On our first night at Koh Rong, Tash, Margaret and I managed to down quite a few gin and tonics while playing cards and managed to meet a few locals and travellers, two of whom, Joe and Pierre, offered to take us on a boat tour of the island the next day, which we agreed to!!
Pierre, a cambodian, did all the negotiation and managed to convince a local fisherman of the ripe age of eighteen to give us a tour of the island for ten bucks a head. Sorted! We jumped on board a vessel which looked in worse shape than one of the boats you see sinking full of refugees on the news, and started fanging around the island.
Setting sail. Margaret, Tash, our captain, and Pierre.
The first stop was Koh Rong's longest beach, 7km beach. Actually, its 6.5 km, but I don't think that has the same ring to it, do you? It's a beautiful beach with clear waters and squeaky sand that sings to you as you walk along it! The sand flies can be bad there though, so don't be falling asleep after a cheeky joint like a certain Swiss traveller named Lewis did, or you wake up looking like you have the chicken pox! However, the flies didn't bother us at all on our stroll along the beach. In fact, aside from finding Lewis, we were the only people on that whole 7 km stretch of sand! The good news is, if you don't have a boat, you can take a trek through the jungle for about one hour to get there as well.
Check out some of the pictures!!
Our boat arriving at 7km beach
Tash and Margaret taking a moment
Tash and Margaret counting their blessings, and listening to the singing sand
You can't see it, but at the end of this beach is a village where we had lunch, and saw secret stuff!
I just love this pic of Margaret!
Getting back on the boat to head to the village for lunch!
After walking about half the beach, we got picked up by our captain and cruised to the village at the end of the beach. We had lunch on the wharf and found out that the village is currently shut off to foreigners! We were told their was a french film crew set up who were filming in the village, and one of the requirements was that no westerners we to come to the village. Pierre was Cambodian, so he had a few discussions with the local chief while we ate on the pair. Rumour around the island is the the FRENCH crew were there filming a reality television show about SURVIVING. Read between the not so subtle lines. Quite funny considering it is a one hour trek to town, with restaurants, beer, and a ferry off the island!
The restaurant we had lunch at.
I really like this pic of Tash and I put it up just coz she'd HATE it. She'll never know though because she doesn't read this. Serves her right. Bitch! :)
The SECRET green tents are the TV crew. Right next to bungalows.... How will they SURVIVE so far from civilisation....
After lunch we headed around to another beach where there was a river inlet. We had some coconut juice fresh from some coconuts and did some snorkelling where we saw heaps of crabs.
We finished the day with darkness falling before we got all the way around the island and us crashing through a swell which probably got to 2 metres at some very brief times. The local captain was very good, if young, and I swear he deliberately made the bow go under in order to get us wet, while somehow miraculously staying dry himself. Little bastard. The below pics are of a sunset the next day, and also the sunrise the morning after that.
Sunset
Sunrise
Sunrise
After the cruise, Pierre organised for me do to my scuba open water with the local Dive Shop. That was three days of joy which culminated with me having a massive night on the turps with some of the local divers and travellers. More of that to follow... :)
I made a quick video after my first few drinks, which I was going to post, but decided to leave out as I have covered most things here... but wait for the next post and the hungover! :)
Until then!!
Daniel
Follow me on twitter @TheDanFactor
