The Southern Islands

In Cambodia's up-and-coming southern islands your best chances to fulfil those paradise fantasies are Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem. Off the coast of Sihanoukville, Koh Rong is party central, with its hippy-trippy Koh Tuch village; the rest of the island, fringed by silicon sand and clad in dense jungle, is an escape.

Just south and slightly mellower is Koh Rong Sanloem, with tropical hideaway resorts and gentle, shallow bays. There are more islands along the coast, including the Koh Sdach archipelago and the large, almost undeveloped, Koh Kong.