I heard people said so many times about Koh Rong &Rong Sonleum, I have seen some post in Facebook to promote on our island. It is super attractive for the first glance after the developments during these lately years. I was there for one time since 2013 then it was just the island very few shops, restaurants and guesthouse, a little started only on the island. But now there is a huge difference I couldn’t believe in my eyes, there are tons of guesthouses, restaurants, shops and local businesses on the island. There are local tourists and foreigners go there for their vacations or holidays including me too. Here how to get there by slow or speed boats, it is your choice.
By slow boat: Only few customers who chooses to take the slow boat when it takes about 2 hours and half but price is just 10 dollar for round way.
By speed boat: It has the very speed ferry to both islands, takes half an hour costs 20dollar for round. In case it’s the peak season or big holidays price can be up to 25dollar for round trip.
There are many tour agencies on mainland in Sihanouk vile, you can also make booking with guesthouse where you stay, you pay a little money for administration charge only.
If you don’t want to stay in the island you just take the [Happy boat] in price 25dollar for a day start from 9am to 5pm with three islands also including lunch and party on boat.
It was so complicated for me when I asked them how to get to the island, because as my understanding I just knew it has only two islands: Koh Rong &Rong Sonleum. But it wasn’t like that, I said I want to go to the island, which island would you recommend me? She responded if you are the party animals then go to Koh Rong, loud music, dancing, crazy party will rock you up. If you would like to stay calm, peaceful, relaxing and just chill out with your people let’s go to Rong Sonleum, not so crowd, no loud music, no party animal. I said well, I just want to relax and not so many people, the thing I don’t want to be in touch with tourist spots at all. So, I decided to go to Rong Sonleum where is not the tourist place, I mean not so crowd. The point is which part of the Rong Sonleum you want to go? She asked. When I heard what she told me about there were many private islands on Rong Sonleum with putting the difference names, awe………… damn……… I had no idea too. There are like three harbors where the boats will stop so make sure which piers you want to stop by. Before I came here in Sihanouk one of my friends she has recommended me about [ M’s Pai bay] or [Koh 23] was only few people heard about it so I was out of idea how to get there. Only few boats will stop by the [23 pier] most of the boats will drop you by Koh Rong and Rong Sonleum. So confusing here, I want to get there early morning like 8am departure, but there was no direct boat to M’s Pai bay, so I had to go to Koh Rong first and took the taxi boat to Rong Sonleum-M’s Pai bay, it has only one schedule boat will direct to M’s Pai bay at 3pm to drop out some foods, cooking ingredient, vegetables for people who living there, and some local business. At that time I didn’t want to wait till 3pm to catch the boat to M’s Pai bay-Rong Sonleum, so I preferred to spend sometimes at Koh Rong where the party animal is……….. walked around, took some photos, enjoy my coffee and waiting for taxi boat took me to where I wanted to go, taxi boat here costs extra 5dollar more. I made to M’s Pai bay about 2pm checked in at [Easy Tiger] has the private room and dorm rooms, it was sold out the private room at the time so I stayed in dormitory cost only 6dollar per night. The staff at easy tiger are pretty welcome and helpful, they even show me around the island, where to see the nice sunset, where to have a nice spot to swim, so on………….. I was pretty much appreciated. I love party but not the wild party and sometimes just want to find the place to breath out without so many people around me. I came up to the hill to see sunset and swimming around. There was so many nice spots there in Rong Sonleum, you can also do kayaking no worry about your safety in the sea, the waves are really calm and stable, it is appropriated to do kayaking. At M’s Pai bay or Koh 23 most of the business will close at 10pm, no party where you can find the peace there. It was so convenience for me where I stayed at [Easy Tiger] it was pretty much easy to find my three meals, coffee, beers with affordable price. I wake up very early about 4.30am waiting for sunrise, there was stunning skyline so touching, unforgettable moment seeing sunrise at Rong Sonleum. I supposed to have seafood on the island but a little disappointed, I couldn’t have seafood, mostly they served western food, Khmer dishes, but seafood wasn’t serving there. Life is very slow down here, people just reading, swimming, chatting with their people, enjoy the sunset and sunrise, sometimes I need these kinds of places, away from noisy and busy town. I hope to visit there again sooner or later. It’s probably tons of people writing about Koh Rong and Rong Sonleum for me just find out the way to write the place that just some people knows about it where you have completely done nothing just breathing.
