Cambodia forum

You could start in Kampot / Kep , then head to Sihanoukville (the most beaches & islands in one location), and/or on to Koh Kong . You would definitely meet people in Kampot or Sihanoukville. Both are fairly bustling and have prominent expat communities.

Kampot and Kep are more on the relaxed side, while Sihanoukville has a bit more of an urban/busy tourist feel, and Koh Kong can be very quiet. From most all of the coastal towns, some islands are accessible. Most of the islands tend to be very quiet, so bring a good book. And guesthouse or tour company can provide you with details once you are down in the coastal area.

You will want to keep in mind that it is a fairly long haul from the coast back up to Siem Reap, so you might want to plan for a day or two to stop over in Phnom Penh on your way back north.

Cheers, and enjoy your trip!

http://www.travelfish.org/feature/220

@ altmtl
Rabbit Island is fine if you are looking for peace and quiet. Aside from the few bungalows and 2 decent beaches, there is not a lot there.

5 best Cambodian Beaches: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/play/outlook-cambodia/five-best-cambodian-beaches-781117

"Beaches and island in Cambodia. I never heard of it."

Excellent! And may it stay like this for many more years. Not because I'm selfish but because big money will not improve these places. And once it's full of "eco resorts" with private beaches with a golf course & airport hacked into the jungle (yes, very "eco" that) most people won't even be able to visit anymore.

Isn't it a bit rude to attempt to hijack a thread like this? If the OP had wanted to know about beaches in the Philippines, they would have asked precisely that question, no?

@altmtl

This might be a bit late now, but for any future potential Rabbit Island (aka Koh Tonsai) explorers, "dirty" is not quite an accurate description. The water is more cloudy than some of the famous beaches/snorkeling spots in Thailand, but it's not dirty in the sense of polluted or littered. And the beaches are fine, albeit not too large. It's a good place to go if you're looking for peace and quiet and getting away from it all. If you're looking for a more active beach, the Sihanoukville area is probably a better option.

There are a few other nice, very unspoiled beaches (you're likely to only encounter a couple of locals selling local food/beverages) in the Kep/ Kampot area, but they are not well known and require navigating some typically-Cambodia dirt roads of varying quality. Travelers interested in exploring those beaches are best served by talking to a local tour guide in Kampot or Kep, or tracking down one of the more experienced local expats.

re: KatMachine's comment, Otres Beach in Sihanoukville used to be very nice- relatively quiet with only about a dozen tourist-oriented bar/restaurant/guesthouses, all very small. I know that several have had to close over the past year or two to make way for future development. I haven't visited the area in about a year, so I'm not sure of the current status, but it is definitely worth checking out. It is a bit tricky to get to Otres. The options are 1) a long, relatively expensive ($5 and up) tuk-tuk ride on a road that circles away from the coast and then comes back, or 2) a bumpy moto ride over the shortcut track that follows along the coast, ending in a steep hill that takes you down to Otres.

And the commenter who said "Beaches and islands in Cambodia. I never heard of it." is displaying a remarkable lack of knowledge. There are plenty of beaches and islands in Cambodia- it has a good sized coastline along the Gulf of Thailand. Check any map. With the exception of Sihanoukville, the Cambodian coast also tends to be much more relaxed/less developed than most parts of Thailand, if that is what you are looking for.