How to get from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong by boat, ferry

The city of Sihanoukville is located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand in Cambodia. Some of the most famous beaches in the country are located here. Come here to enjoy these beaches, whether you like swimming and sunbathing or prefer nightlife, there is something for everyone.

The city markets are also a popular tourist destination, and there is a scenic national park not too far from the city. Sihanoukville is also a gateway to some of Cambodia's islands, such as the country's second largest island, Koh Rong. Known for its sandy beaches, coves and coral reefs, Koh Rong will offer more of a beach life experience, as well as some great nightclubs, while the interior of this island has dense jungle.

Travel options from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong

You are quite limited when it comes to transportation options from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong, since there is no airport on the island, so you have to take a ferry from the mainland. This is not a problem, as there are many ferries every week, and the crossing time is quite short. In a straight line, it's only about 34 kilometers (21 miles), since the island is just a little northwest of the city. As for transportation, there are two options: a high-speed ferry or a speedboat.

High-speed ferry and boat from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong Island

Ferries and speedboats from Sihanoukville to Ko Rong depart from Sihanoukville Port, which is located in the southern part of the city, at the end of Serendipity Beach, so it's easy to find the pier. Flights depart throughout the day, starting at 8 a.m. and about every 2 hours, with the last high-speed ferry leaving at 4 p.m. and the last speedboat leaving at 5 p.m.

Although they are advertised as a high-speed ferry and a speedboat, both of these types of vessels are essentially the same. They are small vessels, not what you would expect to see when you hear the term "ferry," and they do travel at high speeds, which means that the rocking can be quite severe.

There are several companies that operate flights from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong, and you can make reservations at Travel 12go.Asia. GTVC Speedboat is a company that, oddly enough, even has the word 'boat' in its name. But they say they use high-speed ferries, just to raise more questions! The second company is Buva Sea Cambodia, and they assure you they use speedboats. In the end, it doesn't matter much because speedboats and high-speed ferries from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong take about the same amount of time.

The crossing time is more influenced by sea conditions because if the sea is rough, the boat will have to move at slower speeds. The schedule also depends on where you get off the ferry, as both companies provide several different arrival points on Koh Rong, such as Tansur Beach, Long Set Beach, Koh Tok Beach or Coconut Beach, so expect sailing times somewhere between 35 minutes and an hour and fifteen minutes.

If you book online with 12Go, you can find all ferries from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong on the day you want, giving you several different options. Pay attention to arrival points so you can plan to arrive closest to where you will be staying on Koh Rong Island. There is a slight variation in prices depending on the arrival point, but it's only a dollar here or there, so it's worth adding a little extra expense rather than worrying about a cab or similar at your destination.

12Go also provides customer reviews of various services, so you can see what previous customers thought of the boats, service and sailing, and make your decision based on that.