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can a Barang/Americano and his Filipina wife hang there loosely if they are accustomed to a Life that was similar on a small rural mountainous island in the Philippines? Is it possible to rent a bungalow/ for a long time at a reasonable and fair amount of $? Are there any Stores or a market there to buy food or does one have to eat in restaurants only? I have had enough of S.R. and P.P. and wanna go back to an island...Not Koh wRong. I like to sit and watch the sun go down, and listen to the sea roll in. ~

I stayed there for a few weeks a few years ago. The major down points were, no store, so you either eat and drink everything in the beach restaurants or go to the mainland to get supplies, and I got a bit tired of living on fish, shrimps, crabs and squid even though it was delicious. There was other food, but it wasn't great, the chickens were local. Electricity was limited and got turned off about 9pm.
It was really great to watch the last boats of tourists leave in the evening and have the island to "ourselves", BUT, the weekends were hell, when the hoards would arrive with all their picnic stuff and then leave us with all their rubbish strewn everywhere.
No wifi. Take a book or ten.

I had an idea that I'd enjoy staying a long time, but in the end I was happy to go back to civilization after a few weeks. I've lived in the provinces, so it wasn't that I missed the city pleasures, but there is something very different about living on an island. And this is a very small island. Rainy season would be a challenge IMO.

However, that was years ago and things may have changed, and also, there have been rumors flying around for years that the island will be developed soon, but they are just waiting for... [whatever, fill in the space.] Hope that gives you some idea.

whelp,... I went to Koh Sdach and didn't feel welcome there...and the Koh Rongs are not what I am looking for... thanks for your input... especially the rainy season advice.

tireswang wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 5:07 pm whelp,... I went to Koh Sdach and didn't feel welcome there...and the Koh Rongs are not what I am looking for... thanks for your input... especially the rainy season advice.

never been in Koh Sdach
why you didn't feel welcome there ?

I think it would be not easy to live on Koh Tonsay for long time, a few weeks or months maybe ok, but it depends what someone is looking for.

Koh Sdach has always been suspicious and unwelcoming to strangers.
Comes from the dope smuggling days, (1990s) and other dirty deeds (forever, probably)

I got the stink eye in Koh Sdach...I just figured rich Chinese are more preferred than poor old white men drifters....and the surrounding water wasn't that great and was not worth the "social environment"

I live not far from rabbit island so I do know the electric stays on a bit longer now than 9. Sometimes I see it still on there past 10. So think they turn it off somewhere between 10 and 11 now. But there are no shops there no. That island really is tiny. You'll have to come to Kep to shop and even here the shops aren't great. But it's getting better. Soon we'll have 2 new markets opening. You'll find what you need but it won't be all in 1 place.

Whelp... I know now that Rabbit Island is ok for a Visit only...unless you have an ample supply of $ and don't mind shopping in Kep...only.