30. Stop Koh Rong Samleom, Cambodia

On Wednesday, February 26th, I was picked up from the hostel in the morning and headed towards the sea. One of the most beautiful islands in the Gulf of Thailand is the Cambodian island of Koh Rong Samleom. It is known for its turquoise sea and sandy beaches. The city from which the ferry departs is known among travelers only as 'Shitville' (among other things, because no one can pronounce the correct name). When others told me about it, I thought they were exaggerating, but when we were on our way to the harbor, I saw the disaster with my own eyes. The city was one big construction site, every single building had a railing around it or was so run-down or not yet finished. The roads are gravel paths, have potholes, or consist only of sand. Apparently, the city is under a great influence of China, as they want to benefit from the tourists of the islands and therefore want to develop the city on a large scale. Normally, the Chinese are known for building everything quickly, but apparently the will is not big enough here.

So I could hardly wait to leave this city and come to paradise. I arrived at the harbor at 1:00 p.m. Everywhere on the internet it is written that there is a timetable, but the ferries depart as they please. So we were told that the next ferry would leave at 2:00 p.m. In the end, I didn't get on the boat until 5:00 p.m. and arrived at the port of Koh Rong Samleom 30 minutes later. There is no road here, the island consists of accommodations, restaurants, and the beach - there is nothing more, but you don't need more.

I had decided to stay in a hostel that has its own beach and is on the other side of the island. The hostel is known for party nights and peace during the day. For the next three days, we got up at 9:00 a.m. and had breakfast. Then we went to the beach or to the hammocks that were in the water to sunbathe and relax. After taking a nap in bed - because it was not bearable all day in the sun or even in the shade - we took a shower, had dinner, and then the party with games started.