For a while there I wasn't sure I'd ever be writing this blog. Not because I thought anything tragic would happen to us, but because I thought we might actually never leave South East Asia! Compared to our time in South America, we took it suuuuuper slow along the old "Banana Pancake trail" weaving our way across borders and meandering down the Mekong. 

We lost whole weeks chilling on islands and exploring hill tribe villages, and we ate enough delicious food to sustain a small nation! We witnessed wild elephants grazing in Thailand and trekked for hours to find the largest flower in the world, which actually turns out to be a stinky fungus.... booooo! We watched the sun set over hundreds of ancient temples in Bagan, Myanmar and  woke to the sunrise over Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

So, as we depart this incredible region of the world for our next destination, here are a few facts, figures and statistics from our travels through South East Asia. I hope you enjoy it and if you have any suggestions for stats we should be keeping as we head towards Africa, please let us know in the comments!

Also, for anyone who missed our "Stats, Facts and Figures from 6 months in South America" blog, you can find it here!

• Number of days spent in South East Asia = 278

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• Countries visited = 6 (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam)

• Favourite Ale = Beer Lao/draught beer in Myanmar

• Cheapest Ale = 40 cent mugs of draught beer in Myanmar

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• Tried and tested local spirits = Rice Wine…. Everywhere!

• Scuba Dives by Wade = 13

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• Cooking Classes = 3  (Click here for our review of Pickles and Spices Cooking Class in Penang, Malaysia)

• Longest trek = Kalaw to Inle Lake 75km (Read all about it here!)

• Major Illnesses = 1. Sarah caught Dengue Fever in Thailand and had to return to Australia

• Robberies = 2 (against us, not by us just in case anyone was wondering!)

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• Months/Years of travel still to come = Only time will tell!!

​Well there you have it! We could rattle off statistics and numbers all day but we're trying to keep it interesting so like I said, if you have any you think would be a bit of fun or interesting during our time in Africa, let us know in the comments below!

In the meantime, if you missed our last stats blog, don't forget to check out our "Stats, Facts and Figures from 6 months travelling South America"!

ABOUT:

Koh Rong is roughly 25km off the south coast of Cambodia and is a 45 minute boat trip from the popular holiday town of Sihanoukville.

Koh Rong is not a luxury island. Until recently the island did not even have 24 hour power and even now, power cuts are still relatively common. The variety of accommodations on offer on Koh Rong, range from beds in dormitory style rooms to private rooms in guesthouses and finally our favourite, bungalows on the beach. You will struggle to find anywhere with air conditioning on the island and hot water is also very much a luxury that shouldn’t be expected, but these little sacrifices are well worth the reward!

If you visit the island expecting a rugged, diamond-in-the-rough style, paradise, then I guarantee you’ll find it on Koh Rong!

ACCOMMODATION:

Upon arriving at Koh Rong, all travellers are met with a decision. Where to stay? Staying on the main beach where dorm beds can be as cheap as $3 and private rooms go for around $10, is easily the best value option. There are plenty of places to choose from and many budget backpackers are quite happy to deal with the loud parties and music from the centre of town.

The next option is to stay within walking distance of the main beach, which basically means walking north or south along the main beach until you find a bungalow that suits your needs and budget. 


The final option is to jump into a long tail boat and negotiate a price with the driver to take you to any one of the resorts dotted around private beaches on this stunning island.



Again, remember that this place is rustic. Many of the bungalows will cost much more here than they would on the mainland, and you won't be getting any of the fancy stuff like air-con, TV or minibars. But in their place, you'll be met by unrivalled sea views, white sand beaches and a natural playground to explore!


Just a quick note..... BRING THE MOSQUITO SPRAY! They're the size of dragons!

FOOD:

There is a wide variety of food available on Koh Rong and considering its remote location, the prices at many of the restaurants are relatively fair. Most guesthouses in town as well as the more isolated resorts out of town, all have their own restaurants so you are never too far away from a good meal!

Everything from fresh fruit shakes to local Khmer specialties to Western favourites like pizza, salads and burgers are all available throughout town. Food prices range from $1 baguettes and fruit shakes up to the pricier $8-10 for Western style meals at the top of the scale. Most guesthouses and restaurants serve basic stir-fry and rice dishes for around $3-$4.

NIGHTLIFE:

Koh Rong has a sleepy, laid back beach atmosphere by day, however by night there are plenty of opportunities for a few sunset drinks to turn into a big night out! Most bars on the island have Happy Hour on beers and cocktails and there are also weekly events and parties organized by a few of the bars in the centre of town.

For the best view on the island, head straight up to Sky Bar. This incredible, wooden chill-out area and bar is set high above the main Touch Beach and by the time you've climbed the 100 odd steps to the top you'll be well and truly ready for an ice cold beer or one of the cocktails on offer. 

Later into the evening, the colourful Vagabond restaurant and guesthouse comes alive with loud music and extra tables and chairs set up on the sand to cater for the growing crowd. Along this same stretch are other backpacker type bars such as Bunna's, Bongs and Bamboo all offering Happy Hour beers and a relaxed drinking vibe. 

THINGS TO DO:

Koh Rong offers as much or as little as you want during your stay. For those who just want to lap up the island lifestyle, the white sands and turquoise waters of the main beach will quickly become a second home! For those wanting to do a bit of exploring, the island is there for the taking! From walking tracks across the island to kayaking, snorkelling and scuba diving, Koh Rong has a wide variety of activities to please every possible visitor.

OVERALL:

Koh Rong is one of our personal favourite islands so far in South East Asia. Now obviously we haven’t been to every island throughout the continent, however it has that laid back, undeveloped vibe that has been long lost on so many of Thailand and Vietnam’s most beautiful islands.

Koh Rong is definitely more expensive than mainland Cambodia however we felt that the quality of both food and accommodation was often higher also. The nightlife is certainly no match for nearby Sihanoukville or Thailand’s Phi Phi island however that is also part of Koh Rong’s charm. Koh Rong is ideal for those who like to relax on the beach by day and enjoy a few drinks or a bonfire on the beach by night. From our experience you won't have crazy parties til sunrise here, but there are plenty of places to enjoy a few beers, cheap cocktails and ...who knows how big your night might end up!

Overall, I think Koh Rong is best suited to a mid twenties and older backpacking crowd or couples just wanting to escape and explore for a few days.

My biggest hope is that the mass development currently underway on the island, manages to preserve the beauty, the atmosphere and the rugged natural interior of this unspoilt island.

Koh Rong was one of the greatest surprises we have had so far in over 12 months of travelling. Arriving by boat from Sihanoukville, we weren’t sure whether Koh Rong would be an unspoilt paradise or an unbearable mess of drunken backpackers. Lucky for us, it was the first – an unspoilt paradise of white sand beaches, turquoise waters and jungle interior just waiting to be explored!

Koh Rong is roughly 25km off the south coast of Cambodia and is a 45 minute boat trip from the popular holiday town of Sihanoukville.

Set on it’s own private beach just around a small headland from the main Touch Beach, Treehouse Bungalows offers complete privacy from all the action of the main beach, while still being within a 10 minute walk from the centre of town. The sign for Tree House Bungalows is on the far northern end of Touch Beach and it doesn’t take long once you follow the damp and tree covered path, to suddenly emerge in front of a beautiful wooden bungalow within metres of the cool blue ocean!

We fell in love with this place before we had even reached the restaurant, which also doubles as reception. While the bungalows are more expensive than our usual accommodation budget, we decided that staying at Treehouse Bungalows would really make our time on Koh Rong so much more relaxing and seeing it offered everything we wanted in one place, we decided to splurge!

The onsite restaurant serves up a variety of Kmher and Western dishes and prides itself on having a real pizza oven. (Having said that, we ordered pizza during our stay and it was quite a let down, however the other food was fantastic!). Meals range from $3 - $10, making it one of the more expensive dining choices on the island, however it’s a nice alternative to the hustle and bustle of town if you want a quiet, relaxing night on your private beach!

Many travellers visit Siem Reap for one main reason – to visit the alluring and mesmerizing, Angkor Wat. I first visited Angkor Wat eight years ago, and in my opinion, this magnificent place and the surrounding temples are only getting better with age!

Siem Reap itself is also one of the liveliest cities in South East Asia with a great nightlife, wonderful cuisines and enough markets to satisfy any shop-aholic! 

For those wanting something a bit more special, there is even a Deluxe Rooftop Suite, with a sitting area and separate bedroom making it the largest room in the hotel. It’s also the only room on the rooftop, giving the lucky guests complete privacy!

The staff at Siem Reap Rooms were available morning, noon and night and all speak perfect English. The hotel offers a booking service for a variety of entertainment options in town as well as bus tickets, tuk tuk service and laundry. The hotel is roughly 10 minutes walk from town on a quiet street however there was always a tuk tuk driver out the front, ready to offer his services.

Siem Reap Rooms offers everything you need for a short or long stay in Siem Reap which is perfect for a city where you just might find yourself staying longer than planned!