Koh Rong is the biggest island off the coast of Sihanoukville within the Gulf of Thailand that stretches from southeast to north-west, roughly elongate form and it encompasses an area of 78 square km. The parcel of land is preponderantly craggy with a large mountain (316 meters) at the island’s north-west. The hills offer water for incalculable creeks and estuaries. The island’s interior is somewhat fully forested, concealing variety of waterfalls.
Koh Rong has about 43 kilometers of beaches. There are no less than twenty-three beaches of varied length and coloration – from (predominantly) white to beige to rosy sands - on most of the outline. Bays, sticking out capes and spectacular erinaceous rock formations give a beautiful island’s scenic panorama.
The southern coastline - exposed to the weather and open sea, is especially spectacular, whereas the eastern coast that faces towards the land is characterised by a sequence of sleek hills, gently sloping towards the various crescent beaches, inlets and bays.
Many tiny islets and many reefs offer an abundance of natural environments for an excellent style of marine life. The middle of the island could be a flat “belt” of sediments that joins the 2 craggy massifs of the southeast and north-west.
Although most of the island's surface remains coated in forest, many years of prohibited logging have seriously affected the standard and health of the jungle. Huge, previous and slow-growing hardwood trees became rare, the original arboreal selection is vanishing and systematically being replaced by business monocultures, like palm - and oil palms, particularly on the coast and within the lowlands.
Tiny Koh Tuich Island lies off the South-East and also the twin islands of Koh Bong-Po'own, also called Koh Song-Saa, stretches the North-East of Koh Rong. To its South lies the unsettled island of Koh Koun, followed by Koh Rong Sanloem Island. These 5 Islands comprise the Sangkat Koh Rong or Commune five of Mittakpheap District.
History
No recorded settlements existed on Koh Rong Island before the year 2000. From 1960 to 1975, the Island was managed and ruled by 2 establishments, the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port and the Navy authority. Nobody lived on Koh Rong Island throughout the Khmer Rouge or Pol Pot regime (1975 – 1979) and there have been no organized fishing activities. The Navy authority for 5 miles around the island ruled the location during 1979 to 2000.
Since 2000 the Department of Fisheries is the principal administrative unit in charge of management of living aquatic resources. It cooperates with local authorities, communities, native fishers, and NGOs, to manage and conserve the resources.
Settlements and Infrastructure
There are four distinguishable villages on Koh Rong – Koh Tuich Village within the South-East, Prek Svay within the East, Doeum D'keuw in the North-East and Sok San Village in the North-West. Most native residents live from fishing (70%) and little scale crop cultivation (30%), though an increasing range has found jobs within the quickly growing touristy sector. this is often significantly true for Koh Tuich Village, where traveler businesses add up residential homes.
Apart from slender ways within the jungle - several of those are dead ends that had been created by outlaw loggers - there exists completely no road network. The islands inner remains non-populated, villages and vacation resorts are confined to the coast and the beaches.
Extensive road clearings do omen the island's future as a significant traveler destination; nevertheless, because the developer investment partner has dropped out of the team, funding remains unsure. The Ministry of Tourism has appealed indirect discontent and is probably going to cancel development licenses, if these necessary islands are remained undeveloped.
