: What should I bring with me?
A: We recommend that you bring plenty of cash, mosquito spray, sun rã lotion, and any other necessities. Saracen Bay and M’Pai cất cánh have small shops where you can buy most of what you might need, but prices can be inflated so it’s a good idea to stock up on the essentials before you go.
Q: Is it easy lớn get a Cambodian Visa?
A: Yes – it is generally very easy to get a Cambodian Visa. Although there are tighter restrictions for Business Visas (which now require a Cambodian work permit), the Tourist Visa (1 month stay) is very straight forward và can be obtained at the airport / border crossing as you arrive. If you’d like to skip the ques, you can buy your visa online now here: Buy a Visa Online Now.
Q: Is there an ATM on Koh Rong Samloem?
A: There is currently no ATM on Koh Rong Samloem. However, many resorts now take thẻ (e.g. VISA, MasterCard, etc) và you can take money out using an Eftpos terminal (10% fee). It is also possible to vì a WING transfer if you are desperate for cash. Please ask someone when you are there for details.
You can get cash out at any of the three Eftpos terminals on Koh cảm biến (the main tourist area on Koh Rong Island). There is an Eftpos terminal at Green Ocean Guesthouse, white Rose Guesthouse, và Koh Lanta.
Q: Is there a medical facility?
A: There is currently no medical facility on Koh Rong Samloem. However, Koh Rong has a medical facility on Koh cảm ứng (the main tourist area). Please ask someone when you are there for directions.
Q: Is it a family-friendly place?
A: Yes, there are many quiet, family-friendly places on Koh Rong Samloem. Please see our khách sạn Guide & Beach Guide lớn learn more.
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Q: When is the rainy season?
A: The rainy season on Koh Rong Samloem is from the middle of May lớn early November. During these months there will be short bursts of heavy rain during the day. One thing to note is that, although it is wonderfully hot throughout the peak season, there are several advantages of visiting the island during the rainy season.
For example, those that visit during the rainy season get khổng lồ enjoy half-priced accommodation & beautiful rainy scenes, và because it never gets too cold in Cambodia, swimming in the ocean is still a very pleasurable experience (the water rarely drops beneath 25°C). Take a look at this article for more information: 5 Reasons khổng lồ Visit Koh Rong Samloem in Rainy Season
