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Sihanoukville
Cambodia’s port city and the jumping-off point for Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem
Cambodia’s port city and the jumping-off point for Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem
Cambodia’s second-largest island, with long sandy beaches, jungle interior and a lively village at Koh Touch. Long Set and Sok San beaches are quieter.
Photo: Rômulo Gama Ferreira, CC BY 2.0
A smaller, calmer island south of Koh Rong. Saracen Bay is lined with resorts and has a long curve of white sand and shallow water.
Bring cash; ATMs on the islands are few or unreliable.
Photo: Wikirictor, CC BY-SA 3.0
A protected area of mangroves, forest and beaches east of the airport, with boat trips through the mangroves and quiet beaches.
Photo: Dmitry Makeev, CC BY-SA 4.0
The city’s main beaches. Ochheuteal is close to town; Otres, a little further south, is quieter.
Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fresh seafood is the speciality: grilled squid, prawns and crab, best with Kampot pepper. Simple beach restaurants on the islands serve barbecued fish in the evening.
In the city many restaurants cater to Chinese visitors; Otres and the islands have more Western-style cafés.
The expressway from Phnom Penh takes about three hours by bus or car; Sihanoukville International Airport (KOS) has a few domestic and regional flights. Speedboats run from the city’s piers to Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem in about 45 to 60 minutes.
Most visitors need a visa. You can apply online for an e-visa (US$30 for a tourist visa since January 2025) or get a visa on arrival at international airports. Citizens of ASEAN countries are exempt. Check current rules, including any online arrival form, before you travel.
The islands are slightly more expensive than the mainland because supplies are shipped in. Cambodia’s currency is the riel, but US dollars are used everywhere for prices above a few dollars, and ATMs dispense dollars. Small change is often given in riel.
Beaches and islands.
Arrive in Sihanoukville, then relax on Otres Beach or take a mangrove boat trip in Ream National Park.
Take a speedboat to Koh Rong and spend the afternoon on Long Set beach.
Go snorkelling or on a night swim with bioluminescent plankton.
Move to Saracen Bay for a quieter beach day before returning to the mainland.
Be wary of online job offers in Cambodia; criminal scam operations have lured foreigners with fake jobs.
Boats can be cancelled or rough in the wet season (June to October).
Bring enough US dollars for the islands.
Bring repellent for sandflies and mosquitoes.
Quick answers for planning time in Sihanoukville.
Most visitors do. You can get an e-visa online or a visa on arrival at international airports; ASEAN citizens are exempt.
By speedboat from Sihanoukville, in about 45 to 60 minutes.
The city itself has changed a lot with casino and building development; most travellers use it as a gateway to the islands.
November to April, when the sea is calm and the weather dry.
About three hours on the expressway.
Khmer is the national language; English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Cambodia travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.