More Cambodia

Then I escaped from the depressing swelter in Phnom Penh, I had some more days to kill.  I followed veteran the South-East Asia traveller Zoltán's advice and decided to go to Koh Rong island.  I took the grab to the outskirts from where minibuses are leaving to the picturesque town of Sihanoukville. There the ancient vegetative reflex kicked in and I hitchhiked instead.

Sihanoukville is an ugly, noisy, dusty harbor from where the ferries go to Koh Rong. The town is even more depressing than Phnom Penh, being overtaken by Chinese. Has some nice beaches though, I stayed a night next to one. 

According to Zoltán, Koh Rong has some hippie spirit
Anyway, the ferry was packed with western tourists, going on holiday.

There are no roads, no motorbikes, no cars, no concrete. The capital village at the southern tip of the island, where the ferry arrived is very much overcrowded with tourists. 

The next day I packed my backpack with water and banana and hiked across the island. Just by walking away  45 minutes I arrived to unspoiled beaches.

Long beach

Empty, abandoned. Probably the Chinese come for the weekend

 Lonely beach

I spent there a few days, swimming, watching crabs and reading a newly found book in Finnish in the hammock, doing nothing. No noise, starry sky, serenity.

My beloved sandals were taken, so I took a boat back to long beach, where I stayed one more night then walked to the ferry.