How Long To Spend on Koh Rong?

This depends on your travel style and how much time you have in Cambodia! 

2 days / 1 night - able to "see a few highlights" but you'll spend a lot of time on the ferry

3 days / 2 nights - able to "see most highlights" but you may not have a lot of down time on the beach 

4 days / 3 nights - sweet spot for "seeing most things" and getting to relax and enjoy paradise

5 days / 4 nights - you'll probably "see everything" and get to try out multiple beaches/sunsets/activities/day trips

6+ days - you're going to have a really great trip 😁

We stayed for 7 days / 6 nights. We were able to try out most of the activities on the island and we got a lot of relaxing and writing in, as well as plenty of adventure. We got to travel all over the island and had a really beautiful trip.

Where To Stay in Koh Rong (Budget Accommodation)

Did you know - we have a whole page dedicated to our favourite accommodations in Cambodia!

Koh Rong - Lily's Beach Bungalows, Bar & Restaurant & Lonely Beach

Owned by the same woman as the Riverside House, these are beach bungalows situated directly on Lonely Beach - a popular beach for sunsets. During the rest of the day though, there are very few visitors here! It's also $20 per night for a secluded beach bungalow. Romantic and budget - this is the two for one deal!

This is a harder one to get to - only accessible by scooter/motorbike, and you'll be driving on soft sand to get there. Go slow and be careful. You could probably get a taxi scooter to take you there, but if you're hiring your own scooter you'll want to have one scooter per person so that there's space to bring your bags without overcrowding and unbalancing the bike. 

Google Maps in Cambodia is highly inaccurate - and getting here is no exception. We met quite a few people who were unsure how to get there. Whenever you're travelling somewhere without accurate road information, simply switch your maps into Satellite View. Make sure you download your map offline before leaving reception, and then check in with the satellite image to verify your location if you're unsure. There is signage the whole way, but some of the signs are easy to miss. 

The road takes you up to 100m from the beach. There's a few spots on the road where we saw people had parked earlier, including an area labelled "parking" and a woman with a makeshift shop - just keep driving until you're sure you've hit the end of the trail, you'll know when you're there. 

Below you can see how the map looks if you input the location on the standard map. However, if you switch to satellite view you can clearly see the path that leads all the way to Lonely Beach and the bungalows. 

Lily's beach bungalows - pictured below:

#2 Lonely Beach (Lily's Beach Bungalows, Bar & Restaurant)

This one is a bit harder to get to, which puts it in at #2. You need your own bike to get here, or to find an enthusiastic Grab motorbike that is willing to take you. GoogleMaps directions will not get you there, so scroll up the page to "Koh Rong - Lily's Beach Bungalows, Bar & Restaurant & Lonely Beach", there are full instructions on how to find this hidden gem. 

Lonely Beach is a beautiful sunset going over the headland. There is a bar there where you can get cocktails delivered to you straight on the beach. If your accommodation is on the southern end of the island, do be wary that you'll be driving back in the dark and that it can take 30 minutes to get across the island. As most hire helmets will have scratched visors, make sure you have your own clear frame glasses so that you can drive safely and with full visibility on the drive back. You should never drive a motorbike/scooter without eye protection as flies and stones can flick into your eyes - which could make you serve dangerously or damage your vision. 

What to Do in Koh Rong?

Nestival - The Best Weekly Backpacker Party in Koh Rong

Every Saturday night, Nest Beach Hostel hosts a beach party called Nestival. It starts at 12pm and goes through until the late hours of the night. There's free unlimited beer from 1-3pm and three stages full of DJs. At 3pm they do "Beach Olympics", at 8pm there's a Fire Show, and at 9:30pm they do Fire Limbo. 

Tickets are USD$13.75 when purchased online or USD$15 when purchased at the door. This includes entrance, a free shirt, free beer from 1-3pm, and a free drink for any time during the night. Alternatively, if you're staying at Nest Beach Hostel, your ticket is free - Nest usually charges USD$25 for a dormitory on Saturdays and books out in advance. 

The event is very much geared towards foreigners. There are very few locals who attend this and it is not a local secret. If you want to dance though, this is your place. 

***DJs and Fire Performers - How To Apply to Perform***

DJs can apply to play at Nestival by contacting the venue - recommended at least a month in advance as they tend to publish their lineups four weeks ahead of time. 

Fire Performers are welcome to join the fire show each night if you bring your own props. You'll need to get in a few hours before the show and ask to speak to the manager on duty (go to where they sell tokens, this is your best bet). They'll connect you with the guys running the fire show. The show doesn't start at 8pm sharp and may be later depending on the day. Warning - there is very little safety. You'll be fire spinning right on the beach and using petrol - there's no paraffin/kerosene/citronella or fuel alternatives on the island unless you bring them yourself from the mainland. Nonetheless, we had a great spin and it was a lot of fun to be a part of!