The Beauty of Sok San Beach Resort
3 Days in Sok San Beach Resort – Koh Rong, Cambodia
Koh Rong was our second destination during our Cambodian leg of our Vietnam and Cambodia trip. To be honest, Koh Rong was never on our radar during our trip planning sessions. It was only later, maybe one month prior to our departure from Kolkata, did Koh Rong, appear on our One Week Cambodia Itinerary, and that too primarily because MAADS wanted to host us in another one of their quaint little resorts (Sok San Beach Resort). Only this time, the resort was on an island rather than in the middle of the city, like The Pavilion in Phnom Penh and Templations in Siem Reap.
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Even though Angkor Wat was the main reason for putting Cambodia on our trip itinerary, it was the activities that MAADS had planned for us at Sok San Beach Resort in Koh Rong, that stole the thunder and made the stay at Sok San Beach Resort the main attraction.
While we were enjoying our stay at the ultra-spacious Jacuzzi Bungalow in The Pavilion, the staff were kind enough to book the mini bus ticket from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, for the next day. They even packed a good hearty breakfast for us as we left early in the morning at 7 AM the next day.
The best part was that we did not have to go anywhere to board the Mekong Express mini bus, it picked us up right in front of The Pavilion Phnom Penh at 7 AM sharp. We managed to reach the main pier in Sihanoukville by 12 PM, only to realize that we had to go to another port, ie port 65, which was exclusively meant for guests staying at Sok San Beach Resort.
We cruised through the choppy waters of Gulf of Thailand for about 1 hour to reach the picturesque Sok San Beach Resort at around 2pm. We were lucky to be greeted by some sunshine which enabled us to check out the entire resort before entering our room. During the check in we were told that, we were indeed lucky as it was raining for the past 2 days which meant a delay in the ferry schedule due to choppy waters. After a brief tour around the resort, we were taken to our house for the next 2 days, ie an ultra-modern garden facing wooden chalet.
As the weather was uncertain, there was no guarantee for any outdoor activities that day, so we choose to spend the day just lazing around the beach, and get ourselves pampered at the in-house Spa. In the evening, we decided to take a walk to the nearby village, which had a few shops from where we stocked up something to eat and drink. This walk was followed by an amazing sunset, where we couldn’t see the sun set, but the display of colours in the sky was simply mind-blowing.
Next morning, we woke up to find that it was raining, which meant no outdoor activities. Instead of getting sad, we enjoyed the sumptuous breakfast spread only to be surprised, when the activity manager informed us that we would be able to go on the boat trip to see the floating fishing village and the mangroves.
This news boosted our spirits and we got ready for the tour after taking a nice swim in the shallow waters in front of the resort. The activity manager escorted us to the port where a private motorboat was waiting for us. The next 2-3 hours were spent enjoying the beauty of Koh Rong Island, specially the floating fishing market and the mangrove forests.
Later in the evening, we spent time doing nothing but relaxing in the main bar area, listening to some good songs and playing some pool.
Next morning again it was raining, so we were unable to do any outdoor activity. Instead we enjoyed every moment of this social detox by catching up on some reading and interacting with other guests. Diving in the waters near Sok San Beach Resort was one of our major activities which we couldn’t do for obvious reasons. My travel partner Debjani (The Vagabong) was excited to learn the basics of scuba diving by doing the Discover Scuba Diving course. As she couldn’t actually do the dive, Mhar, the resort’s Dive master showed her all the equipment’s and gave her the full briefing which brought a huge smile on her face.
The rains stopped in the evening, so we were able to witness yet another magnificent sun set followed by another Spa session.
It was time next morning, to leave this beautiful island , so we had a nice quick hearty breakfast at the resort, took some photos and promised ourselves to be back in this place in the future, and were transferred to another jetty as the original one was not accessible due to heavy rains. Around 7.30 -8am we boarded the speed boat for us to return back to Sihanoukville. Kudos to the whole team of Sok San Beach Resort for making our 3 day stay a memorable one.
5 Reasons Why You Should Choose Sok San Beach Resort to be your relaxation getaway in Cambodia
Accommodation at Sok San Beach Resort
Sok San Beach Resort boasts 7 different types of accommodation options namely :
- Sea View Chalet
- Family Chalet
- Garden View Chalet
- Pavilion Loft
- Pavilion Sea View Room
- Pavilion Garden View Room
- Seaside Villa
We stayed in the Garden View Chalet which was very comfortable and spacious, comprising of 2 connecting rooms, ie a bedroom and a sitting room. Each room has a bathroom and has its own entrance, leading out into the balcony which runs all the way around the chalet. Nestled amidst verdant vegetation, we found the chalet perfect for relaxing while enjoying the beauty of the nature surrounding us, even though it was raining outside. Even though the wooden chalet looked a bit rustic, the staff of Sok San Beach Resort, ensured that we had a nice time as we had all the modern amenities that we found in the city hotel rooms, like 24 hour running hot water, good WiFi, Air Conditioner, safety box, a Mini Bar, refrigerator and 24 hour electricity.
Activities
During the duration of the stay at Sok San Beach Resort, the guests can indulge in a wide range of activities like Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Fishing, Kayaking, Island Hopping, or even take a Sunset Cruise. If you are lucky and the weather is in your favour then Plankton Discovery should definitely top your list of activities to do. Mind you all these activities are decently priced with the average rate of around 20 – 25 USD per activity per head.
In House facilities
Sok San Beach Resort boasts of an in house Spa where the experienced Spa Therapists will make sure to get your body into relax mode if you happen to choose Foot Massage, the Traditional Khmer style Massage or the Oil Massage. We were lucky to experience both the Oil Massage and the traditional Khmer style massage, where the therapists put our bodies into a deep state of relaxation with their mild pressured and rhythmic strokes.
Food and Drinks
The Sundeck Beach Bar and the La Terrasse Restaurant & Lounge cater to all food and drinks requirements of the guests. In the morning, you can find a sumptuous buffet breakfast in the restaurant. As the day passes, you can enjoy both Khmer and Western style food, from the Ala Carte menu. The menu changes with the season, offering the guests something unique and special seasonal dishes.
The afternoons and the evenings usually spent at the Sundeck Beach Bar enjoying some Beers or cocktails overlooking the vast expanse of blue water in front.
The Helpful Staff
These days all resorts and hotels are equipped with modern amenities, so in term of expectations, all provide the same results. But what makes a difference is the nature of the staff and how they interact with the guests. Due to the bad weather we weren’t able to do much during our stay in Sok San Beach Resort, but the helpful and friendly staff members went the extra mile and made sure we enjoy even in that weather. The staff was helpful in booking our bus tickets back to Phnom Penh, and even surprising us with the boating trip to the floating fishing village and the mangrove forests.
The 3 days in Koh Rong turned out to be a blessing in disguise and the whole credits goes to Sok San Beach Resort and MAADS Asia. We for sure will definitely head back to Sok San Beach Resort in the future, if not for anything ese but to enjoy all the activities that we couldn’t due to bad weather.
So what are you waiting for ? Book your stay at Sok San Beach Resort today.
Disclaimer : No compensation was received for this article, however Sok San Beach Resort offered my stay complimentary. As always, the opinions on theETLRblog.com are (and always will be) my own!
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