Saracen Bay Resort

Rooms and decor

The heart of this place is the modern bungalows, built from bare concrete and wood, clean and understated and in keeping with the beach and the coconut palms. Some sit right on the beach, where you open the door, cross the deck, and reach the sand and sea in a few steps; others are tucked into a shady private garden among green trees. The rooms are simply and comfortably done in tropical-resort style, leaning on openness and the sea view rather than lavishness. Many have a deck or porch for morning coffee over the waves or the garden. Reviews often praise how private and relaxed the rooms feel — better for falling asleep to the surf and the birds than to city noise. Open the curtains in the morning to soft light through the palm leaves and the sea filling the frame, then walk a few steps to the sand. That is the charm that keeps guests wanting to stay longer than they planned.

Food and amenities

If anything makes Saracen Bay Resort stand out from its neighbours on the same beach, it's the beachfront restaurant, which plenty of reviews call the best kitchen on Koh Rong Sanloem. It serves fresh seafood caught around the island, local Khmer dishes, and familiar Western plates, eaten right by the beach to the sound of the waves — many guests say it's the best meal of their island trip. By day you swim in the clear water or borrow gear to snorkel over coral and small fish. The unmissable night highlight is the bioluminescent-plankton tour: swim out on a dark night and the water glows blue around you, something Koh Rong Sanloem is well known for. Once you're here you barely need to leave, with the beach, restaurant, and water activities all on hand, though the resort can arrange diving trips, runs to other beaches, or visits to an island village.

Location and getting there

Saracen Bay is the eastern-side location that sells its beauty and quiet to the full — a long stretch of smooth white sand, clear water that's fairly shallow and calm, good for swimming, walking, and sunbathing without fighting for space. Because the bay faces east, mornings bring a sunrise over the sea as a bonus. Getting here starts with a ferry from Sihanoukville pier to the Saracen Bay jetty, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, then a walk to the resort on the beach, with the resort happy to advise on the boat transfer. This setup suits travellers who mainly want a fine beach and good food, then head out on tours on the odd day.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — the biggest thing to weigh is the island location on Koh Rong Sanloem, reached mainly by ferry. Going into town, joining a tour, or visiting another beach means a boat every time and depending on the ferry timetable, so anyone who wants shops right outside the door, or dislikes multi-leg travel, may find it inconvenient; check the schedule and have the resort help with transfers ahead. Second, this is an island-style resort that leans on simplicity and blending with nature, so the rooms and facilities aren't as lavish as a five-star place — adjust your expectations to a beach resort. With fairly few restaurants and shops outside the resort around Saracen Bay, you mostly eat in-house, though luckily the kitchen here is already well-regarded. Finally, staying on an island, the experience depends a fair bit on the weather: in monsoon season or on rough-sea days the boat crossing may not be smooth, the internet can be less reliable than in town, and at times there can be bugs near the beach, so check the season before booking and allow for the island pace.

Our take

Having read through nearly a thousand real reviews, our team sees Saracen Bay Resort as a place that sells the lovely, quiet beachfront of Saracen Bay, modern bungalows set right on the sand so you open the door to the sea, a seaside kitchen reviews rate the best on Koh Rong Sanloem, and warm, friendly staff — all at an accessible price. If your trip in your head is waking to a sunrise over clear water on a beach that's almost your own, a few steps from the bungalow to the sand, swimming and snorkeling all day, then a seafood dinner by the beach and a night swim among glowing plankton, this place delivers. It's best for couples, families, and anyone after a quiet seaside break with good food on a comfortable budget. But if your trip is about hunting new restaurants every night, lively nightlife, full luxury, or getting around easily without the boat, the island location and simple style here may not be the best fit. Overall we give it 9.2/10 — choose it for the beautiful, quiet beach, the best kitchen on the island, and an easygoing feel at good value, and you'll get a seaside break on Koh Rong Sanloem worth remembering.