Is Koh Rong safe?
Friendly and generally safe. Theft from beach huts, drink spiking, rough boat rides and distance from hospitals are the main risks.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-07-24.
- Homicide rate in Cambodia: 1.8 per 100,000 people (2011, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Cambodia: 19.6 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 117 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 118.
Safety in Koh Rong at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Theft from unlocked huts and beaches, bag snatching in Koh Touch at night, and drink spiking at beach parties. |
| At night | Koh Touch is lively late; paths are dark and uneven. Carry a torch and avoid walking jungle trails alone at night. |
| Solo women | Comfortable for solo women, with many solo travelers. Watch drinks at parties and avoid isolated beaches after dark. |
| Other risks | Rough speedboat crossings in wet season; Currents at some beaches; few lifeguards; Jellyfish, sandflies and dengue |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Boat touts selling tickets at inflated prices in Sihanoukville
- Hut owners withholding deposits for claimed damage
- Street sellers on the beach pushing overpriced drinks
Take care
- Night swimming and beach parties after drinking
- Jungle trails to remote beaches without a guide
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Zero tolerance on drugs, including cannabis; police raid bars and run urine tests.
- Cover shoulders and knees at Angkor and other temples or you can be refused entry.
- Don't photograph military sites; ask before photographing monks.
How Koh Rong compares in Cambodia
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Siem Reap | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Koh Rong | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Kampot | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Koh Rong Samloem | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Battambang | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Kep | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Phnom Penh | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Sihanoukville | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Koh Rong safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable for solo women, with many solo travelers. Watch drinks at parties and avoid isolated beaches after dark.
Is Koh Rong safe at night?
Koh Touch is lively late; paths are dark and uneven. Carry a torch and avoid walking jungle trails alone at night.
What is the crime rate in Koh Rong?
Theft from unlocked huts and beaches, bag snatching in Koh Touch at night, and drink spiking at beach parties. Nationally, Cambodia records 1.8 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2011).
What number do I call in an emergency in Koh Rong?
Police 117 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 118.
More about Koh Rong
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Cambodia Ministry of Tourism
- Cambodia e-Visa
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.