For this year’s winter break, we decided to go on a tropical Christmas escape to the island of Koh Rong Samloem. We stayed at The One Resort to experience the beauty of Saracen Bay, perfectly located in a tranquil setting.
A forty-five minute ferry ride from the coastal town of Sihanoukville, 18 kilometers off the coast of Cambodia, offers the opportunity to explore the Gulf of Siam, which is ideal for family and friends. As we arrived at Orchid Pier 1 at Koh Rong Samloem, The One Resort fetched us in a small wooden boat. The sea was calm as we sailed to the resort, and we enjoyed watching the sun set over the horizon from our boats. The 5-minute boat ride was smooth and pleasant, and it was the perfect way to welcome us to the island.
The stylish seafront bungalows, the cool infinity pool, the best sunrise views, good food, and the accommodating staff combine to create a charming, relaxing and quiet nature-island-filled escape with plenty for adults and children to enjoy and learn from.
We relished our stay in a nice Deluxe Bungalow with a sea view because we had always wanted to wake up to not only the sound of the sea but also the sight of it. The view of the sea was breathtaking. We could fill our lungs with the taste of the Saracen Bay as we slid the glass doors left or right, and since our bungalow was right in front of the beach, we could literally see the ocean water wear and tear away. It is wonderfully situated on the beach and offers the most stunning sunrise view on the island.
Our bungalow was large, spacious, clean and equipped with everything we needed: air conditioning, an en-suite bathroom with hot water, 24-hour electricity, WiFi, comfortable beds and pillows, a mini bar, a digital steel safety box, a closet, and a cozy couch. It had an attic, which reminded us of my parents’ beach house in Tandag, Philippines, where we grew up. The large private veranda with comfy chairs allowed us to take in more of that incredible, amazing sea view and was a great way to wind down in the evening. It also had free high-speed WiFi throughout the resort, allowing us to stay connected with our loved ones and work at the same time.
It was not crowded when we were there. The other guests were similarly quiet. As a result, we took pleasure in the attractions almost exclusively for us. Everything was in order. We also liked the fact that several families were staying there so that children could play together.
Paddle boards and kayaks are provided free of charge by the resort. The weather was nice throughout our stay, and the water was calm with very few waves, so our son enjoyed the little adventure of exploring the Saracen Bay by kayak and discovered the joy of gently paddling in the calm sea every day, almost all day long.
The kind and helpful management team and staff were one of the reasons we enjoyed our stay at The One Resort. The staff were friendly from the moment we arrived and welcomed us with a lovely mocktail. They made every effort to accommodate us, and they paid close attention to details. The staff went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable, and we felt well taken care of. Shout out to Lily and Adam for organizing dinner on the beach for us every night with no fuss.
During our stay, the full moon was shining brightly. Our stay became more romantic and meaningful as it was enhanced by the dinner on the beach under the moonlight shadow with my husband and my son. Indeed, nothing says “I Love You” like treating your loved ones to a special moonshine dinner on the beach, complete with a variety of thoughtfully designed menu options to create the perfect evening right here in paradise.
On our second day on the island, we chose to unwind at Lazy Beach. We left the resort in the morning to give ourselves more time to enjoy the beach. We hiked for an hour (one way) from the resort through the jungle’s rough terrain. When we arrived there, we were captivated by the green, crystal clear water with big waves, as well as the very quiet and relaxed atmosphere surrounded by mountains.
On the third day, we were looking forward to watching the sunset at Sunset Beach. We hiked through the jungle for an hour to get to the other side of the island. We didn’t expect the terrain to be more challenging and rougher than it was on the way to Lazy Beach. When we were halfway through, the path became hillier and steeper, and we had to hold a rope to keep from falling off. When we arrived, the sun began to set at Sunset Beach, and it was stunning. Indeed, Sunset Beach is a beautiful spot to enjoy the alluring view of the golden ray of the sun shines over the ocean. We also liked it there because the beach was nearly empty of people. However, since we had to hike back and it was getting dark, we couldn’t see the entire sunset.
Another activity that we were pleased with was simply walking on the beach, as it makes everything better—it stretches our legs and our minds. The beaches on Koh Rong are safe to walk on because there are no pebbles, stones, shards of glass or sharp objects. We did, however, see some plastic on the shore. While walking, we kept our phones in our bags and disconnected ourselves from the outside world because we preferred the sound of the crashing waves over our favorite playlist. Those were very enjoyable walks, as we talked about various topics while walking past truly spectacular views—breathtaking ocean expanses, beautiful white sandy beaches, glistening tropical lagoons, and exotic jungle wilderness.
On our last day, it rained. We simply lounged on the veranda with a cup of tea, admiring the beauty of lazing on the beach while raindrops fell on the white sands. Since we were active all throughout our stay at the beach, the rainy day was a perfect excuse to slow down, relax, and appreciate the little things with my husband and son.
At first, I was apprehensive about many things on the island since our last visit to Koh Rong in December 2016, and to say the least, we were not really happy and we ended up cutting our trip short. This time, we opted to give it another shot, and our stay at The One Resort was nothing short of fantastic. We were sad to leave, but would gladly return there. The One Resort was definitely the cleanest and most modern of all the resorts we saw on the island, with beautiful sand, well-kept grounds, awesome kayaks to use for free, and a great location. If you are looking for a good place to relax with your family, as a couple, solo, with friends, with your pet, or as a destination for team-building or other group trips, The One Resort is good for you.
Little Lilly Travel Tips:
- Wear proper walking shoes and trousers if you decide to go hiking in the jungle (the warm weather calls for short trousers, but mosquitos in the jungle are famished, big and fearless, trousers do offer protection against them).
- You can settle your bill by using ABA to pay online. You do not need to bring any large sums of money.
- How to get there:
- From Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, we hired a SUV car from Taxi Cambodia. They are very responsive, even if you message them on their Facebook page. It costs USD$120 for a round trip.
FB page: Taxi Cambodia
- To get to Koh Rong Samloem, I booked a GTVC speed ferry boat online. It costs USD$22 for a round-trip ticket per person. The boat departs at Sihanoukville port.
Website: www.gtvcspeedboatcambodia.com
Little Lilly Meets the World 