Hi! I visited Cambodia for the first time in 2019 (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) and I'm planning to return in December. This time I may visit an island, specifically Koh Rong Sanloem. I'll be traveling alone again and I've never been to a tropical island. I'm wondering if there's any tips anyone can offer? Also, does anybody live down there or know anybody who does that would like to meet up/hang out platonically? I'd love to talk and hear stories, etc! I discovered last time how much I enjoyed the experiences more with other people. If you dislike white women though you wouldn't be interested (sorry!).

A few questions-

- Anybody been to KRS and visited M'pai Bay and Saracen Bay? Cause I believe those are the places I want to visit. M'pai Bay has the village and Saracen has the nice beach apparently.

- Has anyone been to that Moonlight Resort in Saracen Bay? Specifically the room with the ceilingless shower? That looks amazing.

- Was told if I swim at Phnom Kulen I need to cover up (even my shoulders). Do I need to cover up here or can I wear a regular bikini around the beach?

- Is debit/credit accepted on the island? I keep reading conflicting information.

- Is it relatively safe alone, even at night? I've heard a few horror stories but I hear horror stories about Detroit too and do just fine there. Is it true the little wooden bungalows aren't safe?

- Is it true random animals like dogs and cows show up on the beaches? Cause I would love that!

- How long should I plan to stay there?

Thanks!

I have personally have never set foot on any of the Cambodian Islands in all the time I have visited and lived here. The nearest I ever came close was when I once was invited by a friend to join him and his Cambodian skipper on a boat trip, navigating through the mangroves, that seemed endless at that time, and needed the skills of a good navigator to not end up stranded on the many sandbars that lay undetected beneath the low hull of the boat’s, in some areas there would be warning posts laid, it could resemble a bit of a slalom course in the more difficult areas, but then again the thumb of rule is not to solely depend on this because sandbanks have the ability to shift with the tides, and any misjudgement would leave the crew of the boat in a kind of seesaw effect, without any ability to move forwards or backwards. After the experience and exciting journey through the mangroves with its living population dotted throughout on their stilted houses, Khmer people living, working from what the rich area had to naturally offer in the support for their daily needs. It was an open water journey towards the island of Koh Kong. Emerging from the mangroves the expanse of the water opened up although the mainland with the heavily forest area of the Cardamon could be clearly seen all the way down to the very much talked about area of Botum Sakor. Too the right beyond the mist and light rain that continued to fall now from the darkening sky lay the island of Koh Kong. Fishing boats were taking shelter on this side of the island, due to the open sea at the other side of the island being of rough weather. We dropped anchor wisely for the night. In the morning arising from the hammock that was my bed for the evening we went by the small boat to the heavily forested shoreline, a little bay with a fresh water stream enabling us to wash and freshen up for a new start of the day. The journey was to carry on via the left point of the island that was unpassable the evening before. The small bay to the right of the boat had nice clean looking sands, a delightful scene to the eyes, but not to the body apparently due to the infestation of sand fly. But even so the rest of the morning was taken up by snorkelling around the rocks of the bay in good clear waters were observing the life of colourful fish and plants we’re that of a gift and pleasure, with the ocean vastness of beyond, what’s out there is the feeling, and that alone makes me want to explore and travel on.
I have, am, and never been what you could call a beach person, even in my earlier days of visiting Sihanoukville and living there for a brief time, I never thought of visiting the islands off its coastline, although I have on the Thai side. But then it’s an argument that those islands maybe of more commercial value to the starkness of what I hear about the islands of Cambodian waters, remoteness and expensive, or the growing resorts that are intended by the Chinese developers.
I personally enjoy the vast unspoiled Cambodian countryside, and I know that is open to interpretation these days, with its many issues and change, not so different from its islands I feel upon reading about only I may add, so that could be a subject under some biased writer.
What of the Cambodian natural countryside, does it get further encroached on a daily basis for the sake of valued timbers or expression of new agricultural land. Without a doubt flora and fauna will be affected by people’s interference and encroachment too what was once a wild habitat.
But let us give regard to the daily lives of the people who live and work in the agricultural world of Cambodia’s countryside, its small community villages, that start to pan out after leaving its cities. For it is the areas and the people that provide the food sources for its growing population. From vast owned corporate lands to the many smallholdings with its people living their lives on a day-by-day basis with a basic food store, of mainly what can be grown and bartered between the small communities. The more rural you travel, the landscape and its surroundings will offer that of harsher lands. You could safety say at the very least that the environment in this case gives a primitive type of living, and not suitable for a western visitor on a long-term basis. I am not just saying this willingly has I don’t know about the reality and harshness of what certain areas have to offer, I have actually tried living remote first hand with simply no electricity to start with, and you would think that is the least of your day to day living problems. These are that of the very basic and hash areas where people are considered to live, but in reality, they are barely surviving.
Independent travel by car and motorbike, bicycle too if you want the slow pace and of course you have the energy to do so. Traveling around the countryside of Cambodia can be very rewarding in many ways. Sightseeing at your own pace has a lot to be said for in itself, here you can take in the sights and its colourful pleasant cultural offerings, food maybe more than a basic diet of rice, with vegetables, fish or meat, cold drinks and snacks should be readily available from roadside stalls and little shops. But be aware in many places, when the sun goes down there will be less of the places open, due to the hours people are accustom too.
Traveling at night in the hours of darkness is not always advised, due to the few more unforeseen hazards that one could encounter! Rural areas are very rarely lit by road lamps, but more so in the colder weather months there are plenty of fires lining the roadside, I wonder if it is to warn the drunks not to via from the road and run into someone's home, also it's not a pleasant experience driving through smoke laden with the burning fumes of plastic bottles, then there is livestock, the odd few cows maybe laid on the road, also beware of the dogs on a night time, they will guard the territory of the owners home, that includes the road outside and beyond.
Also, for traveling by two wheel’s you will always have the option to put your mode of transport on the bus or even the train, the latter is an excellent way to take in the views of the countryside at a slower pace with the comfort of soft seating and an airconditioned carriage, and surely it has to be the safest way to travel away from the more hectic highways.
But Islands are that of the subject of the thread, and I can imagen village life being very similar to the mainland-based countryside, but probably sparser in some areas.
I would also say to the OP I would like to accompany you to the islands of Cambodia to find out what life is all about out there, although December is a long way away, seeing and experiencing the culture of the people whom live and work there. Also, the experience of something I have never done here would be nice to travel and see.

The only time I went to KRS, I returned with bed bugs. I didn't know until two weeks later when they proliferated in my room in PP. Hard to get rid of

ThurmanMurman wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 7:07 am Hi! I visited Cambodia for the first time in 2019 (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) and I'm planning to return in December. This time I may visit an island, specifically Koh Rong Sanloem. I'll be traveling alone again and I've never been to a tropical island. I'm wondering if there's any tips anyone can offer? Also, does anybody live down there or know anybody who does that would like to meet up/hang out platonically? I'd love to talk and hear stories, etc! I discovered last time how much I enjoyed the experiences more with other people. If you dislike white women though you wouldn't be interested (sorry!).

A few questions-

- Anybody been to KRS and visited M'pai Bay and Saracen Bay? Cause I believe those are the places I want to visit. M'pai Bay has the village and Saracen has the nice beach apparently.

- Has anyone been to that Moonlight Resort in Saracen Bay? Specifically the room with the ceilingless shower? That looks amazing.

- Was told if I swim at Phnom Kulen I need to cover up (even my shoulders). Do I need to cover up here or can I wear a regular bikini around the beach?

- Is debit/credit accepted on the island? I keep reading conflicting information.

- Is it relatively safe alone, even at night? I've heard a few horror stories but I hear horror stories about Detroit too and do just fine there. Is it true the little wooden bungalows aren't safe?

- Is it true random animals like dogs and cows show up on the beaches? Cause I would love that!

- How long should I plan to stay there?

Thanks!

I stayed at Saracen bay for new year and had an amazing time, it’s very safe for Solo travellers. The beaches are awesome (lazy beach is 20 mins walk from Saracen), and our favourite spot.

Most places actually took card, we were nervous about having cash but actually it’s not an issue when there. You will need some cash for excursions etc.

Recommend the night bio luminescent plankton swim and snorkelling on lazy beach

ThurmanMurman wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 7:07 am Hi! I visited Cambodia for the first time in 2019 (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) and I'm planning to return in December. This time I may visit an island, specifically Koh Rong Sanloem. I'll be traveling alone again and I've never been to a tropical island. I'm wondering if there's any tips anyone can offer? Also, does anybody live down there or know anybody who does that would like to meet up/hang out platonically? I'd love to talk and hear stories, etc! I discovered last time how much I enjoyed the experiences more with other people. If you dislike white women though you wouldn't be interested (sorry!).

A few questions-

- Anybody been to KRS and visited M'pai Bay and Saracen Bay? Cause I believe those are the places I want to visit. M'pai Bay has the village and Saracen has the nice beach apparently.

- Has anyone been to that Moonlight Resort in Saracen Bay? Specifically the room with the ceilingless shower? That looks amazing.

- Was told if I swim at Phnom Kulen I need to cover up (even my shoulders). Do I need to cover up here or can I wear a regular bikini around the beach?

- Is debit/credit accepted on the island? I keep reading conflicting information.

- Is it relatively safe alone, even at night? I've heard a few horror stories but I hear horror stories about Detroit too and do just fine there. Is it true the little wooden bungalows aren't safe?

- Is it true random animals like dogs and cows show up on the beaches? Cause I would love that!

- How long should I plan to stay there?

Thanks!

Hi, I'm planning on my 7th trip Nov/Dec, we did an island for the first time on the last trip [pre COVID 2019] usually we were content in Snookie but we went over to Koh Rong, it was pretty chill, not particularly busy but enough to do. I think Koh Rong Sanloem is quieter, so perhaps too quiet for me
I've a friend going to Pineapple Island in April which I've never even heard of, he's also going to KRS so I'll quiz him for info
we usually did a week or so in PP then a week on the island them time in Kampot

I've seen kittens on a beach at the island and I was woken by a monkey running through my hut one morning, that was cool, Snookie often had water buffalo wander along