This is a much better proposition now that the new road has been built.
Started by going to the back of the Sorya bus station near Central Market and finding a taxi driver. Nice looking Lexus, only about ten years old. $60 for a private car or $15 per seat ($20 for front). Plus $12 tolls. This took us to the Port where the boats depart from (thanks to the taciturn Mr Atrick for confirming they no longer go from Ocheuteal).

The driver just ploughed down NR4 until he came upon the new road at its second junction, so missing out on about 25km of it.

As soon as you turn onto the entry for the new road it’s as if you have entered a first world country, except that there are no other cars, only you. The smartly dressed toll booth lady (masked) smiles sweetly with her eyes and wais you and hands over a plastic card. The barrier lifts and you enter a perfect world of near zero traffic, impeccable signage and road markings, zero advertising and a lovely herbaceous border running the entire length of the central reservation.

Cambodia looks so different from this vantage point. No sellers, no motos, attractive views of open countryside. Impeccably designed and spacious rest stops appear every 40 km or so. Three or four cars adorn each, just in case you might imagine these places were only for decoration.

Minutes go by of blissful solitary traveling until you are brought back from your stupor by a Range Rover swishing past at double your speed. There are no trucks, no buses, no non-luxury cars. For two hours this continues until you pull up at the toll booth, hand over your plastic card, pay your $12 and wait a mere five minutes for your change to be counted and recounted.

It’s only ten minutes to the GTVC office (10.643527259246556, 103.50155659028424). The return ticket to Koh Touch costs $25 or you can choose Sok San, Long Set or Coconut Beach for $30. Boats leave at 9, 12 and 3.

Professional staff, great boats in very good condition.

From Sok San pier you can walk to the White Sands Ark ($40 inc b/f). It’s a well run Russian owned place. OK, but the rooms are mediocre and there's a shortage of sun beds on their small patch of the beach. Even with no Germans around, I witnessed a nasty spat (French v Spanish). Reasonable places to eat.

Decided to upgrade to the Long Beach Resort ($90 inc b/f) a few miles to the south. Free transport by pick-up. Surprised to find there are basic roads to there are on to Koh Touch. Built by Chinese but construction stopped with Covid and has not resumed. A taxi to Koh Touch costs $25 which is pricey but if you just want to explore you can rent a moto. The Long Beach Resort was a strange mix of high and low quality. Very well Russian managed and lovely beds and (some aspects of the) rooms but lack of investment in decent sun beds and restaurant furniture. Inadequate breakfast and there is no alternative for any eating or shopping. You are warned not to attempt to bring any food or drink with you.

Koh Touch is a nice looking little town, the beach just goes right up to the line of buildings along the sea front and the boat pier is right in the middle of towm. Some nice places to eat but I could not find any hotel that got decent reviews apart from backpacker places. The same was true for Long Set and further north, any proper hotel was $60-150 and not very good reviews.

So, back to Sihanoukville and take a PassApp (no Grab) car ($2.50) to the departure point for cars and minivans going to Phnom Penh, 10.624684476508499, 103.52470056256304,

Then that dreamy ride for two hours of driving perfection until you get beamed down to a universe of chaos and pollution after you exit at the Phnom Penh end of the new road. Only one more hour and you are back at Riverside.

If only there were good options to stay on Koh Rong, this would be a regular trip. Next idea - take the new road to the Sre Ambel exit, continue to Koh Kong and on to Ko Chang.

Great report. Thanks!

Personally always preferred Koh Rong Samloem or the other side of Koh Rong. But yes, accommodation is bit limited. If you want good resort, you need to pay alot. Otherwise it's very basic and/or rundown and in my opinion still overpriced.

it seems that the trip from PP-SHV on the new road was the highlight of your holiday. I am a little shocked about the overall expenses for such a type of short holiday..and we are not talking travelling @yong style.

truffledog wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 6:20 pm it seems that the trip from PP-SHV on the new road was the highlight of your holiday. I am a little shocked about the overall expenses for such a type of short holiday..and we are not talking travelling @yong style.

Backpacker places are available from $12 and some of them get very good reviews.
Minivan rides cost about $12 one way. There is a supply boat costing $5 each way but I think that might be taking cost saving a bit too far.

Sorry I didn't convey the natural beauty well enough. The sea is clear as crystal, the white sand is exquisite (and well cleaned) and the sky a lovely shade of blue. The green afforested hills adorned the deep blue of the sea.
Nights were warm and the stars shone as the waves gently lapped the shore.
It was a bloody nice break from PP.

ok; since u've been to Phuket a few time's
how does the island compare?

only times, ( last was back in 2016) i have been to Koh Rong was on a friend's sail boat so never really stayed on the island
ate a few times at restaurants and food was expensive and very mediocre.

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:16 pm ok; since u've been to Phuket a few time's
how does the island compare?

only times, ( last was back in 2016) i have been to Koh Rong was on a friend's sail boat so never really stayed on the island
ate a few times at restaurants and food was expensive and very mediocre.

Think a good bottle of supermarket wine compared to a rough old drop from a keg in Andalucia. You know the first one is a better wine, and yet...and yet

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:16 pm ok; since u've been to Phuket a few time's
how does the island compare?

only times, ( last was back in 2016) i have been to Koh Rong was on a friend's sail boat so never really stayed on the island
ate a few times at restaurants and food was expensive and very mediocre.

Yep how does it compare to all the tourist island in the world, really who cares? It a report on an island off the Cambodian coast. Come on, give Phuket a rest you've already told us how great it is.

atst wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:47 pm

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:16 pm ok; since u've been to Phuket a few time's
how does the island compare?

only times, ( last was back in 2016) i have been to Koh Rong was on a friend's sail boat so never really stayed on the island
ate a few times at restaurants and food was expensive and very mediocre.

Yep how does it compare to all the tourist island in the world, really who cares? It a report on an island off the Cambodian coast. Come on, give Phuket a rest you've already told us how great it is.

Phuket is a twin shithole to Pattaya..just double or triple as expensive. But millions of arrivals (and some hardcore advocates) cant be wrong? They can.

I had been thinking of a trip back to Koh Rong, but that report confirms the one overriding memory of the place; there is nothing there apart from a beach and overpriced accommodation with bad food that you are forced to eat.

The fact that both hotels can't get their shit together with sun loungers is just pathetic.

truffledog wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:58 pm

atst wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:47 pm

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:16 pm ok; since u've been to Phuket a few time's
how does the island compare?

only times, ( last was back in 2016) i have been to Koh Rong was on a friend's sail boat so never really stayed on the island
ate a few times at restaurants and food was expensive and very mediocre.

Yep how does it compare to all the tourist island in the world, really who cares? It a report on an island off the Cambodian coast. Come on, give Phuket a rest you've already told us how great it is.

Phuket is a twin shithole to Pattaya..just double or triple as expensive. But millions of arrivals (and some hardcore advocates) cant be wrong? They can.