GETTING to/from KOH KONG CITY

Koh Kong may be approached directly from Thailand via the Cham Yeam crossing (see page 37), from Sihanouk Ville (by road or coastal ferry) and from Phnom Penh (by road.) It is also possible to travel directly to/from Kampot by road, though it is usually done via Sihanouk Ville. There are no flights to Koh Kong. Contact your guesthouse or tour operator to help you arrange tickets/transport.

The road trip to/from both Sihanouk Ville and Phnom Penh follow Route #48 from Koh Kong to National Route #4 and National Route #4 north to Phnom Penh or south to Sihanouk Ville. Route #48 provides a picturesque road trip through the jungled Cardamom Mountains. The road is in good condition but two bridges are still under construction, requiring ferrying across the rivers. Depending on traffic, the wait for each ferry can take from 10 minutes to more than an hour. Large buses that ply this road often require the passengers to change vehicles at each river ferry crossing.

From/To Sihanoukville: From Sihanouk Ville, you can travel to/from Koh Kong by road or coastal ferry.

Koh Kong to/from Sihanouk Ville by road
Picturesque road trip through the jungled Cardamom Mountains. Construction on the road is nearing completion and most is in good condition. Short, unfinished sections of road near the bridges can be very rough, especially in the wet season. Four bridges are still incomplete, requiring ferrying across the rivers. Depending on traffic, the wait for each ferry can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Two of the new bridges should open in the very near future.
Van: 600B/person; Taxi: 500B/person (5-8 hours)

Koh Kong to/from Sihanouk Ville by ferry
Small bullet ferries run daily in both directions between Sihanouk Ville and Koh Kong. The trip takes about 4 hours. US$20 for foreigners. There are occasional cancellations due to adverse weather during the rainy season.

From Koh Kong to Sihanouk Ville: Departs at 8:00am everyday. The ferry dock is located on the riverfront in Koh Kong City, 500m south of the Koh Kong Bridge.

From Sihanouk Ville to Koh Kong: Departs at 9:30AM everyday from the ‘Port of Passenger Ship’, near the main Port. (The departure time recently changed from noon to 9:30AM. Double check the departure time with your guesthouse.)

To/From Phnom Penh

Taxis: 500 baht per person for a share taxi or 3000 baht for a private taxi.

Bus: Virak Buntham Express Travel bus company run daily a/c buses between Koh Kong and Phnom Penh. Departure around 7AM. Check current schedule at the bus office, in Koh Kong on Street 3 in town and in Phnom Penh on Street 106 just off the riverfront. (Tel: 012-322302)

From/To Trat Thailand: Vans from the market in Trat to the Thai border crossing at Had Lek depart every 40 minutes or so and take about 1h30m to the border. 110 baht/person. Cambodian tourist visas are available on arrival at the border. Buy your visa and get stamped in at the immigration station and walk into Cambodia. Drivers will approach you as soon as you cross the border. Prices into Koh Kong City run 50B for moto or shared taxi and 200B 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
oh 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.

Asean Hotel

Range: $10 - $20

B/FRF Clean, new riverfront hotel offering clean, large air-conditioned rooms with all amenities. Cable TV, mini-bar, IDD, en suite bathroom, most with hot water. Some rooms with balcony overlooking the river. Internet cafe sand overseas calls. Restaurant next door serving Khmer, Thai and western food. Located on the riverfront road just south of the bridge, 100 meters from the ferry dock.
Tel: +(855) (0)12-936 667

+(855) (0)35-936667
E-mail: aseanhotel@netkhmer.com
Website: http://aseanhotel.netkhmer.com 

Bopha Koh Kong Hotel

Range: $5 - $20

B/FRF Newish hotel offering large air-conditioned rooms with cable TV, fridge and en suite bathroom with hot water. Restaurant serving Khmer, Thai and Chinese dishes. Conference/banquet facilities. Located 150 meters from the Sihanouk Ville Ferry dock on Street 6.
Tel: +(855) (0)16-937799, +(855) (0)11-741040
Fax: +(855) (0)35-936073
E-mail: bpkhotel@netkhmer.com
Website: http://bpkhotel.netkhmer.com

The Dugout Hotel
Range: B150 - B500

B/FRF Popular, full service guesthouse, bar and restaurant. Fan and air-conditioned rooms with all amenities. Swimming pool. Free internet for guests. Travel and tour services. Lots of local travel information. Good restaurant and bar offering western, Khmer and Thai food.
Tel: +(855) (0)16-650325, +(855) (0)35-936220
E-mail: thedugouthotel@yahoo.com

Koh Kong City Hotel

Range: $15 - $35

FRF 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 International Resort Club

Range: $45 - $190

FRF Hotel, casino, entertainment complex near the border. Superior hotel rooms, suites and bungalows, all with a/c, cable TV, mini-bar, IDD, wall to wall carpeting, en suite bathroom with hot water. Swimming pool (standard and children pool), fitness centre, sauna, steam. Tennis courts. Casino and slots. 2km beach. Water sports. Restaurant. Koh Kong Safari World with animals and animal shows.

Located on the Cambodian side, 200 meters from the border.

Tel: +(855) (0)16-800811
+(6639) 588173 (in Thailand)
Fax: +(6639) 588195 (in Thailand)

Koh Kong Riverside

Range: $3 - $12

B/FRF Popular guesthouse, restaurant and bar on the riverfront not far from the ferry dock. Offering a variety of fan and a/c rooms, some with cable TV, attached bath and hot water. All tourist services including extensive transportation services. Regular vans and transportation from the border to Sihanoukville, Bangkok, Pattaya, Ko Chang and Ko Samet. Located on the river road a few hundred meters north of the Sihanouk Ville Ferry dock. Tel: +(855) (0)16-823221
E-mail: viraksour@yahoo.com 

Oasis Resort

Range: $20

SRF 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  

Otto's

Range: $3-$8

B/FRF Koh Kong's original guesthouse and restaurant. Traditional Khmer stilted wooden house. Fan and a/c rooms, cable TV, fridge. Balcony restaurant offering good, reasonably priced western and some Asian dishes. Lots of travel information and assistance available. Tickets, transportation and more.

Located just off the riverfront 50 meters from the Sihanouk Ville Ferry dock.

Tel: +(855) (0)12-924249

Neptune Guesthouse
Range: $3-$5

BRF 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

Rainbow Lodge
Range: $30 - $55

FRF Ecolodge set on 5 hectares of riverside land in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings of the Cardamom mountains on a river in Tatai, a small community 20kms from Koh Kong Town. A 10 minute boat trip from the road brings you to the Rainbow Lodge. Guests can experience first hand the sights and sounds of the jungle, whilst in the comfort and safety of traditional Khmer style bungalows. The Rainbow Lodge aims to provide an ecofriendly venue for guests, employment and training for the local community, whilst respecting local culture and environment. Kayaks and rowboats available guests free of charge. All meals included in price.
E-mail: therainbowlodge@netkhmer.com
Website: http://greenescape.netkhmer.com
Tel: +(855) (0)12-1602585, +(855) (0)99-744321

Koh Kong Restaurants
These days there are a number of decent restaurants in town. Cambodian and Thai food are most common and there are also several guesthouses and bar/restaurants serving western dishes. The fresh seafood is particularly good in Koh Kong. For sunset, the riverside restaurants and bars are a good place for a drink or dinner. Very late evening, the noodle shop on the small traffic circle on the main road in the center of town stays open until at least 2:00AM.

Baan Peakmai

Popular Thai restaurant on the main road near the center of town. Covered, open-air seating. Large selection of reasonably priced Thai and Asian dishes. Some English spoken.

Tel: +(855) (0)11-653321

Barracuda Beach Bar Oceanside seafood shack and bar on the secluded Koh Yor Beach 8km from town. Serving seafood, western dishes, cold beer and drinks and good music. From the people at Koh Kong Divers, offering PADI scuba courses, island tours, waterfall trips, adventure camping trips and more. Tel: +(855) (0)17-502784

Bob Bar Welcoming little western managed restaurant and bar in the downtown area. Good selection of reasonably priced, nicely prepared western and Thai dishes - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Full bar, cold beer and one of the better selection of spirits in town. Pool table. Breezy curbside seating.

Bopha Koh Kong Restaurant Hotel restaurant serving Khmer, Thai and Chinese food with the emphasis on seafood. Banquet and meeting facilities for up to 100pax.
Tel: +(855) (0)16-937799.

The Dugout Hotel Western managed guesthouse, bar and restaurant in the center of town, offering a good selection of western, Khmer and Thai dishes. Full bar - beer, spirits, cocktails and wine. Lots of travel information. Travel and tour services. 7AM-Late.
Tel: +(855) (0)16-650325, +(855) (0)35-936220

Koh Kong City Hotel Restaurant Riverside seafood restaurant at the Koh Kong City Hotel. Dine in individual dining gazebos at the river’s edge with a brilliant sunset view. Serving moderately priced Khmer, Thai and Chinese food with the emphasis on seafood.
Tel: +(855) (0)12-901902

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: +(855) (0)11-984512

Otto's

Otto’s is the original traveler’s restaurant in Koh Kong. Balcony restaurant in a traditional wooden Khmer house. Western and some Asian food and several German specialties. Goulash, Cordon Bleu, Pork Roast, etc. Reasonably priced food and drink. Lots of travel information and assistance available.

Located just off the river 50 meters from the Sihanouk Ville Ferry Dock. Open 6:30AM-10:00PM

Tel: +(855) (0)12-924249

Pun Pun Restaurant Popular local restaurant on the main street in the center of town. Serving Khmer and some Thai food. Lots of seafood dishes. Good food. Reasonable prices. Very little English is spoken but they do have a menu in English. Pleasant streetside patio dining area.

Rock Garden Restaurant Spectacular riverside location just outside town - large thatch roofed platforms set on the water with a picturesque view of the jungle, river and mountains. Offering primarily Khmer and Chinese food including some seafood dishes. Also a very nice sunset venue.

Sunset Bar Aptly named riverside bar set right on the water at river’s edge. Excellent view, pleasant river breeze, popular sunset venue. Full bar, cold beer, good selection of spirits. Some western and Khmer food. Booking for boat trips to the island, fishing trips, trips upriver to the waterfalls, etc.

Western Karaoke - Peter’s Bar

Aptly named, Peter at Western Karaoke offers a full selection of western/English-language karaoke. Cold beer and spirits.

Located on Street 3 near several other karaoke places

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 are no ATMs in Koh Kong City. ACLEDA Bank next to the main market has Western Union. 

Koh Kong Internet
The Internet shop opposite The Blue Moon Guesthouse has reliable, reasonably priced internet. Asean has an internet cafe. The Dugout Hotel offers free 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, not to mention 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 few 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 oceanside seafood shacks including the Barracuda Beach Bar run by the people from Koh Kong Divers - cold drinks, seafood and western food, music, PADI diving courses 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 1600-1700baht. Some guesthouses including Oasis Resort and Neptune Guesthouse can organize picnic/snorkeling trip to the island.

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, bird shows and orangutan boxing. Restaurant and beach. 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. Open everyday. Located 500m from the border crossing.

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. Koh Kong Divers report excellent visibility and frequent Black Tip and Grey Reef Shark sightings. Also offering snorkeling and island tours, waterfall trips, jungle adventures and more. Office located on the riverfront road next to the Koh Kong Guesthouse. Can also be contacted through the Barracuda Beach Bar on Koh Yor Beach. Tel: 017-502784. 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 04/08