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 Most
travelers see Koh Kong City only briefly as they pass through town
on their way to or from the Thai border crossing, but that is
gradually changing. Koh Kong Province is only just being discovered
as a destination in itself, largely unexplored and offering a wealth
of eco-tourism, adventure and beach hopping possibilities, and Koh
Kong City is the most convenient base from which to explore the
province. The City sits on Kah Bpow River about 10km from the Thai
border and is both a sleepy provincial capital and a bustling border
town. There is an international hotel and casino on the border and
the main town area boasts a number of budget guesthouses and
midrange hotels as well as a few western managed restaurants and
bars. |
GETTING
to/from KOH KONG CITY
Koh Kong may be approached directly from Thailand via
the Cham Yeam crossing, from
Sihanoukville (by road or coastal ferry)
and from
Phnom Penh and
Kampot (by road.) The road from Koh
Kong (Route #48) is fully paved, in excellent condition and all
bridges are now open. Virak-Buntham bus company offers direct
bus service between Koh Kong and
Sihanoukville,
Phnom Penh and
Kampot using comfortable full size a/c
buses. There are no flights to/from Koh Kong. Contact your
guesthouse or tour operator to help you arrange bus, ferry or taxi
tickets.
SIHANOUKVILLE to/from KOH KONG
National Route #4 (NR4) connects
Sihanouk Ville to
Phnom Penh. Road #48
runs between NR4 and Koh Kong City. Road #48 is paved and in good
condition, passing through the Cardamom Mountains and tropical
jungle. At high points on the road the jungle canopy can be seen
stretching into the distance. ‘Elephant Crossing’ signs dot the side
of the road in parts. Road #48 spans four picturesque rivers between
Koh Kong and NR4. Keep your camera ready.
Bus Several bus companies bus companies offer direct daily
bus service between Koh Kong and
Sihanouk Ville using
full size a/c buses for $6-$10/person. About 4 -5 hours duration.
Most buses depart about 8AM. Check current schedule. Virak-Buntham
and Rith Mony also offer midday buses. The bus offices are located
on Street 3 in the center of town.
Taxi Share taxi: 20,000R/person. Up to 6 passengers in one
taxi. Private taxi: $30-$35.
PHNOM PENH
to/from KOH KONG
Taxi About$60 for a private taxi.
Bus Several bus companies bus companies offer direct daily
bus service between Koh Kong and Phnom Penh using full size a/c
buses. $6-8/person. About 5 hours duration. Most buses depart around
7:45AM and another at midday.
TRAT THAILAND to/from KOH KONG
Vans from the market in Trat to the Thai border crossing at Had Lek
depart every 30 minutes or so and take about 1h30m to the border.
120 baht/person. Cambodian tourist visas are available on arrival at
the border (see page 47.) Buy your visa and get stamped in at the
immigration station and walk into Cambodia. Drivers will approach
you as soon as you come out of the immigration station. Prices into
Koh Kong City run about 100B for moto, 150 for a tuk-tuk and
250-300B for private taxi into town.
For more on international border crossings see the
Overland page.
Getting Around Koh
Kong
Motorcycle taxis (motodups) are common and priced about the same as
other Cambodian towns. Motodup drivers expect foreigners to pay
500-2000 riel for short trips in town. From the Thai border to town
is 50B though from they usually want twice that to go from town to
the border. By the day, motodups charge $5-$7. You can rent a 100 or
110cc bike through your guesthouse for about the same price. To rent
a dirt bike contact Neptune Guesthouse.
Koh
Kong Hotels and Guesthouses
Koh Kong offers a limited number but good variety of accommodations
including several very reasonably priced guesthouses, a few
mid-range places and even deluxe rooms at the Koh Kong International
Resort. The town is small and most places are as conveniently
located as any other. Touts will try to direct you to commission
paying hotels. Do not believe stories that the hotel you want to go
to is dangerous, damaged, dirty, closed, etc. Insist on being taken
to your requested hotel.
Apex Koh Kong
Range: $10 - $25
Fan and a/c rooms with CTV, DVD,
mini-bar and en suite with hot water. Pool. Restaurant serving
Khmer, Thai and western food. Laundry, travel/tour services.
On
Street 8, 150 meters from the ferry dock.
Tel: +(855)(0)16-307919
+(855)(0)89-702002
E-mail:
info@apexkohkong.com
Website:
www.apexkohkong.com
Blue Moon
Guesthouse
Range: $6 - $10
Clean, basic fan and a/c rooms with CTV
and en suite bathroom with hot water. Wifi. Bar and restaurant
serving Asian and western food: burgers, fries, sandwiches. Complete
tour services including boat trips and jungle trekking. Motorcycle
rental.
Tel: +(855)(0)16-946079
E-mail:
bluemoonkohkong@yahoo.com
4 Rivers Floating Lodge
Range: $139 (breakfast included)
Floating lodge on Koh Andet Island,
downstream the Tatai River in the Cardamom Mountains. Unique tented
floating villas with all amenities on the Tatai River in the midst
of lush, spectacular jungle mountain scenery. Large Tents with DVD,
hot water and WiFi. Gourmet restaurant/bar is serving western and
Asian food. About 30 minutes from Koh Kong town by car and boat.
VISA/MC
Tel: +(855)(0)97-6434032
+(855)(0)35-6900650
E-mail:
reservations@ecolodges.asia
Website:
www.ecolodges.asia
Koh Kong Bay Hotel
Range: $35 - $90
Superior hotel on the riverside.
Well-appointed a/c rooms with all modern amenities and the best
sunset balcony view in town. Flat screen TV with cable, DVD, stocked
mini-bar, in-room wifi. Swimming pool and poolside bar. Riverside
dining at The Bay Cafe and Restaurant.
TC
Tel: +(855)(0)77-555590
E-mail:
info@kohkongbay.com
Website:
www.kohkongbay.com
Koh Kong City Hotel
Range: $15 - $30
Large, popular, mid-range hotel right on
the riverside with a great sunset view. Clean, nicely furnished
rooms with all modern amenities including a/c, cable TV, mini-bar
and hot water. Wifi. Conference facilities.
Tel: +(855)(0)35-936777
+(855)(0)12-901902
E-mail:
kkcthotel@netkhmer.com
Website:
http://kkcthotel.netkhmer.com
Koh Kong Heritage Guesthouse
Range: $10 - $15
Brand new in-town guesthouse a couple of
blocks off the river. Clean fan and a/c rooms with CTV and en suite
with hot water. Small hotel bar. Travel information. Parking.
Tel: +(855)(0)16-999952
+(855)(0)15-955999
E-mail:
kohkong.heritage@yahoo.com
Neptune Guesthouse
Range: $10 - $30 (includes breakfast)
Affordable rustic bungalows in
traditional Khmer style, stilted wooden houses. Good to usage as a
base for trekking and river trips. Restaurant/bar serving western
and Khmer food, Motorcycle touring, Cardamom mountains, waterfall,
island, river, beach and adventure boat trips.
Located 10 minutes up the Tai Tai
River from the road
Tel:
+(855)(0)11-984512
+(855)(0)97-9253000
E-mail:
kohkongneptune@gmail.com
Paddy’s Bamboo Pub & Guesthouse
Range: $2 - $6 (dorm from $2)
Very affordable guesthouse in a
traditional-style Khmer house. Fan rooms, some with CTV.
Restaurant/bar offering cold beer, spirits and a selection of
western and Asian dishes. Travel and tours. Motorcycle rental.
150m
east of the roundabout.
Tel: +(855)(0)97-6483841
+(855)(0)15-533223
E-mail:
ppkohkong@gmail.com
Koh Kong
Restaurants
Koh Kong is a small town with maybe a couple of dozen dozen
restaurants in all, most of the places quite local, serving
Cambodian and Thai food and especially on seafood. There are but a
few foreigner places in town, most serving very good international
fare. For sunset, the riverside restaurants like Aqua Sunset and
Café Laurent are a good place for a drink or dinner. Koh Kong tends
to close early, with few places open past 10 or 11. For drinking in
the late evening check out Aqua Sunset, Dive Inn and Blue Elephant.
For very late night munchies, the noodle shop on the small traffic
circle on the main road in the center of town stays open until at
least 2:00AM.
Aqua Sunset Bar &
Café
Aptly named
riverside restaurant and bar set right on the water at river’s edge.
All newly refurbished and very nicely done. Beautiful very over the
river, pleasant river breeze, popular sunset venue. Full bar, cold
beer, good selection of spirits. Serving some very nice western and
Thai-Khmer style dishes with several fresh seafood selections.
Running sunset cruises downriver on a 50 foot boat. Charters
available.
Tel: 035-6378626
017-231583
Baan Peakmai
Popular, long-running Thai restaurant on the
main road near the center of town. Al fresco dining under thatch
roofed gazebos. Large selection of reasonably priced Thai and Asian
dishes with the emphasis on seafood. The Steamed Sea Bass in Lime
Juice is recommended. In
all the guidebooks, and deservedly so.
Café Laurent
The finest dining in town, and one of
the better restaurants on the coast of Cambodia. Comfortable,
stylish - fully air-conditioned lounge bar and river’s edge dining
gazebos with a nice breeze and a fantastic sunset view. Western,
Chinese, Khmer and seafood dishes. Pizzas, pastas, steaks, chops and
lots more mains and a very complete dessert menu including Crème Brulee and Chocolate Mousse. Coffees (espresso, cappuccino,
latte...,) teas and a full bar. Big cocktail menu, excellent
selection of spirits, concise selection of imported wines. Free
wifi.
Open Mon - Sat, 7AM till midnight.
Tel: 016-373737
Crab Shack
Local beachside seafood shack on Koh Yor Beach 8km
from town. Very reasonably priced BBQ seafood and Cambodian food.
Cold beer and soft drinks. Friendly people. Look for the ‘ Crab
Shack’ sign.
The Dive Inn
Spacious restaurant and bar on the riverfront road, offering a good
selection of nicely done international and Khmer dishes. Full bar,
cold beer, spirits and cocktails. Free pool table. Cable TV. Wifi.
Organizes boat trips, island trips, river tours. Motorcycle rental.
Tel: 099-707434
Dugout
Western food. Good western breakfasts.
Full bar. Accommodation with swimming pool. City center on the main
drag..
Neptune Guesthouse
Nice little guesthouse beer
garden/restaurant offering cold beer and a selection of
international dishes. Lots of local touring information and
assistance. Big bikes for rental.
Tel: 011-984512
Otto's
Otto’s is the original traveler’s
guesthouse and restaurant in Koh Kong, open since 1999. Balcony
restaurant in a traditional wooden Khmer house. Western and some
Asian food and several German specialties. Reasonably priced food
and drink. Lots of travel information and assistance available.
Located just off the river.
Open 6:30AM-10:00PM
Paddy’s Bamboo Pub
Cozy little bar and restaurant offering cold beer, spirits and a
selection of international dishes. Bar open late into the evening.
Lots of local touring information and assistance. Motorcycles for
rent. Two locations. One at Paddy’s Guesthouse and another
just up the street at the bar.
Tel: 097-6483841
015-533223
Koh Kong Money and
Banking
Thai baht is the preferred currency in Koh Kong City. Hotel,
restaurant, transportation and even visa prices are set in baht. US
dollars and Cambodian riel are accepted (except for visas), but
generally speaking the tough exchange rate brings a poorer value for
your dollar or riel. Moneychangers are clustered around the main
market. Be careful to get the best exchange rate. There is currently
one ATM in Koh Kong, at the ACLEDA Bank at the corner of
Street 3 and Route #48. It has Visa
card access only. Other systems may be added in the near future.
ACLEDA also offers Western Union services.
Koh Kong Internet
The Internet shop just south of Bob Bar has reliable, reasonably
priced internet. There are also a couple of internet shops on Street
2 near the intersection with the river road. Asean Hotel has
an internet cafe. Dugout Hotel also offers internet for
guests.
Things to Do and See in
Koh Kong
Koh Kong is, in many ways, a largely new and unexplored destination.
The heavily jungled Cardamom Mountain range and rugged rivers to the
northeast, and the unexplored coast and island beaches to the south
offer a number of eco-tourism and beach hopping possibilities. The
most popular local destinations are nearby waterfalls and beaches,
as well as the casino and Safari World at the Thai border. But there
is potentially much more to see and do in Koh Kong province.
Eco-adventures include touring the unique nearby mangrove forests
and boating further upstream to spectacular waterfalls, rapids and
jungle trekking. Or boating the opposite direction to secluded
tropical beaches on the coast and nearby Koh Kong Island. Other
possibilities include jungle trekking and overnighters and 4WD/dirt
bike excursion into the Cardamom Mountains.
Tour and Dive Operators
Blue Moon
General Koh Kong tours services with the
emphasis on boat trip and tours and jungle trekking. Located at Blue
Moon Guesthouse.
Tel: +(855)(0)16-946079
Paddy’s Bamboo Pub
& Guesthouse
All tour and transportation
arrangements. Trekking, boating, day tours, etc. Motorcycle rental.
Visas
Tel: +(855)(0)97-6483841
+(855)(0)15-533223
ppkohkong@gmail.com
Beaches and Islands
There are a couple of beaches within easy driving distance of the
main town area. Nearest, the Resort 2000 on the opposite side of
river is popular with the locals and has a restaurant by the water,
bungalows and a muddy little beach. To get there, cross the Koh Kong
Bridge from town, turn left on a dirt road at the intersection and
proceed to a marked turnoff. Koh Yor Beach near Ba Blong Village on
the ocean is much better - a long, narrow, secluded, white sand
beach with a few little ocean side seafood shacks including the
family-run Crab Shack - cold drinks, seafood and more. To get
to Koh Yor Beach continue south on the dirt road past Resort 2000
for about 10 minutes to the ocean.
The island of Koh Koh Khoa in the Gulf of Thailand about 45 minutes
boat ride from Koh Kong City has several unspoiled completely
untouristed white sand beaches. Reportedly, the boat should cost
2000 baht. Some guesthouses and restaurants including Oasis Resort
and
Neptune Guesthouse can organize picnic/snorkeling trip to
the island..
Koh Kong Pepper
Plantation Cambodian pepper has been
renowned for more than a century as some of the world’s finest, most
grown in Kampot. Comparatively new pepper farms are growing black,
white and red peppers in Koh Kong province as well, including the
Kurata Pepper farms at the foot of the Cardamom Mountains in Koh
Kong Province, Sre Ambel commune. Visitors are welcome to the farms.
Call 023-726480 to make arrangements to visit. Located 2km west of
the Road #48, Sre Ambel Bridge. Look for the sign.
Koh Kong Safari World
Full fledged animal theme park complete with animal shows and a
small zoological park displaying tigers, bears, ostriches, deer and
several other species from around the world. Regularly scheduled
dolphin shows, crocodile feedings, tiger shows, orangutan shows and
bird shows. There is a show of some sort every hour or so all day
long. Though some of the shows may not be to everyone's taste, by
local standards the animals have the appearance of being fairly well
fed and cared for. Restaurant and beach. Fun place to take the kids.
Open everyday. Busy on the holidays. Located 500m from the border
crossing, near the Koh Kong Resort.
Waterfalls
Koh Kong is rich with waterfalls and rapids. The rugged rivers that
run down from the Cardamom Mountains harbor spectacular jungled
falls, some near to town, others farther upstream. Many of the falls
are but a trickle in the dry season and best visited in the wet
season. The Ta Tai Waterfalls are the nearest to town and most
popular local falls, sitting close to the main road about 20km to
the east. The falls are wide and two-leveled with a drop of about
6m, set in a jungle gorge and falls over rapids. Others such as the
Koh Por Falls, Tuo Kokir Rapids and impressive jungle gorge Kbal
Chhay Falls sit father upriver within daytrip distance.
Last updated 12/2011
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