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Voykit pocket guide · Cambodia
Koh Rong Sanloem
Spend 2–3 days to enjoy beaches, snorkeling and jungle walks; longer only for multiple dive trips.
Koh Rong Sanloem is a low‑key island 25 km off Sihanoukville, offering four main bays, dive sites at M'Pai Bay and limited accommodation; a short stay covers the highlights.
- Country
- Cambodia
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Avoid
- May–Oct (rainy season)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- US dollars for hotels, tours and restaurants; riel (KHR, about 4,000 to the dollar) for change and small street purchases.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$30–45 excl. bed · Mid US$45–80 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Smart, Cellcard and Metfone sell tourist SIMs at the airports with passport registration; a week of data costs a few dollars.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Fire 118 · Ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US and round European pins; newer hotels have UK-style type G.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Round up or leave US$1–2 where no service charge is added.; Tuk-tuk: Round up; US$2–5 extra for a full Angkor day.; Guide day: US$5–10 per person.; Massage: US$1–2 per hour.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled water everywhere; many hotels have refill stations.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, restaurants and at the Angkor ticket office and main temples; squat toilets with a hose or scoop on the road. Paper goes in the bin in older places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Meal at local restaurant | US$3–6 |
| Beer (bottled) | US$1–2 |
| Water bottle | US$0.5–1 |
| Taxi boat fare | US$5–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KOS · Sihanoukville International Airport
- Main gateway to Koh Rong Sanloem; ferries depart from Sihanoukville port (≈30 km (19 mi) north).Main gateway to Koh Rong Sanloem; ferries depart from Sihanoukville port (≈19 mi (30 km) north).
Typical fares
- Speed ferry Sihanoukville → M'Pai Bay (roundtrip)
- US$30, 45‑60 min (check)
- Taxi boat between bays
- US$5–10 per person, 10‑30 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No motorised transport; walk trails between bays (30 min to Lazy Beach, 3 h strenuous to M'Pai Bay) or use scheduled taxi boats (US$5–10 per person).
See and do
Known for
- Saracen Bay beaches
- M'Pai Bay diving
- Bioluminescent plankton
- Jungle trekking
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saracen Bay | Walk from M'Pai Bay (30 min) or taxi boat (US$5) | ≈30 min |
| Lazy Beach | Walk from Saracen Bay (≈30 min) or taxi boat from M'Pai Bay | ≈45 min |
| Koh Rong (neighbor island) | Scheduled boat from M'Pai Bay at 12:00Scheduled boat from M'Pai Bay at 12:00 PM | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- M'Pai Bay village
- Backpacker‑friendly guesthouses and small hotels; walk to dive sites.
- Saracen Bay
- Mid‑range resorts; best for beach comfort.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | សូមទោសsom tos |
| Thank you | អរគុណaw kohn |
| How much is it? | តើថ្លៃប៉ុន្មាន?tae thlai pon man? |
| Where is the bathroom? | បន្ទប់ទឹកនៅឯណា?bantoap tuk nov ae na? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Sampeah (palms together, slight bow); higher hands for elders and monks; avoid: Firm handshakes with older women
- Head and feet: Keep feet down and pointed away from people and Buddha images; avoid: Touching heads, even children's
- Temples: Shoes and hat off inside, shoulders and knees covered; avoid: Sitting with feet toward the Buddha; women touching monks
- Keeping face: Stay calm and smile when things go wrong; avoid: Shouting or public anger
- Giving and receiving: Use the right hand or both hands; avoid: Tossing money or objects
- Photos: Ask first, especially of monks and at memorials; avoid: Selfies at Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek
Scams and watch-outs
- No cars or motorbikes; bring sturdy shoes for jungle walks.
- Private boat taxis cost about US$25 one way (check).
- Limited cash facilities; many places accept cards but have no ATMs.
Generally safe; watch for strong currents when swimming and keep valuables secure on beaches.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Koh Rong Sanloem yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Saracen Bay beaches
- M'Pai Bay diving
- Bioluminescent plankton
- Jungle trekking
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Koh Rong Sanloem: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Koh Rung Sanloem, revision 5329847 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5329847
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/koh-rung-sanloem). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.