Koh Rong is the second biggest island off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand and the biggest island off the coast of Sihanoukville. It stretches from east to west, is roughly elongate shaped and encompasses an area of 78 square km. The terrain is predominantly hilly with a sizable mountain (300m) at the island’s south west.
The hills provide water for countless creeks and estuaries. The island’s interior is almost completely forested. The jungle conceals a number of beautiful waterfalls. Koh Rong has 43 kilometers of beaches. There are no less than 23 beaches of varying length and coloration – from (predominantly) white to beige to rose-colored sands – along most of the coastline. Strikingly beautiful bays, stuck out capes and impressive sandstone rock formations contribute to the island’s illustrious panorama.
The southern coastline – exposed to the weather and the open sea, is particularly spectacular, whereas the northern coast, which faces the main land, is characterized by a sequence of smooth hills, gently sloping towards the numerous beaches, inlets and (huge) bays. Several small islets and many reefs provide an abundance of natural environments for a great variety of marine life – perfect for a spontaneous snorkel side trip. There are 4 distinguishable villages on Koh Rong – 2 on the northern side and 2 in the south. People predominantly live from fishing.
Apart from a coconut grove of moderate size in the center of the island, Koh Rong has no mentionable commercial agriculture. The center of the island is a flat “belt” of sediments that joins the two hilly massifs of the east and west. Here is a small savanna, the feeding ground for the local water buffalo and a few cattle. There aren’t any sealed roads (so far) on KOh Rong and subsequently there are no motor vehicles to be found on the island. Boats are the means of transportation. Tracks through the jungle connect hamlets and villages.
Koh Rong has two ferry options. The slow boat leaves 2-3 times daily and takes 2 1/2 hours. ($20/15$ round trip with open return as of February 2014). The fast boat takes 40 minutes-1 hour and leaves about twice daily. ($30 R/T with open return). Two of the fast boat companies have websites, these are Speedferrycambodia and Sea Cambodia, the websites have up to date information on destinations and timetables.
The ferries are fairly basic and not very comfortable. The new high speed ferries are pretty comfortable, but often times more tickets than seats are sold, so make sure to show up early if you don't want to stand for the hour long journey. Make sure you carry a hat and sunglasses for the ride, and use sunscreen if required. As of Feb 2014, water is not sold on the ferry and neither are snacks or other drinks.
It may be a good idea to carry some with you, especially if you are travelling with children. There is a small toilet on board the ferry which seems to be clean and in decent working condition.
To board and disembark from the ferry you will need to walk on an average sized plank of wood connecting the pier to the ferry. The process is not very efficient and can be a little scary the first time you try it, so bear this in mind if you have any foot injuries, have special needs etc.
There seem to be at least two different slowboat services, so shop around the agencies in town to see what they offer.
1) The Dive Shop and Monkey Island ferries leave Sihanoukville in the morning and in the afternoon, at varying times: the morning service is between 8 and 9 am, and the afternoon one between 1 and 2 pm. The Boat is returning at 10 am and 3-4pm from the island to Sihanoukville as of May 2013. This ferry will not take you to Sok-San bungalows, which is on the other side of the island (Long beach). These ferries take around two hours. There is also now a fast ferry taking any 40 minutes and traveling four times a day. The fast ferry costs $26 return.
2) Similarly, Sok-San bungalows run a ferry service which leaves Sihanoukville at 9 am or so, but this ferry will not take you to the side of the island where the majority of guesthouses and tourist facilities are situated.
Make sure that you are absolutely certain that the ferry you are booked to take will drop you off at your destination. There have been instances of resort owners refusing to let guests take boats to the other side of the island (Sok-San to Monkey Island etc.), and insisting that you stay on their beach. Also, if you are on a schedule make sure that you arrive at the pier for your return as the ferry is first come first serve and there isn't always space.
Also note that all ferry tickets include a ride to and from the main town area in Sihanoukville, so you should not have to pay extra for the same. The buses from the city centre leave at least 30 minutes before the ferry departure. Sometimes, though, the ferries leave from the main pier on the Serendipity beach.
