Lazy Beach

Rooms and decor

Picture a long stretch of white sand with exactly one resort on the whole beach — no high-rises, no row of shops, no engine noise, just waves on sand and sea breeze through the coconut palms. That is Lazy Beach, a resort on the west side of Koh Rong Sanloem that foreign travelers have passed along by word of mouth for years as one of Cambodia's best escapes. The resort is a row of small, plain wood bungalows tucked under the trees at the edge of the beach, decorated island-style in natural wood and materials — unfussy but warm. Inside there is a slow-turning ceiling fan, and the part everyone falls for is the veranda out front with a hammock for reading, napping or watching the sea all day with nothing to rush for. Open the door and you are on white sand and clear water, a few steps from a swim. What sets it apart from an ordinary beach bungalow is the extreme privacy, because the whole beach is effectively the guests' alone — calm, relaxed, and made for waking up to the waves and waiting out the golden evening light without competing for a spot.

Food and amenities

The charm of staying at Lazy Beach is genuinely cutting off from the outside world and slowing down. The heart of the place is the beachfront restaurant-bar, which is kitchen, meeting point and the center of the beach all at once, since it is just about the only spot on the sand serving food and drink. The menu leans to easy, tasty Western dishes — burgers, mains, and fresh seafood from the nearby water — plus cold drinks and cocktails to sip by the shore. Come evening, guests from several bungalows tend to gather at the bar to swap travel stories, easy enough that it feels like a small community of sea-lovers. By day there is clear water for swimming and snorkeling, the surf is sometimes good enough for some light surfing, or you can just take a book to the hammock for the afternoon. The amenities are not full-service-resort lavish, but they are enough for a beach life designed to make you put everything down and sit quietly with nature — which many people say is exactly what they were after.

Location and getting there

Lazy Beach sits on the west side of Koh Rong Sanloem, the side that faces the open sea and deliberately hides from the bustle, unlike the busier main pier at Saracen Bay on the east. Getting here is part of the adventure and a small ritual that makes the escape feel real — start with a speedboat from Sihanoukville to Saracen Bay, about 45 minutes, then walk across the island on a shaded jungle trail for roughly 40 minutes until you come out at Lazy Beach on the other side. Along the way you hear the birds and insects of the forest, and arriving tired to find an open white-sand beach waiting is the moment many people remember. The appeal of this spot is rare quiet and privacy: the whole island has no cars, the air is clean, the night sky fills with stars, and because the beach faces west you get a fine golden sunset from the sand. If you like exploring, you can take the trail to neighboring bays such as Sunset Beach.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — the first thing to accept is the journey. Lazy Beach is on the harder-to-reach west side, and after the boat lands at Saracen Bay you still have to walk about 40 minutes across the island on a jungle trail with your luggage. That is fairly tiring and not ideal for anyone who cannot manage the walk, has heavy bags, or is traveling with small children. Pack as light as you can and tell the resort ahead so they can advise on the route and help coordinate the boat. Next is island life: Koh Rong Sanloem has no roads and is remote, so power and Wi-Fi are limited and there may be times when the power drops or the signal cuts out — if you need to work online constantly, be prepared. These are also simple bungalows with fans instead of air-con and basic amenities, and being right by jungle and beach there can be bugs or mosquitoes at times, so bring repellent. Because it is a traveler favorite, rooms are few and book out very fast — reserve several weeks ahead, especially in high season. Finally, money: the island has few ATMs and many places take cash only, so exchange and withdraw enough on the Sihanoukville side before you board.

Our take

From reading the real reviews, Lazy Beach is a beachfront resort that sells privacy and dream-beach atmosphere cleanly — the only resort on the whole of Lazy Beach, giving you the white sand and clear water of the west side in extreme quiet, a hammock outside your bungalow to the sound of waves all day, a warm beachfront restaurant-bar as the gathering point, and a rare unplugged slow-living escape at a price that is still affordable. No wonder it became a legend travelers keep passing along. If the trip in your head is walking out of the jungle onto a quiet private beach, swimming all day, reading in a hammock, then finishing with a golden sunset over the sand, this delivers in full. But if you want an easy journey, cold air-con, steady Wi-Fi, and full luxury, the remote and simple island ways here may not be your path. Overall we give it 8.9/10, best for couples, backpackers and travelers who want to cut off from the noise and live slow by the sea, valuing private quiet and dream-beach atmosphere over comfort.