Feature Image: Hammock on Long Beach, Koh Ta Kiev
Koh Ta Kiev is the biggest of a small group of Cambodian islands situated 10 Kilometers south of Otres Beach. It’s a rustic and unspoilt, offering an opportunity to disconnect from the outside world, and immerse yourself in an off-the-grid island adventure. During our Workaway stint in Otres Beach we took a boat ride over to Koh Ta Kiev for a day trip.
Getting to Koh Ta Kiev
Like most things in Cambodia, it’s an informal process to get to this island. You just have to look out for the boats along the beach and the huddle of people (which is unusual at this time in the morning). There’s no jetty’s so you have to wade into the water to get on these day boats, and there’s only one a day going in either direction.
After an hour on the boat, it pulled up in front Koh Ta Kiev Bungalows located in the middle of Long Beach. The owners of this rustic accommodation run it out of their restaurant and bar known as “Nak’s Shack”.
Every seat on the boat was full, but once we got to Koh Ta Kiev’s longest stretch of beach, conveniently named Long Beach, we barely saw any of our fellow passenger.
You could be forgiven for thinking that you’re the only one on the island, but there are other bungalow options north and south of here.
We didn’t wander very far at all, because there were plenty of hammocks, deck chairs and tire swings along this stretch of beach, and the water was pristine and crystal clear.
Once all the day boats have left for the day, I imagine this area is draped in an even quieter cloak of serenity—ideal for watching the sunset from the water’s edge or wooden boat jetty.
Koh Ta Kiev Bungalows
There’s ten bungalows set back from the beach, spaced far enough apart to offer a level of privacy you won’t find at any of the other accommodation options on the island. Each bungalow has a big open porch with a mattress and hammock, and the inside area is really spacious although quite spartan.
Half of the bungalows have en-suites, and there’s a shared bathroom that’s used by the others, and for anyone who opts to rent a hammock out for the night if the accommodation is fully booked.
Nak’s Shack
You can find the owners of the bungalows serving drinks and food in Nak’s Shack. We didn’t eat at there (although we heard from numerous people at Otres beach that the food was consistently good).
When there’s no shops on the island you either have to be at the mercy of the daily supply boat, or grow as much as you can, and Nak uses a lot of fresh ingredients harvested from one of their lovingly-tended vegetable plots.
I don’t know if it was the season, but the lunch time crowd at Nak’s Shack was older Caucasian men with younger Cambodian girls. After our experience in the backpacker district of Phnom Penh, where the bars and restaurants were rife with this combination, it ruined my appetite for lunch—and put me off wanting to do a return trip.
If these adult women are willing sex workers offering a service of their own free will—and see this profession as a way to improve their lifestyle and standard of living, then fair play to them, it’s their choice. But after the crack-down on sex tourism over the past decade in countries like Thailand and the Philippines, human trafficking has been on the increase in lessor developed countries like Cambodia.
Is this clientele representative of Koh Ta Kiev? It’s difficult to tell. All blog posts and articles I’ve read about this island destination mention the diverse mix of visitors, with a focus on backpackers looking for a chance to unplug and immerse themselves in an off-the-beaten path experience. I didn’t read any red flags that this island was a magnet for sleazy shenanigans. So maybe our lunchtime sexpat encounter was an isolated incident, but more likely—other travelers just turn a blind eye to a sight and behavior that’s considered the accepted norm throughout Cambodia.
After a quick peek in Nak’s Shack—we spun on our heels and spent the day on the beach, alternating between lounging on the hammocks and cooling off in crystal clear waters.
It was dramatically different from a beach-day on Otres. No music. No people. No ladies trying to thread the hairs off your legs. We wallowed in the tranquility of this Robinson Crusoe experience.
About Koh Ta Kiev
If we’d felt energetic we could have followed the blue trail through the jungle and trekked for an hour to the the fishing village on the other side of the island. This is just one of the routes available, and each is marked with different color markings. But to be honest, we were enjoying the peace and solitude so much, the idea of a sweaty trek through the jungle didn’t motivate us into action.
Most of Koh Ta Kiev’s quiet charm comes from the island’s lack of development.
- As with all the Cambodian islands, there aren’t any ATMs, banks, or even card machines anywhere.
- There’s also a lack of shops which means you can’t just pop to the shops if you’ve forgotten to bring something with you.
- There’s no mains electricity, so the islanders draw their power from solar panels and generators that are only switched on for a limited time during the evening.
- If you need to charge your phone or electronics while the power is on during the evening, you can leave them at the bar for safe-keeping.
- Phone signals on the island are sporadic, but you may be able to find a bar or two if you persevere.
- No hot water or air-conditioning, and definitely no wi-fi.
Nak’s Shack has a chilled out vibe rather than a party atmosphere, but if you’re looking for some alternative night-life during your stay on the island, there’s other bars about 10-minutes walk away.
Other accommodation on Koh Ta Kiev: (Crusoe, Ten 103 Treehouse Bay, Last Point, Sea Garden, Coral Grand Resort, Kactus)
There seems to be a big focus on being ecologically aware of their impact on their environment, and the BnB owners work on keeping the beach and coastline as clean and litter-free as possible, which for Cambodia is quite a feat.
Excursion to Elephant Rock
On the boat trip back to the mainland, the boat stopped off at Elephant Rock where people did some rock jumping.
I might have considered it if we were closer to land, but you had to swim against a strong tide to get to the water’s edge and scramble up slippery rocks and through some jungle to get to the rock—and then swim back to the boat. It all seemed like too much effort, so we relaxed in the boat as those younger and more energetic showed us how it was done.
Koh Ta Kiev reminded me of the Thai islands I visited back in the nineties—a quiet unspoiled beach with a handful of basic cabins along the sand, and only one bar-restaurant to eat at. I wonder how long it will be until isolated destinations like this cease to exist?
We found out that part of the island has been sold to Chinese developers, although at the time of our visit all that had been developed was a muddy and overgrown path through the jungle. I wonder how long it will be before this quiet backwater becomes flooded with electricity, wi-fi, and the full moon party brigade?
Hop on a boat from Otres Beach and escape to the island tranquility of Koh Ta Kiev. Unplug for the day and wallow in the beauty of crystal clear waters and soft sand. #Cambodia #flashpacking Click To Tweet
Flashpacking through Cambodia
Flashpacking through Cambodia: For Baby Boomers on a Budget is my latest Roving Jay travel guide full of travel tips, advice, and sample itineraries for flash packers who want the back packing experience without foregoing some of life’s creature comforts – like a comfortable bed, a hot shower, free wi-fi, and somewhere to plug your electric toothbrush in.
I spent almost three months backpacking around Cambodia in 2017/2018 to research this travel guide, and I share insights and first hand knowledge of tourist traps and off-the-beaten-path discoveries. We ate street food, drank 50c beers, and travelled by train, bus, minivan and tuktuk to identify the best ways to get from A to B.
If you’d like to receive a free Review Copy ahead of the general public release, please click here.
Here’s my Cambodia posts on this blog:
- Cambodia Visa and Arrival at Siem Reap Airport
- Cambodia: How to Avoid the Crowds at Angkor Wat
- Filling up your scooter in Cambodia
- The Best Tasting Street Food in Siem Reap
- Angkor Wat at Dawn: Is it worth it?
- Come face to face with Angkor Thom’s Bayon
- Good vs. Evil at Angkor Thom’s Impressive Southern Gate
- The Baphuon Temple and the Terrace of the Elephants at Angkor Thom
- Visiting Siem Reap’s War Museum
- Where to Stay in Siem Reap
- Visiting Siem Reap’s Markets
- Give your taste buds a disco at Siem Reap Night Market
- Responsible Tourism at Joe to Go in Siem Reap
- What to See and Do in Siem Reap
- Which Siem Reap Floating Village should you visit?
- Memorable Boat Trip from Siem Reap to Battambang
- Libations and Bric-a-Brac tempt our purse strings in Battambang
- Vegetable Amok at About the World Restaurant in Battambang
- Cooking Classes at Nary’s Kitchen Battambang
- Pomme Bar, Restaurant and Hostel, at the Core of the new Battambang
- An educational trip around Battambang’s Central Market
- Sightseeing and things to do in Battambang Cambodia
- Bayon VIP Bus from Battambang to Phnom Penh Cambodia
- Exploring Phnom Penh’s 172nd Street in the dark
- The challenge of wandering Phnom Penh’s streets
- A visit to Phnom Penh’s Central Market
- Exploring Phnom Penh’s Markets
- Phnom Penh Photo Diary
- Tops sights to see in Phnom Penh
- Touring S-21 Security Prison (Tuol Sleng Museum Phnom Penh)
- A reflective visit to The Killing Fields
- Taking a train from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville
- The majesty of Otres Beach sunsets
- Our Workaway Gig at Otres Beach Market Cambodia
- Working Away to make Cambodian Bagels
- Cambodia Pastry Wars: The Battle of the Quiche
- Our Cambodia workaway gig renovating a market stall
- Unwind on Cambodia’s Koh Ta Kiev Island
- Cambodian Beach Massage and Grilled Seafood
- Building Community during our Cambodian Workaway
- Gecko Village in Kampot Cambodia – a Photo Essay
- Christmas Eve in Kampot
- more coming
This is really roughing it, I really admire your resilience. I love Cambodia and the people are so kind and welcoming. This sounds like the perfect place to mellow out and leave the world behind. I could do without WI-FI, but I haven’t traveled anywhere where there was no grid electricity. Is there a spiritual feeling in that area or a wellness retreat?
Nothing as grand as a wellness retreat .. but give it time, and I’m sure a hotel with those kind of services will spring up. But I love that it’s off the grid, and I’m sure there’s an opportunity to do yoga, and swim, and get in touch with your spiritual side, if you’re willing to do it independently.
I have never really had any Cambodian dreams, but I have to say that its looking quite nice 🙂 I have just always dreaded the long flights 😛
Yes it was a long flight .. but such an amazing country, and so cheap to travel around, and the people were fab (except the sleazy Sexpats!!)
Interesting – never heard of Koh Ta Kiev. I’ve been to Koh Rong which on the Western shore has on of the nicest beaches I’ve ever seen. However, since on the way back the sea was incredibly rough, I always rather remember how I almost drowned in Cambodia 😉
We had a similar boat ride to Koh Rong Samleon … the neighbor to Koh Rong. We took a long boat from the other side of the island, and the waves were huge, and I thought we were going to lose our bags in the water.
On the travel wish list! Would love to visit Cambodia. And an island visit to Koh Ta Kiev sounds ideal right now. I do remember those days of wading into the water to board a boat! I would certainly like to try diving from Elephant Rock.
Yes I’d love to be on a hammock in the sun right now too … with a really good book, and a cold fruity drink!
I love how you found an lesser known island to explore in Cambodia. What a wonderful experience to lounge on the beach in hammocks. But I also appreciate your honesty in describing what you saw at Nak’s Shack and can understand why you didn’t spend any time there.
An all too common sight in Cambodia unfortunately, and left a queasy feeling in my stomach .. especially in Phnom Penh. But that aside, the people in Cambodia are fabulous and warm, and we loved our time there.
Lovely post. Glad to learn about this off the beaten track experience. I hope that Koh Ta Kiev Island stays less developed. I would have been right with you on the boat watching other people jump off Elephant Rock.
Thanks Sue … yes my days of jumping off rocks may be well and truly behind me. My heart and soul is willing, but my body says “No!”
I’ve not been to Cambodia yet but your description of blue waters and rock climbs and a totally dedicated beach has brought many memories of Thailand. I would have been with you on the Elephant Rock – happy to snap away for my Insta feed :). Sad about the Cambodian girls though. A beautiful read, Jay.
Thanks Georgina… plenty of room in the boat beside me to the insta shots!
This place looks like a dream! I went to Koh Rong and all we did was laze on hammocks and relax in the waters too, ahh what a life!! Elephant rock sounds cool to visit!
Loved this post! Going to Asia is on my bucket list and this is exactly the type of destination review that makes me happy.
I do hope that by the time I get there, the development hasn’t completely changed the natural beauty and rustic experience.
Unfortunately Cambodia is changing rapidly. Lots of investment from China .. with huge swaths of land and buildings being scooped up by them for development.
Looks gorgeous. I always regret not getting out to any of the Cambodian islands. I love those rustic backpacker type bars. Hope it doesn’t go the way of some of the Cambodian resorts.
They’re a mixed bag for sure … we went to another one, that wasn’t as nice, so I think if you’re looking for an island getaway, it has to be Thailand, because those islands are so hard to beat.
Oh wow, I enjoyed reading this. Koh Ta Kiev sounds like a dream escape. The accommodation looks very basic but I love the simplicity of it all. No wifi, no hot water or air-conditioning.
I wished we’d stayed here for a few days, it’s so nice to unplug and get away from all our connected devices every now and then. And because there’s limited electricity, it’s back to basics and night.. and it’s a good excuse for a game of cards, a few drinks, and lots of chatter.
Oh my, those cabins are quite rustic haha! But what a neat experience – one I would like to do! I have yet to explore a place with limited electricity or amenities but I feel like it’s important for us living in North America to experience (to appreciate what we have at home!).
Traveling in Asia is definitely a wake up call for everything we take for granted in our cosy western world lives.
Cambodia is high on my to go list. Though I hope that possible trafficking you mentioned isnt prevalent everywhere…. otherwise Cambodia looks like an awesome place to visit! We stayed at a similar, almost off the grid place in Indonesia and it was a really awesome experience!
The only place where we saw such overt sex-tourism/sex workers was in the capital, Phnom Penh. It was a bit off putting and ruined out time there, because it’s so in your face and you can’t seem to get away from it. I’m sure it happens in all the bit cities, but it’s not so noticeable elsewhere.
Roving Jay recently posted..Unwind on Cambodia’s Koh Ta Kiev Island
When I think of Cambodia, I can visualise giant sized buddha statue and large UNESCO temples, and certainly not sex workers and human trafficking. I hope these girls are not forcefully led into this lifestyle. That apart, rock diving looks really adventurous. Would love to do it someday (perhaps, after I learn proper swimming.- ha ha! )
I hope they’re not forced into it either, but even if they’re doing it out of choice, it may not be their ideal vocation. But the trouble is that it’s such a poor country and rich western guys coming into town with wads of cash it a big enticement and difficult to turn down.
The bungalows are so super cute! I love the hammocks too! Looks like a beautiful place to relax.
You can’t beat a hammock on the beach!
This looks like such a great place to stay! I have never been to Cambodia before, but it is on my list 🙂 Love how local and less-touristy it feels on islands like these compared to others!
There’s a few more Cambodian islands further along the coast that are a lot more touristy, but most of them are still decades behind the Thai islands where you have wi-fi and non-stop electricity.
I was planning a trip to Cambodia for this year, but it had to be cancelled. It seems like you really hit the non-touristy and less crowded areas and this is absolutely great. You had a truly unique experience. Would love to be able to do the same soon. Thank you for sharing.
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Cambodia was a real treat … not just the islands, but the towns and cities as well – a complete package of memorable experiences. Would love to go back there again.
Wow this is really really tranquil environment to spend a few days. I definitely need to add it to my bucket list. All you need is a beach towel and a good book!
This island is the perfect opportunity to enjoy some me-time for sure. It might take you a couple of days to get into the island vibe, and then probably difficult to tear yourself away.
I continuously look for smaller islands to visit instead of the bigger ones, as I like getting away from the package tour islands and one’s that are really full of tourists. I just added this one to the list. Thank you so much!
The good thing about the few Cambodian islands that there are, is that you have a choice of off the beaten path and touristy.
You got me at “there were plenty of hammocks.” Love that it looks very private and relaxing. I would also greatly enjoy the chill vibes of Naks Shack as I am not very into partying.
There’s plenty of other places for partying … so having little islands like this to chill out on is a bonus when traveling around Cambodia.
This seems like an amazing, quiet island. I would love to have an Island experience in Cambodia…but definitely one without a lot of Tourists! A day Trip might be just right for me! The rock jumping looks really wonderful…if a bit dangerous! I always enjoy a boar ride too!
There’s plenty more islands with more tourists, but only a few that are off the beaten path. I’m glad we discovered this one, and it’s so close to the mainland.