The city of Sihanoukville is located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand in Cambodia and boasts some of the best beaches in the country. Enjoy the beaches while sunbathing, swimming, nightlife or playing in the water as there is something for everyone here. The city’s markets are also a popular destination for tourists, and there is a national park a short distance from the city. Sihanoukville is also a popular jumping off point for Cambodian islands such as Koh Rong, the country’s second largest island. Known for its beaches, caves and coral reefs, Koh Rong will allow you to enjoy more beach but also nightlife. In addition, in the interior of the island there are dense jungles and places where you can go zip-lining. This article will tell you how to get from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong.
Speedboat between Sihanoukville and Koh Rong © Tonkinphotography / Shutterstock.com
Travel options from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong
Transport options from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong are quite limited as the island does not have an airport. Therefore, you will have to come by ferry from the mainland. There are many ferries every week and the time it takes to get there is quite short. As the crow flies, it is only 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong, and the island lies northwest of the city. There are two ways to get to Koh Rong by water: fast ferry and fast boat.
Fast ferry and fast boat from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong
Serendipity Beach Pier, Sihanoukville © Quang nguyen vinh / Shutterstock.com
Ferries and fast boats from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong depart from Sihanoukville Harbor, which is located south of the city at one end of Serendipity Beach and is easily accessible. Boats depart throughout the day, starting at 8:00 AM and departing approximately every two hours. The last fast ferry leaves at 16:00 and the last fast boat leaves at 17:00.
Although they are advertised as a fast ferry and a fast boat, both boats are basically the same. These are small ships, not a large ship as you might imagine hearing the word ferry. Both move at high speed, which makes the journey quite bumpy.
There are several companies that operate these ferries from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong and tickets for two of them can be purchased through the travel website 12Go.asia. GTVC Speedboat is one of them. Ironically, although the company’s name includes the word “speedboat”, it actually operates fast ferries. The other company is Buva Sea Cambodia which claims to use fast boats. After all, using one type of boat won’t affect you too much, as both the fast boats and the fast ferries from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong take about the same amount of time.
The length of the trip may be affected by sea conditions as the boat will have to travel at a lower speed in case of waves. Not all schedules have the same arrival point. Both companies give you the opportunity to reach various places on Koh Rong, such as Thansur Beach, Long Set Beach, Koh Tock Beach or Coconut Beach, so the navigation time can vary from 35 minutes to one hour and 15 minutes.
If you book online through 12Go, you will be able to search for all ferries from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong on the day you want to travel and you will see different options. Take a look at the arrival locations so you can choose the one closest to your hotel in Koh Rong. The price varies slightly depending on where you arrive, but it’s only a few euros, so it’s worth spending a little more to get to the area you’re staying and not worrying about finding a taxi.
On 12Go, you’ll be able to see customer reviews of various transportation services, so you can get to know other travelers’ experiences about the boat, service, and trip before making a decision.