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 Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh. Road #48 runs between NR4 and Koh Kong City. Road #48 is now complete and in very 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 Sihanoukville 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. In Koh Kong the bus offices are located on Street 3 in the center of town. In Sihanoukville the office is located at the bus station.

Taxi 40,000R/person for a share taxi or $60 for a private taxi.

Coastal Ferry Since the completion of the road ferry service been suspended.

PHNOM PENH to/from KOH KONG

Taxi 500 baht per person for a share taxi or 3000 baht 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. Buy ticket through your guesthouse/hotel.

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.

4-Rivers Floating Eco-Lodge Range

Range: $120 (breakfast included)

New eco-lodge on Koh Andet island, up the Tatai River in the Cardamom Mountains. Unique tented floating villas with all amenities and a floating swimming pool on the Tatai River amongst spectacular jungle mountain scenery. Villas with CTV, DVD, hot water and wifi. Gourmet restaurant/bar serving western and Asian food. About an hour from town by car and boat.

Visa/MC
Tel: 017-240859
E-mail: reservation@ecolodges.asia
Website: www.ecolodges.asia

Apex Koh Kong

Range: $10 - $25

Offering fan and a/c rooms with CTV, DVD, mini-bar and en suite with hot water. Swimming pool. Restaurant serving Khmer, Thai and western food. Laundry, travel/t 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

Koh Kong City Hotel

Range: $15 - $35

Large, comfortable, new, mid-range hotel right on the riverside with a great sunset view of the river and Koh Kong Bridge. Clean, nicely furnished rooms with all modern amenities including a/c, cable TV, mini-bar and hot water. Internet access in the lobby. Conference facilities. Riverside seafood restaurant serving Khmer, Thai and Chinese fare.

Tel: +(855) (0)12-901902

Tel/Fax: +(855) (0)35-936777
E-mail: 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

Koh Kong Resort

Range: $35 - $150

Hotel, casino, entertainment complex near the border. The hotel is the best in the area offering superior, well-appointed rooms, suites and bungalows. Swimming pool, fitness centre, sauna, steam. Full casino, restaurants, bars and shopping. 2km beach. Water sports. The hotel restaurant serves some of the best Thai food in Koh Kong. Right next door, Koh Kong Safari World, zoo and animal shows. Located 200 meters Thai/Cambodian border.

Visa/MC
Tel: 016-700970

012-779033
Fax: 012-456507
E-mail: info@kohkongresort.com
Website: www.kohkongresort.com

Oasis Resort

Range: $25

Family-oriented resort offering spacious, stylish bungalows with a/c, cable TV, DVD, mini-bar and en suite bathroom with hot water. Swimming pool with a beautiful mountain view. Comfortable, complete restaurant and bar serving western, Thai, Khmer food. Offering local excursions to the mangrove forests, waterfalls, dolphin watching, secluded beaches and more. Located in a quiet, scenic area about one kilometer out from the downtown area.
Tel: +(855) (0)16-331556

+(855) (0)92-228342
E-mail: oasisresort@netkhmer.com
Website: http://oasisresort.netkhmer.com  

Neptune Guesthouse
Range: $3-$6

Well-known, well-established guesthouse in a traditional-style Khmer house with clean, very reasonably priced fan rooms. Nice little beer garden/restaurant out back offering cold beer and a selection of international dishes. Lots of local touring information and assistance. Big bikes for rental. Motorcycle touring, Cardamom mountains, waterfall, island, river, beach and adventure boat trips.
Tel: +(855) (0)11-984512

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 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. Steamed fish in lime juice is recommended. In all the guidebooks, and deservedly so.

Blue Elephant Bar, sports TVs, cold beer, spirits and cocktails. Open in the evening. Often the latest open in town.

Café Laurent  Easily some of the finest dining in Koh Kong City, and one of the better restaurants on the coast of Cambodia. Comfortable, stylish restaurant and bar offering air-conditioned dining and in river’s edge gazebos with 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 best stocked bar in town. Big cocktail menu, excellent selection of spirits, concise selection of imported wines. Free wifi. Open M - 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..

Fat Sam’s

Western food. Full bar. Cold beer. Excellent coffee. Lots of information. Friendly. .

Koh Kong Resort

Casino/hotel complex. Full casino - Baccarat, Black Jack, Poker, Roulette and slots. Offering several different dining venues, with the focus on seafood, Thai, Chinese and international. Serving some of the best Thai food in Koh Kong

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

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 brand new, largely 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 scenery. Or go on a multi-day 4WD or dirt bike excursion into the Cardamom Mountains. For secluded tropical beaches, take a boat trip to isolated coastal and island beaches for a relaxing afternoon. And there is now a proper scuba outfitter in town (Koh Kong Divers) offering PADI courses and scuba diving trips to local islands and reefs. Most of the guesthouses and hotels can offer advice and organize tours, at least to the nearby destinations. Oasis Resort, Koh Kong Divers and Neptune Guesthouse specialize in various eco and adventure tours.

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.

Scuba Diving

Koh Kong Divers

Koh Kong’s first PADI scuba diving operation, offers PADI courses (Fun Dives and Beginner through Professional courses) and scuba diving trips to local island and reefs as well as multi day excursions. Also offering snorkeling and island tours, waterfall trips, jungle adventures and more. Office located on the riverfront road next to the Koh Kong Guesthouse.

Tel: +(855) (0)17-502784.

E-mail: info@kohkongdivers.com 

Website: www.kohkongdivers.com 


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 05/10