Like most of the islands in Cambodia, Koh Ta Kiev has been leased to a foreign company -- the same French outfit that owns, or has taken 99-year leases, on half of Koh Russei and parts of Ream National Park. They have ambitious plans for high-end resorts and boutique luxury hotels, though there was no sign that so much as a sod had been turned when we visited in mid-2016.

A second 99-year lease has been granted to a Chinese Malaysian firm who, according to media reports, plan to spend US$2-3 billion dollars "developing" the island. All they seem to have done so far is rip down an awful lot of trees in order to create a road wide enough to be a dual carriage-way through the forest. Nothing more seems to have come of that yet either, though of course one never knows.

That shadow means there are still just a few choices for accommodation on the island, consisting of budget options Crusoe Island, Koh Ta Kiev Bungalows, Ten 103 Treehouse Bay and Coral Beach on the west side, and Kactus and Last Point on the east. It’s easy to walk between the east side resorts, though Last Point is a good half an hour walk through the jungle away ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 400 words.)