Cambodia Islands Beach Hopping

Fancy a cheap beach holiday to Cambodia? Why not tour the Cambodian islands, one of the few places left in the world where you can enjoy beautiful stretches of white sand beach all to yourself. The south coast of Cambodia is a desert island hotspot with no less than 61 tropical Cambodian islands set against the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand. With direct holidays to Cambodia rising in popularity so to is demand for hotels in Cambodia and where better to stay than the ultimate desert island beach holiday on a Cambodia island.

Most Cambodia Islands travel packages offer Cambodia beach hotels accommodation in the main, crowded beach resorts Sihanoukville, Kep, and Koh Kong but head offshore and go island hopping and you are sure to find your dream paradise beach. Think chalk-white sand, warm waters, breathtaking vistas that you’d think you were the first to discover!

Popular Cambodian Island Beach Holidays

The word for island in Cambodian is ‘Koh’ and like many places in Cambodia, many of Cambodia’s islands take their name from a legend. The most popular include;

• Koh Kong – you can only day trip to this military-run island close to the border with Thailand

• Koh Russei, the most popular stopoff on the Three Island Boat Tour, Bamboo island is just an hours boat ride from Sihanoukville. Here you swap TV and mobile coverage for turquoise painted beach bungalows, a great seafood lunch and a spectacular sundowner

• Koh S’dach – King’s island sits in the Gulf of Siam half way between Ko Kong and Sihanoukville, a daily stop on the bullet-boat service. For an unadulterated  experience of a Cambodian fishing village, a Koh S’dach guesthouse fits the bill. The main beach is home to golden sands and crystalline waters ideal for snorkelling and don’t forget to sing your heart out at the beach’s premier karaoke bar!

• Koh Tonsay translates as Rabbit Island just 20 mins from Kep, once French Cambodia’s premier resort in the 1920’s. Today its palm fringed beaches house a series of bamboo huts on stilts for visitors to enjoy island living at its best.

Alternative Cambodia Islands To Visit

Koh Polaway, Koh Sess, Koh Thass, Koh Tral, Koh Traolach, Koh Treas, and the Kampong Som Group of Islands are the lesser known and completely undeveloped, often deserted of Cambodia’s islands but nearly all offer stunning scenery and secluded tropical beaches.

It has only been over the past couple of years, in response to demand from Cambodia tour visitors in search of a shipwrecked island experience that basic holiday accommodation has become available on a cluster of Cambodia’s islands namely those closed to Sihanoukville Cambodia’s most popular coastal beach resort. Early in 2007, Cambodia news sources reported on the Cambodian government’s intention to develop Cambodia islands into a tourism hotspot.

From November to February the islands to the south of Sihanoukville, Koh Kteah, Koh Crhalo and Koh Ta Kiev are more sheltered and enjoy good snorkelling.

Koh Ta Kiev is already being developed by a Malaysian company who won a 99 year lease to develop 30-40% of the island into an eco-tourism resort with beaches, a golf course, marina and theme park. The island is also home to Jonty’s Jungle Camp camp, offering the ultimate eco-friendly, “back to nature” experience staying in quality tree-house accommodation, you can trek deep into the jungle, acclimatise in the sauna/steam room or simply just laze in your hammock.

Part of the Kampong Som Group of Islands, you can chill out completely at the beach bungalow resort on Koh Rong Saloem, the island is worth the extra 2-2½ hours travel time if only to experience its beautiful sheltered beaches on the north side and a dream diving experience. Further away, 55km southwest are the interesting and relatively unexplored waters around Koh Tang and Koh Prins with some of the best diving shipwrecks and exciting underwater species. Also a minimum 3 day trip is Koh Rong, is 75km west and home to Condor Reef, Koh Rong has wonderful empty beaches, including one which stretches for 5km with nothing to be seen but sand and sea.

New Tourist Holiday Resorts on Cambodia Islands

Recently the Cambodia Government granted leases to six Cambodian companies to develop five different island resorts. One resort is set for an island near Kampot province whilst the remaining Cambodia island properties will be located off Sihanoukville.

Koh Dek Koule is the only private island resort in Cambodia to be fully developed. The Mirax resort as it is named, perches high on the island of Koh Dek Koule and is the height of luxury and privacy in its twelve exotic custom suites, furnished with one-of-a-kind antiques, Chinese gravures and local hand-woven silks. The presidential suites cost $3,000 a night while the standard suites pitch in at a mere $360 per night.

On Koh Pos (Snake Island), a group of Russian investors recently received approval to build a US$300 million tourist resort. In the meantime, it’s convenient location just 800 metres of Sihanoukville’s Victory Beach means you can currently enjoy day trips to tiny Koh Pos Beach, known for its birds and monkeys. Koh Koang Kang (Koh Tas) is a little further away (1 hour) with good beaches and snorkelling.

Koh Thmei, Koh Ses and neighbouring Ta Kiou Island opened in January 2007 as Paradise island resort, all sit offshore the Ream National Parkland, 18km down the coast from Sihanoukville and is home to birds, endangered wildlife and marine habitat.

The Song Saa Island Resort completes in 2010 covering Koh Ouen and Koh Bong – two small adjacent islands that are a 30-minute boat ride from Sihanoukville International Airport. The Song Saa Island Resort is an exclusive 20 villa resort to meet top end market demand for luxury hotels. The ultimate Cambodia island experience will incorporate an waterfront infinity edge pool, rainforest spa/wellness centre, sailing and diving centre on the beach and a large over water restaurant and bar.

Decades of isolation have left the Cambodian islands a preserved, pristine wilderness. Today a  Cambodia islands tour offers an unrivalled experience of over 440km of unspoilt, virgin coastline. A divers dream of picture-postcard bays, powder soft sandy beaches against a backdrop of lush rainforest canopy and not a whole lot else. Visit the Cambodia Islands now and indulge in your own desert island fantasy.