Why Visit The Southern Islands?

A tropical haven lies off the southern coastline of Cambodia and is yet to be taken over entirely by mass tourism, remaining far less known than the famous islands of its neighbour, Thailand. There’s an island for every traveller, from the high-end resorts on the small, private islands to simple bungalow and backpacker accommodation on the larger ones with nightlife and many sandy beaches. Come to Cambodia’s southern islands for quiet beaches, jungle trekking, total relaxation, fresh seafood, memorable sunsets and top quality accommodation. While they may be changing and development is happening amongst big-name hotel brands, they remain a quiet and peaceful paradise.

The islands are shrouded in jungle, lined with soft sand, and in the evenings if you are lucky, you may even spot bioluminescent plankton along the shores. A beautiful place to purely escape for some relaxation, you can while away your time swimming and snorkelling, chilling out on the beach, island hopping, exploring the island of your choice or enjoying time in your resort or bungalow.

They’re quite a popular destination amongst backpackers, with many of the islands like Koh Rong, Koh Rong Sanloem and Koh Ta Kiev providing affordable bungalow-style accommodation. Koh Rong is where most of the action happens, attracting backpackers and party-goers with its nightlife, though there are parts of the island that are still quiet and local. An alternative option is the quieter Koh Rong Sanloem, great for travellers seeking smaller accommodation options like wooden bungalows with thatched roofs right on the sand.

Song Saa Private Island was the first of the luxury resorts in the region. Providing a castaway-style barefoot luxury experience, Song Saa covers two small islands and is located in a marine reserve. Several of the islands have now been developed into larger-scale resorts by luxury hotel brands, such as the Six Senses on the private Krabey Island and Alila Villas on Koh Russey.

Head to the islands between November and April for prime, dry weather conditions as the skies are blue and the rainy season has cleared.