It’s important to occasionally take a break from smartphones, social media, and all communication, and this is exactly what we were looking for when we decided to travel off the grid in Cambodia. We live in a world were responding to never-ending emails, getting lost in Netflix binges, and blasting through Candy Crush levels is the norm. We often forget what life was like before the internet era, a time when a cell phone wasn’t needed to keep in touch with people and it was up to you to find entertainment in the real world.
The Bros have both spent time in the NYC rat race, so we understand the benefits of taking a timeout to smell the roses of life a little bit. Do you enjoy chilling out on a beautiful beach without the droves of tourists? Are you okay with sleeping in a hammock or a tent, and roughing it for a few days? Can you survive with a sunrise, a sunset, and the people around you as your only entertainment? If so, you may be ready to put the technology down and embrace the chance to travel off the grid in Cambodia.
Traveling in the Kingdom of Cambodia often means making a stop in the capital of Phnom Penh. To be clear, Phnom Penh is far from off the beaten track, but hey, you gotta start somewhere. Start making your way to Sihanoukville to begin the off-the-beaten-track part of your Cambodia itinerary.
The bus ride is around 4.5 – 5 hours, but it is Cambodia so don’t quote us on that time. Roads aren’t always in the best shape, buses break down, random stops for restroom breaks, grabbing some snacks…you get the idea. This isn’t rush hour in Manhattan, it’s a drive-through rural, scarcely populated parts of Cambodia, a harbinger of the adventures to come. Things kinda just go at their own pace and getting into this frame of mind will serve you well when you are off the beaten path.
Sihanoukville is your jumping-off point to some hidden spots in Cambodia. Since your goal is to get away from most of the crowds and action, head straight to Otres Beach 1. Chinese developers have been building at breakneck speed, with over 100 casinos already up and running in Sihanoukville.
The area is changing quickly, so the peace and tranquility we experienced at Otres Beach will no doubt be compromised soon as well. For now, Otres is hanging on to its chill vibes, and Wish You Were Here Hostel is the perfect spot to kick back with a coffee or beer in a swinging lounge chair. Listen to some reggae jams and watch epic views of the waves on the beautiful beach across the street. Tuk tuk drivers are at the ready to take you anywhere or get you anything you may need.
It’s worth taking a day trip to the small nearby islands (Koh Ta Kiev, Kaoh Chanloh, Kaoh Tres & Bamboo Island). We booked a tour with Micky, one of the local Khmer people offering tours, trips and things to do on Otres Beach. Khmer people are native to Cambodia and makeup 97% of the country’s people. They speak Khmer and have a deep history including a Khmer Empire that began its rule in the 9th century, and a Khmer Rouge that ruled in the 1970s, the latter of which was a brutal regime. We weren’t aware of the magnitude of what went on in Cambodia until we learned about it through our travels, and it’s important that people learn from history. This is all a story for another day though.
Back on Micky’s tour, we had a solid group for snorkeling, cliff jumping, and enjoying a perfect day. Micky was the MVP, stocking the boat full of cold Angkor beers for the entire day. And no need to interrupt your lazy lounging on the beach to grab another beer. Micky will toss you a cold one from the boat to your hand on a dime. The Yankees could use this dude on the roster. Choul mouy Micky! (Cheers or literally “bump one” in Khmer)
Now it’s time to head to the island where you will experience travel off the grid in Cambodia. A boat to Koh Rong Sanloem is a ticket to see some of the more unexplored places in Cambodia. We found our boy Micky on the beach and asked if he could hook us up with a ride. He set us up with a speed boat, the quicker and safer method of getting from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong Sanloem. We were supposed to get off at M’Pai Bay, but apparently, we missed the stop. If you pay attention, you’ll have no issues. Maybe all that time chillin’ out to those reggae beats at Otres Beach had slowed down our reaction time a bit.
We got off at Saracen Bay and were told we would have to get a “private” boat back to M’Pai Bay. The private boat was a rickety long tail type of boat that is typical throughout Southeast Asia. The skies opened and the sea was angry that day my friends. We were getting soaked; Nick’s skateboard bearings would eventually turn to rust from the salt water, and at times it felt like the boat could tip over. It was one of those moments I’ll always remember so vividly, that feeling of adventure as the rain was dripping in my eyes, thinking what I would do if this boat flipped over.
Having travel insurance is great, but that’s not going to make me a better swimmer right now. I guess you could say we were traveling off the grid in Cambodia now!
We made it to M’Pai Bay safely and we’re sure you will too. A short walk through M’Pai Bay Village and you’ll find Coast 23 Hostel. Before departing Sihanoukville, be sure to take out cash for your stay in Koh Rong Sanloem. Cash is king out here, and there aren’t many options, if any when it comes to ATMs on the island. Grab some mosquito repellent while you’re at it. Coast 23 had no WiFi when we were there and all indications are that it’s still the same.
Regardless, you didn’t come all this way for an internet connection, so view your phone as a camera only and settle in. The hostel is set right on the beach, with an awesome square-shaped bar setup that attracts backpackers from around the world ready to share stories and connect with new people.
Mama lives on the premise and will whip you up something fresh to fill ya up. The facilities are basic, there might be a frog joining you in the toilet, and there’s always a few pups hanging around. There’s sure to be a weathered backpacker with a ton of good stories to trade with you in between guitar riffs and group singalongs to Bob Marley tracks. Listen to the jams, play a tune if you can, roll up something if you have. Embrace this new simple style of life…it’s a good way of life. And with a price tag of $4 a night for a dorm bed, life is good off the grid in Cambodia.
When the sky darkens, go to the beach to see an incredible show. If you haven’t heard of bioluminescent phytoplankton, google it. As you move around in the water at night, this plankton “activates” and lights up like little blue electric pulses. It’s very entertaining.
Be sure to spend some time checking out the village of M’Pai Bay. Lend a hand and help clean up any trash you see on the beach. We should always try to leave a place a little bit better than when we arrived. Observe the locals going about their daily work, transporting goods from one side of the beach to the other, working in bars and restaurants, serving people whatever they have. One place had run out of Coca-Cola’s and meat, so no Beef Lok Lak for us. No worries from the Bros, we’ll take the falafel and a beer instead. Why the hell not? This is the way life is when you are off the grid traveling in Cambodia.
Bye-bye M’Pai Bay! Time for the real adventure, Clear Water Bay. This beautiful, scenic beach is located in a secluded part of the island of Koh Rong Sanloem. It’s accessible by foot, but only from M’Pai Bay, via a trek through the jungle. From other parts of the island, the only way to get to Clear Water Bay is by boat. Trekking through the water and into the jungle with backpacks trying to find a mysterious beach? Let’s do it!
The directions we were told: Find the sandbar. Hang a right a little after it. Work your way uphill into the jungle. Keep going. Not exactly google maps quality, but this is the whole point.
Like us, you’ll for sure make a few errant turns and question what the hell you are doing wandering in a Cambodian jungle, but you’ll find your way. When you do, it will all be worth it. At Clear Water Bay, there are no roads, stores, shops or pharmacies. There is nothing. When we went, there was one hostel called Driftwood, which is now closed. Driftwood was the only place to eat, get water or use a toilet at Clear Water Bay. They had no WiFi, and electricity was unreliable at best, running for a few hours before going down.
Driftwood consisted of basic dorm shelter accommodations and 3 meals cooked for guests at specified times. If you missed a meal, the only option was to trek through the jungle back to M’Pai Bay Village. This is Clear Water Bay, you are finally traveling off the beaten path in Cambodia.
We spent 3 days and nights here leading up to New Year’s. I slept under the stars in a hammock tied to a tree for 3 nights, listening to the sounds of waves and swaying from the strong winds coming from the shore, rocking me to sleep. We ate plenty of amok, a traditional dish in Cambodia where fish and sometimes vegetables are coated in coconut milk with kroeung (popular herbs/spices in Khmer dishes) and steamed in banana leaves.
We spent a memorable New Year’s Day with new friends with new perspectives, celebrating the new year and learning about each other’s lives. Sasha taught us a Russian card game called Durak. We all laughed about what we may be doing if we were back home…probably sitting on a couch watching Netflix and ordering takeout while nursing a hangover. Theo and Sophia, our new French friends, kept rolling up cigs and Cambodia, one after the other. We invented games with sticks and tree nuts and made a drum set out of random materials found on the beach, forming a band in the sand.
Nights are spent around the bonfire drinking the beer if it’s still cold and drinking it anyway if it’s warm. Strangers turned friends are passing around a community bottle of Cambodian whiskey. We share booze, laughs, songs, and a deeper connection with each other, freed from the shackles of modern technology.
When you lose all the distractions of being on the grid, your creativity and imagination come to the surface. You can connect with people and nature on a new level. Or is it an old level? Depends on how you look at it. If you’re debating whether to travel off the grid in Cambodia, we will let an inspirational local Khmer man from Sihanoukville offer a word of advice.
The wise Khmer man told us,
“Why not?!…Never try, never know!”
**If you are heading to Clear Water Bay, be aware that you are traveling even further off the grid these days. As far as we know, Driftwood is closed and there is no operating business or anyone living there. If making the trek through the jungle, bring enough food, water, beers, and a hammock or a tent. We can’t say definitely try it, because we aren’t aware of the situation in real-time. But if the Bros were there now, we’d be trekking through that damn jungle.
Backpacking Southeast Asia?…or around the world?! Check out our posts on Thailand, Laos & Cambodia!
WANT TO TRAVEL OFF THE GRID IN CAMBODIA?
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