Where to Stay On Koh Rong Island Cambodia, 2025 Budget Edition
A complete overview of the best beaches and budget accommodations
Koh Rong Island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Cambodia and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve spent three out of my four-week visa here. In my defense, this is the sixth month of my Southeast Asia trip and I’ve been constantly on the move since day one so I needed a vacation. From vacation. (Is that a thing?)
Let’s start with the most important information - “Koh Rong” actually refers to two separate islands so pay attention to that when booking accommodation. Don’t be me and accidentally reserve a bungalow on the wrong one.
Throughout my three weeks on Koh Rong - the main, northern island, I visited every corner of it and I’m happy to share my experience as a low-budget traveler. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to visit Koh Rong Samloem, due to the disastrous state of my bank account at this point of the trip.
Getting To Koh Rong Island
Easy but surprisingly expensive. Even though the ferry from Sihanoukville port only takes 45 minutes the price for a return ticket starts at 28$ and can go as high as 150$ depending on the company, time of the year, availability, etc.
There are three ferry companies, that operate this route, Island Speed Ferry, Speed Ferry Cambodia, and GTVCS Speedboat. You can buy your tickets online, at least with Island Speed Ferry, but try to do it in advance, cause it’s not always possible to book a ticket for the next day.
My tip is to try organizing it with your hostel/guesthouse. I struck a nice bargain with mine, paying only 33$ for a bus from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville and a return ferry ticket to Koh Rong. Initially, it seemed very expensive to me, since I got spoiled by much lower transport costs in Laos and Vietnam, but after doing a bit of research I found that it was actually a great price.
Important: Not all ferries go to all piers so have your accommodation address ready at the time of retrieving your ticket from the ferry company office. You don’t want to get off at the wrong pier and have to pay an additional 10$ for a tuk-tuk just to get somewhere you could have gotten off in the first place.
In the case of the Island Speed Ferry, you can disembark at the Kaoh Touch Pier and Long Set Pier on the main Koh Rong Island or at Saracen Bay Pier on Koh Rong Samloem. You can also mix and match, for example, go to Koh Rong and come back from Koh Rong Samloem.
A ferry ticket between the two islands costs around 5$ one way.
Again: pay attention to where your accommodation is on Koh Rong Samloem. The bungalow I booked (by accident) was in the very north of the island, far away from the Saracen Bay Pier, so to get there I would have to spend an additional 10$ for a boat taxi since the roads on the southern island are practically nonexistent.
Getting Around The Koh Rong Island
There are three options when it comes to public transport on the island. The most expensive are taxi boats. They are about triple the price of a tuk-tuk which is why I’ve never used them.
When it comes to tuk-tuks, you can always negotiate a nice price, especially if you are more people, but you reeeeally have to put your haggle on. For example, when we were moving from Long Set to Lonely Beach at the far north of the island (around 45 45-minute trip) the first price we heard was 15$/person, which we got down to 15$ for both. On our way back we squeezed a third person with us, so we only paid 5$/person.
The cheapest taxi option is a moto-taxi, although the initial price they’ll give you is often the same as for a tuk-tuk. Again - haggle, haggle, haggle. Also, don’t even talk to the drivers at the main piers, they always give absurd prices. Go a little bit further away from the “center” to find some more reasonable dude.
We only ever use taxis when we need to move with our huge backpacks, otherwise, we always rent a scooter, which I cannot recommend enough. Even if you’ve never sat on a moto in your life - Southeast Asia is the place where you have to try. Automatic scooters are ridiculously easy to drive and this island is simply perfect to learn. It’s flat and the road to most places is in great condition (except for the last bit of the road to Kaoh Touch and the famous sandy stretch to Lonely Beach).
The rental price you’ll see in most places on the main street is 15$/day (sometimes not even for 24 hours, but only until the evening) which is a downward robbery. You can get a scooter for 10$/day and with a full tank too. My favorite place is Scooter Rental by Maloop, where they charged us even less since we rented for five days and they threw in delicious bananas from their garden.
Koh Rong (The Main Island)
I organized this article by going from the most popular beaches to the least visited and therefore, preferred by me. The last position and the cherry on top is my favorite accommodation on Koh Rong Island, Lonely Beach.
Kaoh Touch
Prices: 7-14$ for a bed in a mixed dormitory
23 - 45$ for a private double room (if you book in advance)
Atmosphere: party spot, cheap alcohol, and food, bustling social life, a rather unimpressive beach
Perfect for: party people, groups of friends, solo travelers looking to socialize
Getting here: all the ferries stop here. You can also reach this beach by a moto, but the last bit of the road from the Long Set is one big hole, and I‘ve seen some people falling off their scooters here, so be careful!
If you chug beer like a pro, you’ll be happy to hear it costs 0.75$ and you can chase it with a 3.50$ cocktail. Here the food is cheap and plenty, the music is bustling from the speakers, and the streets (or should I say: the street) are full of people, scooters, tuk-tuks, and chaos. You can do all your shopping here; there are plenty of big markets, pharmacies, cosmetic shops, and clothes stores, so if you run out of sunblock or inexplicably lose your bikini top at a party, this is the place to get new supplies.
As there is no ATM on the whole island, you might be interested in cashback, but most places in Kaoh Touch charge you a whopping 8% commission. It’s cheaper in Long Set (6$) and the cheapest I found was in Bunnan Bungalows on the Coconut Beach (5%).
The tourist offer here is very wide and the vendors are fighting for your attention. You can easily haggle your way into a nice deal on different tours, be it snorkeling, plankton-watching, scuba diving, jet skiing, ziplining, paddle boarding, windsurfing, or fishing. Definitely a fun location, especially for groups of friends or solo travelers looking to socialize.
Unfortunately, as always with very touristic places, the beach is not very clean, it’s overcrowded and, all in all, I consider it the least beautiful part of the coast on the whole island. It gets better as you walk in the direction of Long Set Beach, which you can also reach by foot (it’ll take around 30 minutes). Another option is renting a scooter/taking a taxi to Sok San Beach (around 10 minutes).
Accommodation options are plenty and everybody will find something to their taste (and wallet).
There are a few hostels, where you can find a bed in a mixed dorm for as low as 7$, Vagabond being the cheapest I’ve seen with the acceptable quality. If you want to splurge and be a bit more comfortable try Skybar (13$) or Babybong (14$).
When it comes to double rooms with private bathrooms, the prices start at 25$ but if you don't leave your room search until the last minute like I usually do, you can find some real gems. The best price I’ve seen was PSK Vimean at 15$ per night. Another great option is Koh Rong Homestay where you can get a nice room for 24$.
If you’re willing to be a little bit away from the center (and from all the noise), you can try Plankton Bungalow, where you can get a little hut with a private bathroom for 26$ (they also have basic tents for 10$). Another chill option on the more expensive side would be Real Hostel with bungalows for 47$. The beach is way nicer there and it’s very close to the Long Set.
Personally I didn’t stay at Kaoh Touch, but I came here many times for food, supplies or just passing through on my way to Sok San Beach. Great cheap food at Family Guesthouse with 1.25$ shakes just next to it.
Long Set Beach
Prices: 11-16$ for a bed in a dorm or a tent
55 - 100$ for a private double room
Atmosphere: Equal amount of party and chill, plenty of food options, long, and wide beach
Perfect for: party people, couples, families, elders, literally everyone will feel good here
Getting here: best connected, great road, and another ferry pier
This is the best option for those who like a little bit of everything. Here you can chill out over a nice meal with some calm music in the background, enjoy a conversation with your pals in a reggae pub, as well as party hard in arguably the best “club” on the whole island (read on). There are a lot of food venues for every pocket, although it is on a more expensive side than Kaoh Touch. There’s also one bigger shop where you can find everything you need and places that offer cashback (search for 6% commission).
You can find almost all the touristic activities offered in Kaoh Touch but you might have to haggle harder for your desired price since the Long Set Beach is overall more “elegant.” Most of the tourist offices are around the pier and along the “main street.” If you’re interested in renting a scooter don’t fall for the 15$/day price, it’s ridiculous and you can easily get it down to 10$. I rented mine for 9$/day with a full tank in Scooter Rental by Maloop. They also gave me delicious bananas from their garden.
The beach of the Long Set is (surprise, surprise) long, wide, white, and mostly clean. As in most Southeast Asian countries, hotels, bars, and restaurants only collect the trash directly in front of their venue and then cheerfully dispose of it outside their “borders”, essentially just moving garbage from side to side. In Long Set though, there are so many locales, that after they all clean their respectable patch of sand, the beach ends up almost clean. It’s also perfect for jogging if you’re a runner like me. You can find all types of ambiance along this beach, from its calmer and more secluded eastern end around Koh Rong Hill Beach Resort all the way to the crowdy Nest Beach Club.
Talking about Nest, this is where the biggest and loudest parties on the island are held. Every Saturday they have a little event called Nestival with different DJs and two stages. One is directly on the beach so you’re dancing in the sand, while the other is inside the bar area (it’s an open bar, so "inside” is a bit of a stretch, but there’s a floor here). The whole place is very informal, people are mostly in their swimsuits and you can easily throw yourself into the sea when you get hot. The crowd’s demographic is mostly 20-somethings and there’s a lot of alcohol and drugs passed around. If this is you, you’re gonna love it. If not, you might end up loving it anyway - Me and my partner don’t drink but we had a great time here dancing the night away.
Accommodation, like food, is more expensive here than in Kaoh Touch and I couldn’t find any double room for under 30$. For the first time in my traveling career, I ended up paying for a tent. I love camping and I often travel with a tent but PAYING 10$ to sleep in one seemed crazy to me. That’s why I was so surprised when I saw the quality of some of these tent accommodations here on the island.
We stayed at Jiji Koh Rong, paid 11$ per night, and got a very big tent with a comfy mattress, towels, a ventilator, a lamp, and a place to charge our phones, all right on the beach. The food in their restaurant was good and cheap compared to other spots on that beach. That being said, the common bathroom was absolutely disgusting, I hope they do something about that. Another nice tent option is White Pearl Beach, but keep in mind they’re very close to Nestival, so you’ll probably have to deal with the noise, especially on the weekends.
Nest Beach Club also has lodgings, and you can find a bed there for 11$. Another popular hostel with some nice socializing opportunities is Mad Monkey, closer to the eastern end of the beach. The cost of a bed in a mixed dorm starts at 15$. There’s also a much more chill Cozy Beach Hostel at the very end of the beach, for 12$/bed.
The cheapest private room I’ve seen was at the Koh Rong Lagoon for 26$ but it’s not on the beach and you have to book it way in advance.
Coconut Beach
Prices: 6-9$ for a tent
28 - 32$ for a private bungalow
Atmosphere: very chill and low-key, no loud parties, beautiful white beach and calm turquoise water
Perfect for: couples, digital nomads, groups of friends who want to chill, elders
Getting here: you have to grab a tuk-tuk or a moto to get here from Long Set or Kaoh Touch
One of my favorite spots on the island. It’s perfect for people who come to Koh Rong to relax or socialize more calmly. Like having a volleyball game instead of getting shit-faced and waking up on a pink unicorn float somewhere in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand. It’s also great for digital nomads like me, who need cheap accommodation, a comfortable place to work, good internet, good coffee, and no karaoke blasting from the speaker next to your head (if you’ve ever been to Southeast Asia you know that’s always a threat).
The beach is not very long, so it feels more cozy than the Long Set, with all the palm-fringed white-sandiness that the other one offers. It’s also rather on the clean side. It has the additional plus of having a long bridge that reaches out into the sea from where you can practice your water jumps into the calm, turquoise bay.
The tourist offer here is more limited, and you won’t find jet skies or ziplining, but you can still organize most of the trips you’d find on the more tourist beaches if you ask at your hotel. You can also rent a kayak and go tripping on your own, go snorkeling, or night-swimming to see the plankton. There are often little fire dancing shows at the Coconut Bungalows and live music at Raffiki’s. You also won’t have any problems finding a scooter for 10$/day if you want to explore other locations while staying here. This is also home to the cheapest cashout spot I found on the island.
There are many food options, most of them around the same price range. My favorites are Bunnan Bungalows (the portions are not huge, but the food is very good quality), especially for breakfasts, and a spot just next to it where they have really great vegetable curry for 3.50$ which will fill you up.
Accommodation is way less expensive than on the other beaches. There aren’t many options, but everybody will find something for their pocket, from Amor Resort on the western end of the beach starting at 250$/night (my wallet is laughing as I write this) to Conocut Beach Bungalows at the eastern end, with tents at 6$/night.
I stayed at the latter for five nights and I have to say that the place itself is great. They have a nice restaurant with a view, and a common area at the beach with sunbeds, tables, a bonfire, and float tubes you can grab for free. They also organize little fire-dancing shows, encourage you to try it yourself, and show you how to avoid setting yourself on fire. That being said the tents are really basic, quite small compared to the other ones I’ve seen, without electricity, light or a fan, so it gets extremely hot inside. The wifi is only available in the restaurant area upstairs and even there it’s not great. Plus, as a person who tries to take care of our beautiful Mother Earth, I hate that they don’t have any water refill station. You have to keep buying 1.5l water bottles at 1$ each which can amount to tons of wasted plastic not to mention money.
A way better tent option at the same beach is Bunnan Bungalows, where I stayed afterwards. It’s 8$/night (7$ for stays longer than five days) but they offer free water refills, free towels, and kayaks at your disposal, not to mention that your tents are way better. Each has a fan, a charging station, an outside light, your own trash bin, and even a little water tap for washing your feet before you enter. The bathrooms are also way cleaner and less crowded and the WIFI reaches your bed in case you feel like smoking a doobie and watching a stupid comedy before sleeping. Not that I ever do that of course.
I spent long hours writing at their restaurant, eating great food (although not such great coffee), and jumping into the sea every time I got hot. Bunnan also offers private bungalows at 30$, and they have the lowest commission on cashback I found on the island.
I didn’t stay at Raffiki’s but I went there to eat and enjoy a live music show and it seems like a great spot. It’s very laid back, there’s a volleyball court and a nice outdoor gym, plus the bungalows look amazing, starting at 28$/night. Definitely check it out if you come to Coconut Beach.
Just a short ride to the north from the Coconut there’s a place called Pagoda Beach, which is not properly marked on Google Maps. This part of the coast is completely overtaken by the resorts, but you can park at the You&Me and enjoy the beach all the same. Similar to Son Sak, as soon as you get to the part of the beach not owned by any hotel, it gets terribly dirty and sad to watch.
Sok San Beach / Long Beach
Prices: 22-30$ for a private bungalow
80-150$ for a double room at a resort
Atmosphere: nice and lively in front of the Long Beach Resort, dirty and desolate outside of the big hotels
Perfect for: couples, families, elders
Getting here: you can easily get here by a moto or tuk-tuk from Long Set and Kaoh Touch
This is the longest beach on Koh Rong Island, and in my personal opinion, the weirdest one. In parts it looks completely abandoned, covered with thrash and only visited by random fishermen. In other parts, it’s invaded by huge resorts, and while that means cleaner and nicer beaches, it also means some of them block the entrance on “their” turf altogether.
If you’re not staying in any of the big hotels here but want to check out this beach nonetheless, there is one nice spot, courtesy of Long Beach Resort Koh Rong. You can park your moto at the main entrance and walk to the beach. You’re not supposed to use the resort’s sunbeds, although many people do it, including my insolent self. You can also grab a cushion or just spread your towel on the sand, eat and drink at the resort bar, and generally enjoy yourself in this little piece of paradise. This place is great for watching sunsets, the only one on the island where you can see the sun setting into the sea.
This spot is super popular among groups of young friends who spend the whole day kicking a ball, throwing frisbees, and playing their music on the speakers. I came here twice, and while I enjoyed it in the early hours, I found it too loud and hectic later in the day when more people started to flow in. The beach is incredibly long, so you can obviously take your towel and find a less crowded spot, unfortunately, as soon as you get out of the resort’s territory, there are heaps of thrash lying everywhere.
Accommodation is obviously way more expensive than in other parts of the island, with big resort prices starting at 82$/night at Sok San Beach Resort and 96$ at the Long Beach, but if you’re willing to be further away from the more alive part of this coast you can get a bungalow for as low as 22$ in Soksan Natura Beach.
Preaek Svay
Prices: 9$ for a bed in a dorm
20-30$ for a private room/bungalow
Atmosphere: very authentic, quaint little river town, chill vibes
Perfect for: couples, people looking for calm and peace, and those who like to observe local life
Getting here: about 40 minutes drive north from the main tourist areas with a tuk-tuk or a moto
This zone has a completely different vibe than the rest of the places described in this article. Firstly, it’s not a beach. Preaek Svay is a little town nesting at a picturesque river mouth, filled with palm trees and wooden stilt houses. The locals are going on about their business, colorful fishing boats come and go, and children play on the streets, waving to you as you pass them by.
If you decide to come here, you can spend your days kayaking, taking millions of photos, sunbathing at the little local “beach” (although there isn’t much swimming as it’s basically just a strand of sand in the shallows) and maybe even volunteering at the local school to teach the kids some English.
You can get a bed in the dorm at the Firefly Guesthouse for as low as 9$ per night or get a private room at Lily’s Riverside for 25$/night. I also saw a private hut called Friend of Nature Bungalow on AirBnb for 10$/night. There are enough food options to make everybody happy and if you feel bored at any point, you can always jump on a scooter and drive to one of the nearby beaches.
There’s a place called Palm Beach Resort just a few minutes’ ride away, where you can park and enjoy their nice bar, hammocks, a relaxed vibe, and - what’s more important - the beach itself. It’s not the best one on the island but you can swim here. Preaek Svay is also very close to Lonely Beach, the writer’s personal favorite.
Lonely Beach
Prices: 12-40$ for a private bungalow
Atmosphere: secluded, relaxed, chill, dreamy
Perfect for: nature-lovers, people looking for calm and peace
Getting here: harder to reach than the rest of the beaches, the last 10 minutes of the road mostly consists of holes. You can take a 15$ tuk-tuk or a moto-taxi from the main tourist areas, but the tuk-tuk will leave you a 20-minute walk from the beach. You can also rent a scooter and come here on your own, but previous driving experience would be good.
Lonely Beach is not only my favorite place on Koh Rong Island but one of the best lodgings I’ve seen throughout all my years of traveling. It is so iconic I’m almost sure that the beach took its name from the accommodation, not the other way around, although I forgot to ask. If you love to wake up to singing birds and go to sleep to the mosquitoes buzzing with a huge gecko observing you from the wall, this is a place for you. If you want to wear whatever and escape the judgemental culture of “summer bods,” here you’ll find freedom. And if you want to get disconnected from the outside world, you’ll find it’s extremely easy since there’s no WIFI whatsoever.
I could easily live here for a few months, unfortunately, I only had one week in this paradise. The first thing you’ll see when you enter is a jungly open-air restaurant/reception area, where you can recharge your water, charge your electronics, and ask for a hotspot if you really need to check your messages.
The food is very good and healthy, plus there are plenty of vegetarian options. It’s more expensive than on the rest of the island, but it’s understandable, taking into account how far away from everything this place is. The main dishes are very well-sized but the breakfast options are quite small. I often had to order two plates to get full which came up to around 6$ which is the price of a main. Although I might not be the best example, the amount of food I can shovel is surprising.
There are various bungalow options for different budgets, the cheapest being a very basic but comfy hut sporting a big bed, mosquito net, plenty of space to organize your things plus a little terrace. Shared bathrooms are wonderful, spacious, environment-friendly, clean, and beautiful. You basically take a shower in the midst of nature with frogs croaking around you. I use the word “shower” but there is no running water in Lonely Beach - it’s just you and your bucket. If you book in advance you can get this hut as cheaply as 12$ per night, but watch out, cause they disappear quickly! Bigger bungalows with a private bathroom range from 30-40$/night.
Lonely Beach has its own “handmade” gym, a perfect yoga terrace, and slacklines where you can practice your balance. There’s a volleyball court, and the local workers are always keen to destroy you in a match. This is also the best snorkeling spot on the island and I spent at least one hour in the water every day, watching hypnotizing rainbow fish, menacing sea urchins, and giant clams with lips so colorful it makes you think you’re on acid. For 10$ you can go to Coral Island where you can truly immerse yourself in the magical underwater world. Be sure to go swimming at least one night you’re here - plankton-watching is unreal.
Even though there is no WIFI on the premises, there’s a signal on the yoga deck, so if you have your own Cambodian SIM card you can even work from there, which I did. Lonely Beach makes it very easy to fall into a healthy and active routine; waking up with the birds, working out in the morning, practicing slackline, swimming, and snorkeling, eating whole foods, and drinking cocos all day. If you need a break in your busy traveling schedule this is your happy place.
Lonely Beach is not the only accommodation on (hehe) the Lonely Beach. There’s a new place called Lilly’s Beach Bungalows, starting at 25$/night for a bungalow with a private bathroom, but it lacks the atmosphere of its neighbor. They are the only food alternative around so you can check out their menu. I mostly came here for cheap cocos - just 1$ for a big one!
Pro Tip: bring at least one empty bottle with you. You can then recharge your water for 0.50$ instead of buying a new one for 1.50$ plus you save plastic!
Pro Tip 2: bring repellent. I practically never use it, but here even I had to defend myself.
If you want to save on the tours and activities on the island, check out The Best Things to Do on Koh Rong Island and How to Do Koh Rong on a Budget.
Thank you for reading! If you have any questions hit me on Instagram, I’m always happy to help a fellow traveler.
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