There’s a moment — somewhere between stepping off the ferry and feeling the powdery white sand between your toes — when Koh Rong stops feeling like a destination and starts feeling like a dream. That was my summer, and I’m still not entirely convinced I came back.

Getting There

Koh Rong sits about 25 kilometers off the coast of Sihanoukville in southwestern Cambodia. Ferries run daily from Sihanoukville’s port, and the ride takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on which boat you catch. I splurged on the fast ferry — worth every dollar after a long flight — and arrived to a postcard I never wanted to leave.

Where to Stay

The island has two distinct personalities. The main village area around Koh Tuch Beach is lively, full of beach bars, budget bungalows, and backpackers who’ve somehow lost track of the day of the week. Then there’s the quieter, more secluded north — places like Long Set Beach — where the jungle presses right up to the shore and the only noise at night is the ocean.

I stayed in a small bungalow on the quieter side, waking up each morning to the kind of sunrise that makes you question every life choice that led you to an office. Both vibes are valid depending on what kind of escape you’re after.

The Beaches

Koh Rong’s beaches are genuinely world-class. The sand is impossibly fine and white, the water a gradient of turquoise and deep blue. I spent entire afternoons doing absolutely nothing — which, I discovered, is an underrated skill. Long Set Beach was my favorite: long, largely uncrowded, and backed by dense jungle that kept it cool even in the afternoon heat.

A short hike or longtail boat ride takes you to 4K Beach (named for being roughly 4 kilometers of uninterrupted shoreline), which feels about as far from civilization as you can get while still ordering a cold Chang beer.

The Bioluminescence

If you do one thing on Koh Rong, make it this. After dark, head into the shallow water near the shore and watch the ocean light up around you. The bioluminescent plankton — tiny organisms that glow when disturbed — turn every wave, every splash, every movement into electric blue fire. It sounds like a cliché until you’re standing waist-deep in the sea at midnight, watching your hands trail light through the water like some kind of magic trick.

No camera truly captures it. You just have to go.

Eating and Drinking

Fresh seafood is everywhere and wonderful — grilled fish, garlic prawns, and crab dishes that cost a fraction of what you’d pay anywhere else in the world. The beach bars stay open late and the vibe is decidedly low-key: hammocks, fairy lights, and the occasional fire show on the sand.

For something local, wander into the village and find a Khmer kitchen run by a family. The fish amok, a coconut curry steamed in banana leaves, was one of the best things I ate all summer.

What to Know Before You Go

A few practical notes for anyone planning the trip: Koh Rong is still relatively undeveloped, which is part of its charm — but that means electricity can be intermittent in some areas, ATMs are scarce (bring cash), and Wi-Fi is patchy at best. For some, this is a dealbreaker. For others, it’s the whole point.

The best time to visit is November through April when the sea is calm and the skies are clear. Summer brings occasional rain and rougher waters, but also fewer crowds and a lush, green version of the island that has its own moody beauty. I wouldn’t trade it.

Final Thoughts

Koh Rong doesn’t try to impress you. It doesn’t need to. It just sits there, quietly spectacular, doing what it has always done — offering pristine beaches, warm water, and the rare and precious feeling that the world has slowed down. If you’re looking for a place to genuinely disconnect, to read a book until your eyes won’t stay open, to float in water so clear you can see your shadow on the sand below — this is it.

Go before everyone else finds out.