With its twisted buildings, dusty streets and chaotic life, Cambodian cities are full of adventures, but Cambodia is much more than that. Now I will take you to the island named KohRong Sanloem in the Gulf of Thailand, a little far from the shores of Cambodia, waiting to be discovered with its nature and calm life.
Sanloem island is a special island for me because I spent about 6-7 months on this island. The easiest way to reach the island is by speed boats from Sihanoukville city. Sanloem is one of the few islands you can reach by boat from Sihanoukville city, so make sure you buy a ticket to the right place when buying a ticket.As you approach the island, you will see that you are heading towards a small bowl-shaped bay.As you enter the bay, Saracenbay will welcome you with its 2.5 km long white beach.
The small roofs of the wooden structures among the tall tropical trees will start to appear and then the boat- with its black exhaust fumes- will dock at a pier that is old but still standing stubbornly in its place. At this point, keep your eyes open while waiting for your bag or you may see a Cambodian sailor throwing your bag towards a pile of other bags. I lost a couple of small bags here that I didn’t secure properly to my backpack. Once you have your bag, it’s time to explore SaracanBay, the busiest beach on the island. There are about 25 businesses on this huge beach, the width of which varies depending on the tide period. Although the vast majority of these are suitable for the natural structure of the island, new buildings have unfortunately brought concrete.
November to April is known as the dry season and it is also the high season in terms of tourism. Although some days can be windy, in general you will spend your day with warm weather and a blue sky.As for the wet season, May to October is defined as the wet season. Although not with the same intensity during all these months, especially in August, Sanloem island receives a serious rainfall. To be honest, depending on your lifestyle during the low season period with heavy rainfall, you either become an alcoholic or a philosopher.
There are many activities you can do on the island, diving is one of them. You can find my article on this blog in the section about diving.
If you don’t want to dive, you can kayak, hike around the island or take a trip to the other bays of the island such as Lazy Beach, M’pai Bay, Sunset Beach or the Lighthouse. If you want to spend the night here, choose a dark night when there is no moonlight. When you look from the shore, you can have a pleasant sleep in the calm view of the stars combined with the dotted lights of the fishing boat anchored offshore.
Like most tourist destinations in South Asia, there is a colorful nightlife here, but it is a bit quieter compared to KohRong Island. You can have fun in many locations along the beach and watch the fire shows that are now a South Asian standard. Don’t weigh down your bag by taking make-up or flashy night clothes with you because there is a low-key life on the island. I don’t remember even using slippers during the months I was on the island, except when I went to the mainland.
If you like collecting souvenirs, you can find a few small places on the island. Don’t forget to bring cash with you because some small businesses don’t accept cards and there is no bank on the island where you can withdraw money. If you are ever in Sanloeme, don’t forget to have a beer for me. I hope you enjoyed it.
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