Though only an hours boat ride from Sihanoukville, Ko Russei is a world away from the manicure/massage/bracelet-toting touts of most mainland beaches. At Ko Russei, there are only golden sands, fishermen's boats offshore, and a cluster of antique Russian guns strategically placed between the beaches. A former navy base that's just opened to tourists, this island's serene character is set to change rapidly. Russei's population hovers around 30, including a dozen navy officers who do more lounging about than surveying of the seas. "Russei" means "Bamboo" in Khmer, and the centre of the island is chock-full of it.

Most travellers discover the place on one of the ubiquitous Three Island Boat tours which all go to the same islands (Ko Ta Kiev, Ko Craloh, and Ko Russei) for mediocre snorkeling and a great seafood lunch. These set tours all have unpredictable levels of service and safety. Once they've seen Russei, many travellers want to come back and stay a while, and for those who have - or make - the time to stay here, it's often an unexpected highlight of their travels in Cambodia.

There are currently two resorts of basic wooden bungalows on Russei, one on each beach of this small island. Tourism is such a recent phenomenon here, neither beach seems to have a name yet. Bamboo Island Resort, which faces the mainland, is owned by a Vietnamese family who hosts seafood barbeques for the Three Island Tours. Ko Ru Resort is on the sunnier side of the island, ideal for sunset-spotting and whiling away as many hours as one can get away with. It's a western-owned and -managed place, run by the Bar Ru Guesthouse in Sihanoukville. The ten-minute walk between beaches is pleasant one; they're connected by a path that traverses the island through a jungly forest filled with deafening cicadas.

Russei gives the visitor a rare sense of isolation and tranquility in this part of the world. It seems nearly untouched, though inevitably that will change quickly. It remains to be seen how the navy and the government will manage tourism here. Still, for the moment, Ko Russei is, for all who see it, a pleasant surprise. A highly recommended destination in Cambodia; get here to experience its serenity while you can.