While many travelers may be familiar with Cambodia’s rich cultural history and iconic sites like the temples of Angkor Wat, the country also boasts hundreds of miles of beautiful beaches along the Gulf of Thailand. With nearly 300 miles of coastline and 60 offshore islands, many of which are holiday destinations, Cambodia offers a variety of beaches to explore and enjoy. Some of the country’s best resorts are located on these islands.

Cambodia’s beaches are found in four provinces: Sihanoukville, Kampot, Koh Kong, and Kep. The beaches range from remote, untouched stretches with only the occasional fisherman’s shack, like those on Koh Rong Samloem, to highly developed beach resort areas with luxury hotels, such as those in Sihanoukville.

Plan your tropical vacation with our list of the top beaches in Cambodia:

1. Saracen Bay, Koh Rong Samloem

For remote, pristine beaches, the islands off Cambodia’s coast are some of the best places to visit. Koh Rong Samloem, one of two sister resort islands off the coast of Sihanoukville (the other being Koh Rong), features incredible, secluded beaches with plenty of activities. It’s a 40-minute ferry ride from the mainland, departing from Sihanoukville.

Saracen Bay, once a sleepy fishing village, is now a trendy tourist destination with several beach areas. It’s popular with younger visitors and couples, offering beachfront accommodations and a small town with a few beach resorts, all maintaining a laid-back vibe.

2. M’Pai Bai, Koh Rong Samloem

As Saracen Bay grows in popularity (and crowds), savvy travelers seeking a more personal experience head to the northern side of Koh Rong Samloem and the village of M’pai Bai.

The main M’pai Bai village beach fronts M’pai Bay and is never crowded. There are two more beaches in the area, usually deserted except for local fishermen. Accommodations here include small hostels, beach bungalows, and guest houses. A short hike from the beach leads to two waterfalls, a great way to escape the heat of the day.

For more social activities, it’s easy to head south to the Saracen Bay area.

3. Otres Beach 

Part of the resort city of Sihanoukville, Otres Beach offers a more remote experience while still being accessible. It’s a five-minute moto-taxi ride from downtown or nearby Ochheuteal Beach (the main tourist beach in the area). The water here is cleaner and clearer, and the beach is lined with tall casuarina and palm trees instead of resort hotels.

Otres Beach accommodations range from small boutique hotels and independent resorts to family-run beach guesthouses. The beach is divided into two areas, Otres 1 and Otres 2, separated by a resort. Otres 1 is busier, while Otres 2, farther down the coast, is less developed.

4. Ream Beach 

Ream Beach is part of Ream National Park, located about 30 minutes from Sihanoukville City. This large nature preserve includes a long stretch of untouched beach. There are some fishermen’s shacks and a few tiny, family-run beach cafés, as well as covered seating areas with rows of hammocks. Nearby is a mangrove wetlands area. It’s a great place to escape the crowds of Sihanoukville’s busier beaches, especially on weekends or holidays.

Although it’s a national park, the area is home to a local community of around 5,000 families who work in farming, fishing, or tourism. This beach is close to Sihanoukville Airport for those flying in or out.

5. Sner Beach 

Sner Beach, located in the province of Koh Kong, offers a unique vibe compared to other Cambodian beaches. Situated at the southwestern edge of the country’s coastline, near the border with Thailand, it’s a spot where you’ll mostly find locals enjoying themselves, as it’s not a popular destination for international visitors. The beach is never crowded, the water is usually clean and clear, and there are covered sections with hammocks for relaxation.

Sner Beach is also a haven for foodies, offering extremely fresh seafood cooked right on the beach barbecue pits. There are a few beach shacks and cafés along the sand.

6. Koh Russey

Also known as Bamboo Island, Koh Russey features a spectacular, mile-long, pristine private beach. The gently sloping beach is backed by tall mangrove and palm trees, providing shade during the sunny part of the day.

This island is home to the luxurious Koh Russey Villas & Resort, part of the Small Luxury Resorts of the World collection. The resort offers beautifully designed and furnished individual villas and pavilions with one to four bedrooms. It also features a full-service spa and incredible dining options. Access is via the resort’s private ferry, which picks up and drops off guests at a dock near Ream.

The island’s interior is mainly jungle, which can be explored via footpaths.

7. Kep Beach 

Kep, also known as Krong Kaeb, is a large beach town on the southern Cambodian coast, close to Vietnam. The town has a fun beach area with just the right amount of development. It’s a raw, remote beach, but the beachfront promenade features little cafés and market sections where you can pick out fresh seafood and fruit. Kep Beach is renowned for its amazing, fresh-caught seafood.

The area is historically significant, as Kep was a popular French beach resort during and after the French Colonial period (Cambodia was a French protectorate from 1863 to 1953). Some architecture and wide streets recall the days of French rule. Kep was the epicenter of the Khmer Riviera in the 1950s and 60s.

The beach has vendors renting rafts, boogie boards, umbrellas, and beach chairs. The beach itself was overhauled by the government a few years ago, with massive amounts of sand brought in to create a large, recreational beach.

8. Koh Ta Kiev 

This idyllic little island, known as KTK, is accessible only by ferry or speedboat. It’s about two miles off the shore of Otres Beach. KTK is rapidly developing but remains a beautiful place to enjoy the beach.

The island is remote, with only a few hotels and resorts. There are no shops or other places to buy things. The interior is jungle, and there are treehouse-type guesthouse accommodations available. Aside from the guesthouses and overnight accommodations (you can also camp here), Koh Ta Kiev makes a great day trip.

9. Koh Tonsay 

Also known as Rabbit Island due to its shape, this remote and undeveloped beach resort area is just off the southern coast of Cambodia, near the border with Vietnam. The beaches here vary from thin and sloping with coarse brown sand to wide and flat with fine white sand, all backed by rows of tall trees. The water is clean and clear, making it a great spot for swimming and snorkeling.

Access is via a 20-minute boat ride from the city of Kep. Besides its beautiful beaches, the island is popular for fishing. You can go out on a fishing boat for a few hours or fish off the beach or one of the docks.

10. Lonely Beach 

Aptly named, Lonely Beach is on Koh Rong, the sister island to Koh Rong Samloem. Located off the coast near Sihanoukville, it takes about 40 minutes to reach by boat. Lonely Beach is at the northern tip of the island, away from much of the other resort development.

The sea here sometimes glows at night due to bio-luminescent plankton, which literally glow in the dark during certain seasons.

For a truly remote adventure, try the Lonely Beach Koh Rong resort. It’s the only destination on the northern part of the island, offering miles of unspoiled beaches virtually all to yourself. The casual, barefoot resort has little bungalows, some right on the beach.

11. Victory Beach

If you have limited beach time, Victory Beach is close to Sihanoukville City (next to the new port) and offers a nice, somewhat secluded feel. It has a few beach shacks, little cafés, and tourist businesses renting rafts and umbrellas. There’s also a small pier extending into the sea, good for fishing or sightseeing. The views can be marred by construction cranes from the nearby port development, but this helps keep the crowds away.

Victory Beach is much less crowded than its more popular and developed neighboring beaches like Serendipity. When you’re ready for food after a day on the sand, walk up to the cool Victory Hill neighborhood.

12. Serendipity Beach 

Sometimes, when traveling with children or with limited time, you want a big beach with lots of facilities and things to do. Serendipity Beach is the largest beach area in Sihanoukville. While you won’t find peace and privacy here, you will find a huge beach, lifeguards, and gentle surf. There’s also a long pier and a beachfront area filled with accommodations, shops, and cafés.

The beach’s proximity to Sihanoukville City means you can walk a few minutes to find more shops and restaurants.

13. Song Saa Private Island 

This sustainable, ultra-luxury boutique resort is on its own tiny island at Koh Rong, offering a remote, luxurious tropical island experience. It features incredibly beautiful private beaches and Instagram-worthy over-the-water villas with elements like glass floors to see the blue-green water below. All villas are furnished in a modern, luxurious Khmer style and have private pools.

The resort has multiple dining venues (or in-villa dining) with Michelin star-level food, a wellness-focused spa, and a breathtaking infinity pool surrounded by cabanas and day beds. Activities include morning yoga on the beach and a wide range of water sports.

Access to Song Saa Private Island is via a short boat ride from Sihanoukville.

14. Koh Totang 

This isolated, remote, and barely developed island is perfect for experiencing the raw, natural beauty of Cambodia’s beaches. It also offers great snorkeling opportunities. The island has no hot running water, electricity for only a few hours a day, and the Nomads Land beachfront eco-bungalows as its only accommodation.

Koh Totang is one of 12 little islands that form the Koh S’Dach archipelago. It’s far enough from Sihanoukville to keep the crowds low but still accessible within a few hours. The island is about halfway between Sihanoukville and the Thai border, reachable by a new road or boat.

15. Koh Krabey

Another essentially private island with a sole resort is Koh Krabey, home to the Six Senses Krabey Island resort, one of the world’s great wellness resorts. Accommodations include 40 freestanding villas, each with its own infinity pool. The sustainable yet luxurious villas are thoughtfully designed with multiple levels and living roofs.

The resort boasts an impressive ecological program aiming for zero waste, including no disposable plastic, producing their own essential oils and cleaning products, and an on-island desalination plant. The entire design blends seamlessly into the natural environment.

The resort’s world-class spa uses products and essential oils produced on-site, offering a menu of locally inspired massages and treatments.

The private island is about three miles (five kilometers) off Ream.