Did you know that Koh Kong Krao is the biggest island in Cambodia? I first heard about it in early 2019 and made my way there not long after. If you’re curious, you can read more about that first trip and other must-see spots in Koh Kong here.

Back then, the island was still under the radar. It felt like we had the entire place to ourselves – not a single soul besides our group. Fast forward almost six years, Koh Kong Krao has done a complete 180.

My boyfriend and I recently spent 2 nights and 3 days in Koh Kong Krao with Solo Landscapes, an ecotourism tour operator. The trip cost $130 per person, which covered everything – round-trip transportation (van and boat), a tour leader, seven meals, a tent and sleeping pad, tea, coffee, and refilled water. Below is our full itinerary.

Getting There

Since this was a group tour, we had seven other travelers with us. And let’s be honest – the more people you have, the higher the chance someone will be late. It’s just how it goes. Our van was set to leave at 4:30am, but we ended up departing about 10 minutes behind schedule, which was completely fine.

There are two routes to Koh Kong Krao. One option is National Road Number 4 until Srae Ambel Intersection, then continue to Koh Kong Krao Pier. The second option is taking the expressway from Phnom Penh, exiting at Kampong Seila, and continuing on National Road Number 4 until Srae Ambel Intersection, and go with the same route as option one.

The expressway saved time, so we went with that.

I wasn’t aiming for a blurry Gen Z-style photo, but it was dark and the car was moving fast. Haha

This was my first time seeing the sunrise on the expressway, and it was beautiful.

There are several rest stops along the expressway. We stopped at the famous Kampong Seila rest stop for coffee before exiting.

Here’s the view from the coffee shop to the expressway.

After coffee, we exited and continued to Srae Ambel road. The original plan was to stop for breakfast around Srae Ambel, but road construction made it difficult to cross. We kept driving until Botum Sakor and finally stopped at Food Break.

Breakfast at Food Break

I heard the restaurant opened a few months ago.

I liked the natural decor and greenery — lots of Instagrammable spots.

My boyfriend wanted something light, but nothing on the menu fit that description. He settled for fried noodles with beef, which was still lighter than pork rice. After ordering, we waited about 30 minutes for the food.

For $3, the portion was bigger than expected. I don’t usually eat breakfast, but I had to help my boyfriend out. Oh boy, the noodles were salty. Really salty.

After breakfast, we were back on the road. Even though it was only 62km from Food Break to the pier, ongoing road construction stretched the drive to 2 hours.

Getting to Koh Kong Krao

The pier to Koh Kong Krao is called Chroy Pros Pier. From there, it’s about a 1.5 hours ride by long-tail boat.

I didn’t know we could depart from Chroy Pros before. During my first visit to Koh Kong Krao, I departed from the pier in Krong Khemarak Phumin, which is around another 2 hours drive from Chroy Pros. The long tail boat took us 2 hours 30 minutes to get to Koh Kong Krao.

If you’re coming from Phnom Penh, you can save a 2-hour drive and an hour on the boat by departing from Chroy Pros. Just a heads-up — Koh Kong Krao isn’t developed. No resort. No speedboat. The only way to get there is by long-tail boat, and you’ll sleep in a tent.

We arrived at the pier around 10:50am. The area was lively, with houses selling groceries, snacks, vegetables, and more.

The locals were friendly and polite. A little girl greeted us with a respectful “Chom reab sur ming, chom reab sur pu,” placing her hands together in a traditional greeting. In Cambodian culture, that level of respect is usually reserved for family, not strangers.

We left the pier at 11:00am after loading our stuff onto the boat.

As soon as you leave the pier, you will see an enormous island right in front of you. That, my friends, is Koh Kong Krao.

The water was calm that day. No seasickness.

We made a quick stop at Arv La Tan, a floating village, for food before continuing.

Arrival

As I mentioned earlier, the boat trip from Chroy Pros Pier to Koh Kong Krao takes about 1.5 hours. Ours took a bit longer since we forgot some food at the floating village and had to wait for it to be delivered by a small boat.

We finally reached our campsite at 1:15pm.

Koh Kong Krao has 6 beaches, simply named Beach Number 1, Beach Number 2, Beach Number 3 and so on. Visitors can explore all except Beach Number 1, which is a military zone.

Beaches 3 and 4 are the most popular campsites, likely because of the whitest sand.

Since our group wanted peace and quiet, we camped at Beach Number 5, where the sand is light yellow.

Look who greeted us upon arrival.

This cat was adorable and loved attention. But let’s be honest — she had a hidden agenda. She always appeared at mealtime. Haha.

We were already late for lunch, so eating was our first priority. This was my fourth ecotour with Solo Landscapes, and their food never disappoints. Last time we camped in the forest, they served soup and grilled meat. This time, we had fresh seafood. Dieting? Not on their watch.

There’s no electricity on the island. They use a generator, which usually shuts off at 10:00pm. We visited in December, so the weather was pleasant, with cool winds at night. If you visit during hotter months, bring a rechargeable fan and a headlamp.

Water is also scarce here. It’s pumped from a nearby waterfall, so use it wisely.

We installed our tent and rested a little bit before we headed to another beach.

Beach Number 3

Here we were, preparing to leave for one of the most famous beaches, Beach Number 3.

I thought, “Beach 5 and Beach 3… not too far apart, right?” Wrong. It took us a full hour by boat because the waves weren’t having it.

By the time we arrived, it was around 3:30pm.

Confirmed — the sand here is white. Coconut trees lined the beach, and I thought, “Perfect, I’ll grab a coconut from the beach grocery house.” But guess what? They were sold out and were importing coconuts from the mainland. I mean… yeah, I don’t have to spell it out. You already know what I’m thinking. Haha

The plan was to visit the waterfall and catch the sunset. But since we were running late, it became a race against time.

To reach the waterfall, you pay 5,000 Riels ($1.25) one way or 10,000 Riels ($2.50) round trip for a quick five-minute boat ride from the beach. After that, it’s a 30-minute trek.

Our boat couldn’t make it all the way to the trailhead, so we had to wade through the water. Pro tip – wear shoes and go slow. The sand is not your friend here. One of our teammates learned that the hard way after cutting herself on an oyster.

The trail started easy.

But five minutes in, things got rocky. The waterfall stones were slippery, and this is where the “fun” began.

I’m not sure what this spot looks like during the rainy season, but in December, the area was completely dry… still, some parts were slippery.

We finally reached the waterfall. Well, waterfall-less. No cascading water – just a natural pool. I heard that during the rainy season, the fall is active, and there are more tiers above this one.

But honestly, after trekking, dipping my feet into that pool washed away all the exhaustion.

We only had about 15 minutes to relax before heading back to the beach for sunset.

Golden hour greeted us as we returned to the beach from the waterfall.

The warm yellow, pink, and orange hues painted the entire shoreline. Beach Number 3 looked like something straight out of a dream.

The sand took on this rose gold glow.

I mean… just look at it. Isn’t that beautiful?

After sunset, we headed back to our campsite at Beach Number 5. On the way, we spotted bioluminescent plankton. It happened so fast I couldn’t capture it.

Back to Our Campsite, Beach Number 5

Dinner was waiting when we returned. I’d love to show you a photo I took on my boyfriend’s phone, unfortunately, the sea now owns his phone.

There’s no phone signal, let alone internet connection on the island. And apparently, cloud sync doesn’t work without an internet connection, so all the photos we took in Koh Kong Krao on my boyfriend’s phone? Gone.

After dinner, we walked along the shore, hoping to catch more glimpses of the bioluminescent plankton. We saw them – but not directly at the beach. They shimmered a few hundred meters away.

Above us? The entire galaxy. The stars were insane that night.

Aurora? Nope – just fishing boat lights. Haha.

DAY 2

Time flies. Just like that, we were already on Day 2.

Solo Landscapes really does not mess around with their food. We had seafood fried rice for breakfast.

Fishing & Snorkeling

Day 2 was all about taking it easy – fishing and snorkeling.

Our boat captain didn’t take us too far from the campsite. For fishing, we hung out between Beaches 5 and 6.

Our tour leader gave us 30 minutes to catch something. If we didn’t, we’d move on. Spoiler: we caught nothing.

Honestly, I was relieved everyone decided to call it quits. Staying any longer and I definitely would’ve thrown up. The waves that morning weren’t exactly kind.

Next up – snorkeling. I had all my gears ready.

The corals weren’t vibrant, but the fish? Plenty of color there.

I’d love to show you some underwater photos, but there aren’t any – my boyfriend’s phone took a dive and never made it back. Right there, right in the water. Haha.

Beach Number 6

After snorkeling, we made a quick stop at Beach Number 6 before heading back to our campsite.

As soon as we reached the shore, an uncle from the island approached us. He asked for our honest opinion on why they don’t get many campers at this beach.

It was a short visit, and honestly, I wasn’t sure either. Maybe people just don’t know they can camp at Beach Number 6? Most travelers I know who’ve been to Koh Kong Krao always rave about the popular ones – Beach 3 and Beach 4.

The sand here is white but mixed with a little black and some fallen leaves and debris from the trees. It’s nothing major, but I think a bit of cleanup could make a difference.

The freshwater they use is also pumped from the waterfall, just like at our campsite, but it’s crystal clear– even clearer than the water at our site.

Beach Number 6 has a similar layout to Beach 3 and Beach 5. One side opens up to the sea, and the other side… well, it feels like a small stream. I’m not sure I’m describing it right – I don’t know the exact word for it in English.

And just like the uncle mentioned, these photos below prove that Beach Number 6 really doesn’t get many visitors.

The water here is incredibly clear. You can even see the shadow of the bubbles, and right at the shoreline, schools of small fish swim around.

After visiting Beach Number 6, we returned to our campsite for lunch and took a short break.

Once we were rested, we set off for the final stop – Beach Number 4, the last beach on our list.

Beach Number 4

Beaches 4 and 5 are connected, and we were told we could walk there directly from our campsite. But it was hot, and let’s be real – everyone was feeling lazy, so we opted for the boat.

Honestly, I wasn’t that excited about Beach Number 4. The only thing dragging me there was the promise of coconuts for sale. That was enough to get me moving.

Let me tell you – this beach’s reputation is well-deserved. Just look at all these tents.

I could already hear someone belting out The Voice – karaoke edition from the other side of the beach.

The beach is huge and packed with tents. Not just a single line along the shore, but three rows deep.

Coconut trees dominated the landscape, which meant there wasn’t much shade. It felt way hotter than the other beaches we’d visited.

And yet again – mission failed. No coconut. They were sold out, and apparently, no one was in the mood to climb the trees for more.

With the crowd and the heat, I really wasn’t in the mood to walk around. I just wished time would hurry up so we could head back to the peace and quiet of our campsite.

Back to Beach Number 5

We finally made it back – and at the perfect time!

Golden hour at Beach Number 5 is just as stunning as it was at Beach Number 3, but somehow, it gives off a completely different vibe.

Like I mentioned before, the sand here is light yellow, but as the sun hits it just right, it takes on a soft orange glow.

I don’t know about you, but after visiting all the beaches on the island, Beach Number 5 is hands down my favorite. And no, it’s not just because we camped here – there’s something special about the peace, quiet, and charm of this beach that makes it stand out.

Seeing these candid shots from Solo Landscapes made me realize I really need to practice my soft smile… especially if I’m going to be a bride in the next few years. Why do I either look like I have a bitch face or like I’m laughing way too hard with no in-between? 🥹

Anyway, let’s forget about that and focus on this sunset.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might remember how I used to say the sunset at Koh Tonsay was unbeatable. Well, after witnessing two sunsets at two different beaches on Koh Kong Krao, I’m officially changing the crown – Koh Kong Krao takes the top spot.

I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me. But hey, don’t take my word for it – go see for yourself.

After sunset, we got to work cooking dinner.

With a few hours left before the New Year countdown, we decided to watch Squid Game Season 2 to kill some time. Haha.

Before you ask – yes, I came prepared. I downloaded all seven episodes from Netflix ahead of time. I’d already finished the season, but it was mainly for my boyfriend. Since no one else had much to do, we ended up watching it together.

Three hours flew by, and just like that, we were ringing in 2025.

Solo Landscapes had something special prepared – a lantern for each of us. When our tour leader first mentioned lighting lanterns, I’ll admit I was a little concerned.

I’m not the most eco-conscious person out there, but even I wondered if this was bad for the environment. I brought it up with the tour leader, and he reassured me that the lanterns were designed to burn up completely and wouldn’t leave anything behind.

I mean… why did I even doubt an ecotourism planner? They’re way more eco-conscious than I’ll ever be.

Another group brought fireworks, so we watched the show, sent up our lanterns with wishes, and called it a night.

Day 3

And just like that, our final day arrived – the last bit of paradise before heading back to Phnom Penh and diving straight into work the next day.

For our last breakfast with Solo Landscapes, we had two choices – cup noodles with a fried egg and hot dogs or porridge with salted eggs and dried fish. Naturally, I went with the cup noodles. No regrets. Haha.

We packed up our stuff and headed back to the mainland right after breakfast. This shot was taken on our way back from Koh Kong Krao.

But before officially wrapping up the trip, we had one last stop – Arv La Tan Floating Village, the same place where we grabbed takeaway food on our first day.

Arv La Tan Floating Village

I’m not sure how many families live here, but the community felt much livelier than I expected.

At one end of the village, there’s a pagoda and a primary school.

Since I was wearing shorts, I didn’t go inside the pagoda and stayed around the school instead.

After wandering around the school for a bit, we continued exploring the village.

Watching the locals casually walk along the wooden planks made it seem easy – but the second I tried it myself, I realized how wrong I was. Keeping my balance? A struggle. I was honestly worried I’d end up in the water.

A lot of villagers sell dried fish, and it seems like a popular thing for visitors to take home.

The village felt authentic – raw and real. You could see exactly how people live, work, and make their living here.

This was our last lunch before heading back home.

Here we are – the end of the article.

If you’re planning a trip to Koh Kong Krao with Solo Landscapes, here are things you’ll want to pack:

• Insect repellent & bite gel – I used plenty, but somehow those little guys still found me. I brought home all the itches – and trust me, it was super itchy.
• Sleeping bag – Solo Landscapes provides a tent and sleeping pad, but sleeping on sand isn’t exactly plush. Bring a sleeping bag for that extra layer of comfort. Trust me, your back will thank you.
• Sunscreen – The sun doesn’t play around here.
• Sunglasses – For both protection and style, obviously.
• Towel – Essential for drying off after snorkeling, swimming, and taking a bath.
• Toiletries – Bring your essentials. There’s no resort-style setup out here.
• Personal medications – Better safe than sorry.
• Lunchbox, utensils, and cup – Eco-friendly and handy for meals.
• Swimwear – Because you’re definitely getting in the water.
• Snorkeling gear – They don’t provide any, so bring your own or grab a set if you don’t have one yet.
• Cash – There’s no ABA or card payments here. Cash is king.