Koh Rong

I Continue From Here 

Backpacking Cambodia: Day 08 (19-Feb-2019) 

Back to Mainland

It was a relaxed morning. I got ready and headed to the main hall and had a much needed delicious breakfast. Rise in the water level made it difficult to reach the swing and the hammocks. I pulled a bean bag and lay down on the deck. Above, the sun was shining bright and it felt good. 

I relaxed there till around 11 PM. Then, it was time to settle the bill and leave on the next boat to the pier. Many stay here for days together, but for me, I think a day was good enough. Of course, I had less time in hand but also, I am a bit restless. I can hardly sit idle. No doubt, it is one of the most beautiful places that I have been to in this country but there is nothing much to do here than lying down in the beach and drinking or partying. So, I headed back to the pier where I bought a $5 ferry ticket to reach the bigger of the two island,  Koh Rong. 

I had booked a night here but when I reached the island, I found the crowd a bit irritating. Sanloem was so peaceful with its pristine beaches and fewer people. On the other hand, this was filled with travellers and tourists. There were restaurants and cafe all along the beach near the pier. Moreover,  I did not want to spend another evening at the beach and preferred rather to head to the mountains and make use of the limited time I had.

So, I cancelled my booking, had lunch at a nice vegetarian restaurant that again had some western staff and took a ferry back to Sihanoukville. This was a random change in plans. Back in Sihanoukville, I was unable to find a dorm in onerderz hence I had booked a hostel called spice society. The place appeared shady and the inmates looked like drug addicts. I only had to stay there for a night so, it was okay. 

In the evening, I spoke to Mr Lim and got directions to Cardamom mountains. I walked to the tourist centre and booked a bus to Koh Kong. Then, I took a walk by the beach where there were only Chinese tourists. It gave me an idea of how much the travellers hate this place, for the Chinese investors are changing the face of this town and converting it into a casino town that nobody but they want to enjoy. I think the Cambodian government needs to understand that people come here to enjoy the serene beaches and quiet islands. Commercialising them would only drive away travellers thus effecting their tourism. 

Anyways, after a walk along the beach, I got back to the same mediterranean restaurant and had dinner. The following day was going to be a long one as well. I badly needed some rest. 

Continued Here