The Best of Cambodia & Laos

166
SOUTHERN CAMBODIA
8
KOH KONG
WHERE TO STAY & DINE
The Champa Koh Kong Guesthouse (St. 1 north of the ferry dock; & 035/393-912;
$7–$17) is a good riverside option. They also have a restaurant and organize tours and
scuba diving. The Asian Hotel (riverfront; & 035/936-667; $15–$20 double) is a new
riverfront hotel offering clean, large air-conditioned rooms with all the amenities. Rooms
have cable TV, minibar, and en suite bathroom, most with hot water. It has some rooms
with a balcony overlooking the river. The restaurant next door serves Khmer, Thai, and
Western food. The Bopha Koh Kong Hotel (off the riverfront very near the Sihanoukville
ferry dock; & 016/350-123; $5–$20 double) is a newish hotel offering large air-conditioned
rooms with cable TV, fridge, and en suite bathroom with hot water. The restaurant
serves Khmer, Thai, and Chinese dishes. The rooms are very clean, though the lurid nylon
bedspreads might give you a headache. They organize tours to surrounding beaches and
mangrove forests. The Dugout Hotel (St. 1; & 016/650-325; $6–$12 double) is a popular
full-service guesthouse, bar, and restaurant with both fan and air-conditioned rooms.
They also have a restaurant, swimming pool, and Internet access, and they organize tours.
The Koh Kong City Hotel (St. 1; & 012/901-902; $15–$35 double) is a large, comfortable,
new, midrange hotel right on the riverside with a great sunset view of the river and
Koh Kong Bridge. It offers clean, nicely furnished rooms with all-modern amenities
including A/C, cable TV, minibar, and hot water. There is Internet access in the lobby and
a riverside seafood restaurant serving Khmer, Thai, and Chinese food.
A short way outside of Koh Kong lies the ecoresort Rainbow Lodge (20km/12 miles
south of Koh Kong on National Rte. 48; & 012/160-2585; www.rainbowlodge
cambodia.com; $35–$80 double). You can reach it only by boat after driving 20km (12
miles) along the road to Phnom Penh and then taking a 10-minute boat trip upriver.
Buses run from Phnom Penh to the nearby town of Tatai; see their website for further
directions. It is set in peaceful surroundings right in the Cardomom Mountains. Here
you can experience firsthand the sights and sounds of the jungle from the comfort of a
traditional Khmer-style bungalow. Kayaks and rowboats are available for guests free of
charge and all meals are included in the tariff. You can book either via e-mail or by phone
and they will send a boat to pick you up when you arrive.
All the guesthouses and hotels in Koh Kong double up as restaurants. In addition,
Baan Peakmai (St. 6; & 035/393-906; main courses $2; daily 7am–10pm) is a pleasant
Thai-style garden restaurant serving good seafood. The Sauna Garden Bar (St. 3; & 015/
601-633; main courses $2; daily 7am–10pm) is a similar operation. Bob’s Bar (St. 9;
& 016/326-455; main courses $2; daily 9am–10pm) is Australian owned and serves a
range of Western dishes. Sunset Bar (St. 1; & 016/326-455; daily 8am–9pm) is tucked
down an alleyway and is on the water’s edge. As its name suggests, it is a good place to
watch the sun sinking to the west. The Riverfront Restaurant (St. 1; & 011/943-497;
main courses $3–$4.50; daily 7am–9pm) offers similarly fantastic views, this time
accompanied by excellent Thai soup enjoyed in a shaded sala.
WHAT TO SEE & DO
Koh Kong is very much a fresh destination as far as tourism is concerned, as it shakes off
its shady past. The thickly jungled nearby Cardamom Mountains and rivers to the
northeast, and the beaches and islands to the south, are presenting brand-new opportunities
for eco-tourism. The waterfalls and beaches may soon supplant the casinos as the
primary attraction for foreigners staying here. Eco-tours include treks in the nearby
mangrove forests or taking a boat upstream to spectacular waterfalls. Alternatively, you