Koh Rong Samloem

Paradise Found In Cambodia

Unspoiled Tropical Island Paradise In The Gulf Of Siam

Welcome to our comprehensive and independent guide to the tropical island paradise providing up to date information on how to get there, where to stay, what to do and when to go 

Featuring many videos and descriptions of the various resorts and bungalow complexes located on the white sand beaches that are found around the tropical island including those on the stunning Saracen Bay 

Koh Rong Samloem, also spelt Sanloem and Saloem, is situated eighteen kilometres due west of Sihanoukville, the main beach resort of Cambodia, in the Gulf of Thailand and is reachable in about forty-five minutes by fast ferry or about two hours using one of the slower converted fishing boats depending on the conditions

The island is a peaceful 'getaway' destination which is more tranquil and also much less developed than the larger island known as Koh Rong situated about a ten-minute boat ride to the north

Sol Beach Resort and Moonlight Resort on Saracen Bay - Koh Rong Samloem

The clean beaches of the smaller island suffer substantially less of the noise and light pollution that has become a problem on the sister island due to the extensive construction work as well as the all-night bars and party music that blasts out to attract the budget travelers dancing through the night

Samloem is being actively protected by the Wonderful Wildlife of Samloem project to maintain the unspoiled natural beauty of the island, keep the pristine beaches clean and minimize the noise and light pollution that impacts the indigenous animal population

Koh Rong Samloem Island Map

Koh Rong Samloem Accommodation

There are now many levels of accommodation available on the island from luxurious air-conditioned Khmer-style villas right on the beach through to the numerous beach bungalow complexes that dot the shoreline of Saracen Bay and Mpay Bay as well as on a few other secluded beaches. For those traveling on a budget there are guesthouse rooms available in Mpay Bay fishing village

Khmer New Year 14th - 17th April 2018 

 If you are planning on staying on Koh Rong Samloem at any time near the Cambodian New Year holiday, so from Saturday 7th April through to Sunday 22nd April, then please book now to avoid disappointment as almost all the quality accommodation is booked out many weeks before

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One Resort - Click Photo

Pipes Resort - Click Photo

Moonlight Resort - Click Photo

Currently Koh Rong Samloem is trending on social networks and has been recently named by the Huffington Post as one of the
'Places You Need To See In The Next Decade'

"What the beaches of Thailand were like 20 years ago... utterly serene and beautiful. Calm, clear water laps lazily on idyllic white sand beaches, and there's not much else to do but kick back and enjoy the sun, sand and waves. Word will get out -- it always does. So get to these islands before they become overrun with tourists”

- HUFFINGTON POST

Now that news of the spectacular natural attractions on the island are spreading over the internet and with the growth of the high quality accommodation options right on the beach the island is seeing a large increase in visitors looking for more luxurious waterfront bungalows. This has resulted in many bungalow operations upgrading their facilities differentiating the island from its neighbouring island of Koh Rong which appeals more to the budget conscious all-night partying single travelers

There are comfortable bungalows suitable for honeymooners and romantic couples searching for the deserted tropical island experience as well as a growth in accommodation suitable for families with children including resorts that have 24 hour electricity, air conditioning, a swimming pool and family bungalows with multiple rooms

The 2017/18 high season consists of the period from November through May, which is the usual tourist season for Cambodia, as well as the European holiday season of July and August

Koh Rong Samloem measures approximately nine kilometres long and five kilometres at its widest point although the distance from Saracen Bay on the sunrise side of the island to the sunset side of the island is little more than a pleasant one-kilometre walk through the jungle and boats can be hired for trips around the island to visit the different beaches 

Saracen Bay

Koh Rong Samloem Island's main feature is the white sand enclosed bay named Saracen Bay boasting an unspoiled three-kilometre long beach on which much of the recent high quality development has taken place and is the location of the main boat pier that links the island with mainland. From Saracen Bay there are paths which allow visitors staying in the bay to reach the other beaches on the island and explore the island's attractions

Saracen Bay - Koh Rong Samloem

M'Pay Bay

Mpay Bay is at the north of the island and is now served by boat services from the mainland. It has seen many of the new budget accommodation options from individual bungalows to guest house rooms being built either on or a short walk from the beach. It gets its name from the local fishing community called Village Number 23 as in the Khmer language 'M'pai Bei' means twenty-three 

M'Pay Bay - Koh Rong Samloem

Scuba diving and fishing trips are available from the island and can be arranged through the locals or the bungalow operators. Also there are great places for snorkeling around the island if you tire of lazing on the beach or swimming in the pure turquoise waters

Kayaking, jungle trekking and mountain biking are just some of the organised activities that are offered although the majority of visitors are content to kick back and enjoy the beautiful beaches and amazing views

Internet and mobile telephone coverage is available at most places using a local SIM card and the data transfer tends to be quite slow along with the island's pace of life. It is recommended to buy a Smart SIM card with a data plan for a handful of dollars before leaving for the island in order to get cheap access to the network as this seems to offer the strongest signal and have the greatest coverage although Metfone SIMs also work in some places. An increasing number of bungalow operators are supplying a high speed internet connection although it is currently only available at the more luxurious places as this is expensive for the resort owners 

Saracen Bay - Koh Rong Samloem

The Koh Rong Samloem Full Moon Parties have recently been held at the Good Vibz Camp which is located high up in the jungle above and well behind The Beach Island Resort on Saracen Bay although they tend to only take place during the high season. The parties can see an influx of people for the night from both the mainland and Koh Rong plus special Christmas and New Year parties are also held

Boat Sihanoukville to Koh Rong Samloem

Return boat fares from Sihanoukville cost around $ 20.00 - $ 30.00 depending on the type of boat and can be purchased from the booking offices by Serendipity Beach Pier or purchased from the agencies offering accommodation on the island which are mostly found in and around Serendipity Beach Road in Sihanoukville

Boats can also be found for the short hop over to the larger and more developed party island of Koh Rong
 

Money

There are currently no banks or ATM machines on either Koh Rong Samloem or Koh Rong and credit / debit cards are not widely accepted except at larger resorts so visitors must take US dollar cash with them to pay for food, drink and activities. Business owners appreciate if you can take some small denomination notes as changing large notes can often be problematic

'Koh Rong Samloem' written in Khmer

Samloem, Sanloem or Saloem

In the Cambodian language known as Khmer the word 'Koh' means island. There are two main theories behind the word 'Rong' with the first being that it was simply someone's name and the other theory relates to the Cambodian word for 'cave'. As for 'Samloem', while it is the most frequent spelling used, it has no meaning in Khmer whilst 'Sanloem' translates in English to 'far away' and is seen on some, but certainly not all, official Cambodian maps. So 'Sanloem' is probably the correct romanisation of the Khmer text but with the weight of usage 'Samloem' is becoming the standard although people and businesses who refer to the island as 'Koh Rong Saloem', 'Koh Rong Sanloem' as well as various other spellings are still very much present

During the high season from November through to May most of the best accommodation is fully booked as presently demand for beach bungalows is outstripping supply due to the immense popularity of the island on social networks and pre-booking as far in advance as possible is highly recommended