Koh Rong Sanloem – Ultimate Travel Guide
Koh Rong Sanloem is an island. A quiet, off the grid kind of island where you can find yourself, serenity and crystal clear water. Welcome to the Koh Rong Sanloem – Ultimate Travel Guide.
Where is Koh Rong Sanloem?
Koh Rong Sanloem is an island off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, 4 km south of Koh Rong island. Beware, Sihanoukville is a dirty, an overpopulated, expensive construction site of a city… BUT it’s worth going through to get to the island. Going through Sihanoukville is an experience in itself and it will all be worthwhile when you’re sipping a coconut on the beaches of Sanloem.
How to get to Koh Rong Sanloem
Getting to Koh Rong Sanloem from Sihanoukville is easy, just hop on a boat and around 45 minutes later, you’ll arrive in paradise. There are many good reputable boat companies to choose from including GTVC, Buva Sea and Speed Ferry Cambodia.
We ended up choosing Speed Ferry Cambodia because we arranged our transport from Kampot to Sihanoukville with Kep Tours (this included the boat to Sanloem and the return to Sihanoukville).
In total, the cost of the journey from Kampot to Koh Rong Sanloem was $25 (including the return trip).
But if you are already in Sihanoukville you can book a boat directly with one of the companies I mentioned above.
Things to do on Koh Rong Sanloem
– Relax on the beach. I mean that’s why you’re here right
– Swim with bioluminescent plankton. The resort we stayed at organized us a boat to go and swim in the dark with the glowing plankton and it was an incredible experience. The plankton only glows when it is moved, that might be by a wave or when you are swimming. You can see the glowing particles in the water all around you.
– Walk the jungle track to Sunset Beach. Wear closed shoes, bring insect repellent and bring enough water. If you’re not a confident jungle hiker, don’t attempt to walk back in the dark after sunset. If you are confident, bring a stick to send vibrations into the ground to scare away snakes and scorpions.
– Walk the easy road to Lazy Beach. This was my favorite beach for swimming as the water was insanely clean and clear. The path is safe, easy and mostly flat.
– Drink a Klang whilst watching a fire show at Tree Bar. Klang is a very strong cheap beer, why not try the local delicacy.
Where to stay on Koh Rong Sanloem
We were lucky enough to stay at Bamboo Jam Resort. This place is beyond perfection, beyond anything I could imagine.
At this resort, you’ll have your very own section of private beach with hammocks, comfortable chairs and shady areas where you’ll be able to sit and eat your breakfast each morning.
One of the things I love about this resort is environmentally friendly, locally made shampoo, body wash, and hand soap. It’s easy to see that there has been a lot of effort put into making sure the toiletries, food, building materials, wall art, and shop items are locally sourced and sustainable.
The owner and creator of this resort has put his heart and soul into the place. Every single detail has been well designed and well-executed.
Click here to check availabilities.
Vegan food on Koh Rong Sanloem
Let’s talk about food. Food is something that’s on our minds about 83% of the time. Sometimes finding vegan food is difficult on smaller islands and we end up eating plain rice, bananas, and bread with peanut butter.
However during our stay on Koh Rong Sanloem, we never once went hungry. The Bamboo Jam restaurant has food for everyone and there are many vegan options!
Another great place we loved to eat was Veyo. The menu has the choice of meat, tofu or vegetables for many of the meals! My favorite was the vegetable sweet and sour with rice and Jake liked the vegetable fried rice. They also have vegetable spring rolls and lots of other good stuff.
So I hope this has helped you plan your trip to Koh Rong Sanloem. We loved our time here and hope that you will too!
Thank you for reading The Koh Rong Sanloem – Ultimate Travel Guide.
Travel slow and courageously,
