Koh Rong Or Koh Rong Samloem: Which Is BEST (2025)

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The Basics Of Koh Rong

Located off the coast of Cambodia, the island of Koh Rong is larger. Ferries run regularly from the nearest port of Sihanoukville, making it super easy to access.

You will arrive in Koh Toch Village, the island’s main part. This is where you can find many shops, tour agencies, restaurants, cafes, and boats to take you around.

In Koh Toch, you will find a handful of locally run guesthouses for travelers on a budget. However, you will need to travel to other parts of the island to experience some of the 5-star resorts or budget hostels.

The roads around Koh Rong and just made of dirt and are definitely quite basic, so you will need to watch out for potholes. Most locals travel by motorbike instead of car.

For travelers, it is still common to travel to your accommodation on another boat from Koh Toch village rather than getting a taxi.

Sok San Beach Resort Enjoy beachfront living in luxury. Rooms here start from $70.00 per night. BOOK NOW	Nest Beach Club One of the best party places on the island. Dorm rooms here start from $5.00 per night. BOOK NOW
Coconutbeach Bungalows Party Hostel Located on a quieter part of the island. You can find a seaview tent here for $11.00 per night. BOOK NOW	Tree House Bungalows Lovely bungalows a short walk from long beach. Rooms start from $60.00 per night. BOOK NOW

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The Basic Of Koh Rong Samloem

Next door to Koh Rong you will find its sister island called Koh Rong Samloem. It may be smaller but I can promise you it is equally as incredible!

Now, if you flashback 10 years ago or so, this was definitely the quieter and less ventured spot. However, as time passed and tourism increased this once secret bit of paradise became no more.

Nowadays, you will find many resorts, budget hostels, and other affordable accommodation options.

When you arrive at Koh Rong Samloem you will jump off the boat in the main area called Saracen Bay. Just keep in mind if you are staying elsewhere on the island, there aren’t any roads, so you may need to organize a taxi-boat transfer.

As a result, you will quickly notice that most travelers decide to stay in Saracen Bay. Luckily enough, it is a huge beach, so it never seems crowded, and it’ll be a super easy, though sandy, walk from the wharf to your hotel.

However, if you want more of that deserted island experience, you can find it here! With some research, you will find off the beaten track little guesthouses and hotels, just remember you will need to take another boat to get there or go on a jungle trek.

When doing research you will quickly notice inconsistencies when it comes to the spelling of Samloem. This is simply because there has been an issue since the 19th century with different maps containing different versions.

Nowadays, in the 21st century, you will notice there are even differences between Google and Google Maps. Nevertheless, all spellings are generally used interchangeably.

Sleeping Trees A glamping-style hotel on an excellent snorkeling beach. Prices from $20.00 per night. BOOK NOW	Onederz Koh Rong Sanloem A popular hostel right on the beachfront. Dorm rooms start from $14.00 per night. BOOK NOW
Sara Resort My top choice. Rooms start from $36.00 per night with air-con, 24/7 power, and awesome wifi. BOOK NOW	The Big Easy An affordable hostel on the main beach of Saracen Bay. Dorms start from $6.00 per night. BOOK NOW

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Who has The Best Beaches?

There are some incredible beaches in both Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. So much so that I wouldn’t say one is better than the other.

However, if you want some accommodation where you can get straight off your boat and check in at a place on a beautiful beach, then Koh Rong Samloem is the winner, hands down.

This is simply because the village of Koh Touch on Koh Rong is a lot more built up and touristy than the main village, so the water straight in front is not clean enough to swim in, and there can be some interesting smells.

Though head 5 minutes down the beach you will find numerous people lapping up the waves under the Cambodian sun.

Both islands have the opportunity to do some snorkeling. Though these beaches are generally not the picture-perfect ones you see all over Instagram with clear waters and white sand.

Instead, the best spots for snorkeling are along the cliffside or in rocky spots where the fish have places to hide, and the coral has somewhere to grow. I actually swam with stingrays over on Sunset Beach in Koh Rong Samloem.

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What Island Has The Best Accommodation?

Both Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem have various accommodation choices to suit all travelers.

However, there are definitely some differences between the two.

Whether this is the amenities and facilities that they offer, there are certainly more accommodation options on one island over the other so let’s get into it.

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The Best For Hostels

You will find both islands do have hostels. Though Koh Rong generally will have a wider variety. This is simply because it is known as having more of a young party backpacker vibe.

Just keep in mind this is not all areas of the island, so if you are looking for a chill place to stay, you can still find plenty of options here.

Nevertheless, you will find hostels on both Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. Surprisingly, over recent years, more and more hostels have been popping up over Koh Rong Samloem, and you can actually find a lot of Cambodia hostel chains here, such as Onederz and Mad Monkey.

Hostels in both locations will generally offer everything you could need under one roof, a nearly resort-style hostel. This includes dorm rooms, an onsite restaurant, and plenty of activities.

This is because on both islands, depending on where you are, food options may be scarce, so the hostel needs to be able to cater to its travelers and their needs.

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The Best For Resorts

You can find nice luxury resorts on both islands. Though on Koh Rong, you will be absolutely spoilt for choice with numerous 5-star resorts.

This means a pool, onsite restaurant, air conditioning, wifi, and all the amenities. These generally cater to a more upmarket traveler. Though prices here are unlike anything you would pay back home for the same standard,

In contrast, on Koh Rong Samloem, there are a handful of more luxury resorts, but these are definitely on the smaller side. This means the amenities and facilities may not be as plentiful.

You will still be in a paradise destination on one of the best islands in the world.

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Who Has Better Facilities?

Now I know this is unlikely something you often think about when usually traveling. However, trust me, when here you will want to consider the facilities available.

Depending where you stay will affect your availability of wifi, electricity, restaurants, cash, and air conditioning.

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Wifi

Now, depending on where exactly you are staying, you may or may not have wifi. Some areas of each island have it available while others do not.

If you book a nicer resort or accommodation, it is likely available.

Also, if you are staying in the main areas of Saracen or Koh Toch decent chance you will have wifi access. Alternatively, you can always visit restaurants in these locations and use their Wi-Fi.

I recommend you look at reviews of your accommodation before booking to determine whether it has wifi or if it is even fast enough to be usable.

However, if you do have a Cambodian SIM card, you will likely have reception at all the main beaches around each island.

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Electricity

Now I know this may seem crazy, but depending on where you stay on Koh Rong or Koh Rong Samloem will affect whether you have electricity available or not. Some resorts and accommodations only have solar panels and they can’t make enough electricity to have it on 24/7.

Therefore you will commonly see electricity available only between certain hours.

If you are staying in a small guesthouse in the main village of Koh Rong called Koh Toch, you will likely have electricity 24/7. Power cuts here can occur quite regularly, especially if there is a storm in the area.

I have stayed in locations around both Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem where electricity has been limited, or we have had zero access to it at all. Honestly, it is not the worst thing in the world, as you just need to prepare to disconnect and embrace those deserted island vibes.

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Restaurants

Depending on where exactly you stay will also affect the availability of restaurants. However be aware that most accommodations, whether that is a hotel, hostel, or resort, do have a restaurant onsite.

This means that as long as the place you decide to book has a few different accommodation options around it within walking distance, you should have a small handful of different restaurants to choose from.

If you are going to stay 3 nights in a rather isolated hotel, the onsite restaurant options can get rather boring, and if you have dietary requirements like me, then the number of meals you have available can get cut quite short.

If you happen to be staying in the main areas of Koh Toch or Saracen Bay, then you will have numerous options within a short distance. This is awesome as you can mix up your meals and cuisines quite a bit.

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Access To Cash

Now, one thing that stumped me, and that also stumped a lot of other travelers to these islands, is the inability to access cash. This basically means what you bring over from the mainland is how much cash you have.

Oh, and a very, very, very small number of places here accept credit cards. These are essentially just pricey hotels and resorts.

There is a mixture of information online about the accessibility of cash so I am just going to speak from my experience on the island and my struggles getting cash. Basically, we were traveling for 6 nights, 3 on Koh Rong and the other 3 on Koh Rong Samloem.

Unfortunately, we greatly underestimated the amount of money we would need. But no worries heaps of reports online advise how easy it is to get cash out in Koh Rong, even though you do have to pay rather large fees.

Unfortunately, we had zero luck getting any cash out on Koh Rong. This may have been because we were traveling during Songkran, which is the New Year. But everyone we asked said no to getting cash out.

Luckily after some research, I found a more pricey resort we could stay at for our 3 nights in Koh Rong Samloem that would accept credit cards for our booking. This means we could use our cash to eat rather than pay for accommodation.

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Air Conditioning

Now I know I may sound bougie saying this, but like seriously sometimes I need my air conditioning. As you would imagine, being on a rather undeveloped island, having air conditioning is actually quite a luxury.

Even though you can spend your days swimming in the wonderfully warm waters and relaxing beachside. Nothing is better than coming back to an air-conditioned room, having a shower, and not immediately becoming covered in a layer of sweat immediately upon exiting.

Now, as you may have guessed, having air conditioning here is not the norm. Rather only a select few fancy hotels and resorts have this on offer.

However, if you have traveled to Southeast Asia or Cambodia staying strictly in air-conditioned rooms, then I highly recommend splurging somewhere since that also has this.

This is especially so if you cannot afford a beachfront room and perhaps are located a little further inside the island, so do not get the sea breeze.

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Which Island Has The Best Vibes?

I know “vibes” may sound silly, but seriously depending on what you are expecting will affect which island will be best for you to stay on.

Do you want a deserted island experience, a party atmosphere, or to experience a bit of the local culture?

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Deserted Island Experience

Now, if you are looking at getting away from it all, then both islands offer this. With minimal electricity, no wifi, no cell phone reception, etc.

However, you won’t find this in the main area of Koh Toch or Sacaren Bay.

Instead, you will need to transport yourself to these isolated locations where you can find these idyllic secluded bungalows for your true deserted island experience.

As Koh Rong is a rather large island, you can find plenty of places to do this kind of thing. Generally, they are also easier to get to with roads making the bays accessible and plenty of boats who will happily transfer you there for a price.

A popular spot here for this kind of experience is called Lonely Beach. Here you can find beautiful but simplistic bungalows and no wifi.

This is also an experience I have done on Koh Rong Samloem at Sunset Beach. We stayed at Sleeping Tree’s in one of their glamping tents and it was a true deserted island experience. However, we did have some luxuries, such as a good choice of nearby places to eat and very nice shared bathrooms.

This is also an awesome snorkeling beach where you can see many of the snorkeling tour boats come and visit.

However, remember that it is much harder to reach these isolated areas in Koh Rong Samloem, and you will need to either do a jungle trek with all your luggage or hire a boat.

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Party Atmosphere

Perhaps you are a younger traveler looking at partying on the beach and basically living your best life.

Well, you may be surprised both islands cater to this and more. Though this is only small areas of the island or during certain times of the month, don’t roll up expecting to find a party without doing any research.

In Koh Rong, there are two places where you will find this party atmosphere. This is either in Koh Toch, where the beach basically turns into a dance floor, or along Long Set Beach.

Personally, I would choose Long Set Beach as it is an easy walk from the main pier and one of the most incredible locations I have ever seen. The water is calm, shallow, and super warm.

Koh Rong Samloem definitely has less of a party culture than Koh Rong. You will find the occasional Full Moon Party, usually held in the jungle. Therefore, if you want somewhere to party every night, you may prefer to check out Koh Rong instead.

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Local Culture

Perhaps you may want to visit to experience some of the local cultures in Cambodia.

Well, I will be honest, these islands are set up for tourism, so you won’t find much local culture without searching for it. Though nevertheless it is around and can be found if you know where to look.

First off is Koh Rong, which is the largest of the islands and definitely has quite a lot of locals living on it. The best place to experience this is in a place called Daem Thkov Village.

However, this spot isn’t super accessible unless you have some sort of transport, such as a motorbike.

On Koh Rong Samloem, the local part is known as M’Pay Bay. This is a bit easier to get to as you can just jump on the ferry from Koh Rong to Koh Rong Samloem or visa versa, and it stops at this village.

You can also find quite a few affordable hotels and restaurants here. However, the beach at this spot isn’t nearly as spectacular as the nearby Sacaren Bay.

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What Island Has The Most Things To Do?

Now you will find both islands are more set up for relaxing beachside and enjoying swimming rather than adventure activities.

Koh Rong is definitely the island with the most things to do. This is simply because it was essentially the first popularised island and, therefore, set up for travelers a bit better.

This includes activities like scuba diving, zip lining, high rope park, paddle boarding, and jet ski rental.

In comparison, in Koh Rong Samloem, you will only really find Scuba Diving and other basic water activities.

One of the most popular things to do on both islands is to experience bioluminescence. These tours are super affordable, generally costing between $5.00- $10.00, and can be booked at the main towns of Koh Toch or Saracen Bay, depending on which island you are staying on.

Its a unique experience and pretty crazy plunging into pitch-black waters at first. However, we, and all the people on our tour, had a great time!

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FAQs About Koh Rong VS Koh Rong Samloem

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Final Thoughts: So Which Is Better, Koh Rong Or Koh Rong Samloem

Both are two beautiful islands perfect for those looking to escape the cities and see a different side of Cambodia.

Koh Rong is more developed, but it still has its rustic charm and caters to a backpacker crowd. On the other hand, Koh Rong Samloem is less crowded, and parts will give you that true deserted island experience

Regardless of which island you end up choosing, no doubt you will have an amazing experience on some of the best beaches you will ever see!

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Any Questions? Let Me Know In The Comments!

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. So, if you click on it and purchase something, I get a small percentage at no extra cost. As always, all opinions are my own, and your support is much appreciated.

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