While many visitors are aware with Cambodia's rich cultural past and tourist attractions, such as the Angkor Wat temples, the country also features hundreds of miles of magnificent beaches along the Gulf of Thailand. Apart from nearly 300 miles of coastline, this Southeast Asian country includes 60 offshore islands, many of which are vacation spots with beaches to explore and enjoy. These islands are home to some of the top resorts in the country.

Beaches in Cambodia can be located in four provinces: Sihanoukville, Kampot, Koh Kong, and Kep. The beaches range from rural, undeveloped beaches with only the occasional fisherman's shack, such as those on Koh Rong Samloem, to well developed beach resort areas fronted by luxury hotels, such as those in Sihanoukville. Plan your tropical holiday with our list of Cambodia's best beaches.

Top Beaches in Cambodia

1. Kep Beach

Kep is a big seaside town on Cambodia's southern coast, near to Vietnam. The town, also known as Krong Kaeb, features a lovely beach area with just enough development. It's a wild, secluded beach, but the beachside promenade contains a few cafés and market sections where you may pick your own fresh fish and produce. Kep Beach is well-known for its delicious, freshly caught fish.

The location is especially fascinating because Kep was a historic French beach resort popular during and after French Colonialism (Cambodia was a protectorate of France from 1863 to 1953). The architecture and spacious streets go back to the days of French dominance. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Kep was the core of what was known as the Khmer Riviera.

Vendors on the beach rent rafts, boogie boards, umbrellas, and beach chairs. The beach itself was renovated a few years ago by the government, and enormous amounts of sand were brought in from other regions to create a wide, recreational beach.

2. Koh Krabey

Koh Krabey is another essentially private island with a single resort. It is the location of the Six Senses Krabey Island resort, one of the world's best wellness retreats. There are 40 freestanding villas, each with its own infinity pool. The villas are meticulously designed with many floors and living roofs to be both sustainable and luxurious.

Notably, the resort has an amazing environmental policy that strives for zero waste. This includes eliminating the use of disposable plastic, manufacturing their own essential oils and cleaning products, and even constructing an on-island desalination facility. The entire design and construction merges perfectly with the natural surroundings. With their variety of regionally inspired massages and treatments, the resort's world-class spa uses products and essential oils created on-site. The private island is located about three miles (five kilometres) off the coast of Ream.

3. Koh Russey

Koh Russey, popularly known as Bamboo Island, has a mile-long pristine private beach. The very gently sloping beach is backed by a row of large mangrove and palm trees that provide shade during the day.

The exquisite Koh Russey Villas & Resort is located on this Cambodian island. It's all individual villas and pavilions at one of Cambodia's greatest resorts (and part of the Small Luxury Resorts of the World series). They are all wonderfully designed and furnished and contain one, two, three, or four bedrooms. The resort also offers a full-service spa and some fantastic dining. The resort's own ferry takes you off or picks you up at a wharf near Ream. The island's interior is mostly jungle, which can be explored on footpaths.

4. Koh Ta Kiev

This picturesque tiny island, known as KTK, can only be reached by ferry or speedboat. It's about two kilometres out from Otres Beach. KTK is constantly developing, but it remains a great area to enjoy the beach.

The island remains isolated, with no shops or other places to shop other from the few hotels and resorts. The interior of the island is jungle, and treehouse-style guesthouses are available. Apart from the guesthouses and overnight lodgings (you may also camp here), Koh Ta Kiev is an excellent day trip destination.

5. Koh Tonsay

This secluded and underdeveloped beach resort location, sometimes known as Rabbit Island (because to its form), is located just off the south coast of Cambodia, near the border with Vietnam. The beaches in this area are either narrow and sloping, with coarse brown sand, or large and flat, with fine white sand. In both situations, they are surrounded by tall trees. It's an excellent beach for swimming and snorkelling because the water is clean and clear.

A 20-minute boat ride from Kep takes you there. Apart from its lovely beaches, the island is a famous fishing destination. You can rent a fishing boat for a few hours or simply fish from the beach or a pier.

6. Koh Totang

This lonely, distant, hardly developed, and nearly uninhabited island is ideal for seeing the raw, natural beauty of Cambodia's beaches (it also has some excellent snorkelling). The island has no running water, only a few hours of electricity per day, and only the Nomads Land beachfront eco-bungalows for lodging.

Koh Totang is one of twelve small islands that make up the Koh S'Dach archipelago. It's far enough away from Sihanoukville to avoid crowds, yet still accessible in a few hours. The island is around midway between Sihanoukville and the Thai border, and it is accessible by car (due to a new road) or by boat.

7. Lonely Beach

This beach is located on Koh Rong, the sister island to Koh Rong Samoem. It is located off the coast near Sihanoukville and takes approximately 40 minutes to reach by boat. Lonely Beach is located on the northern extremity of the island, away from the majority of the other resort development.

The sea here occasionally shines at night. The surf is packed with bio-luminescent plankton during certain seasons, which practically glow in the dark.

Try the Lonely Beach Koh Rong resort for a truly secluded adventure. Because this is the only location on the northern side of the island, you get miles of unspoilt beaches almost entirely to yourself. The barefoot resort features small bungalows, some of which are directly on the beach.

8. M'Pai Bai, Koh Rong Samloem

Saracen Bay's tourism popularity (and crowds) are increasing, and discerning travellers looking for a more intimate experience are heading to the northern side of Koh Rong Samloem island and the settlement of M'pai Bai.

There is a large M'pai Bai village beach that faces M'pai Bay and is never crowded, as well as two more beaches in the neighbourhood that are usually abandoned save for local fishermen. There are no beach resorts or hotels on the island; instead, there are modest hostels, beach bungalows, and guest houses. A short trek from the beach leads to two waterfalls, which is a good way to cool off throughout the day. When you're looking for additional social fun and activities, head south to the Saracen Bay region.

9. Otres Beach

This Cambodian beach is part of the Sihanoukville resort area yet far enough out to provide a more isolated experience. Otres Beach in Sihanoukville is a five-minute moto-taxi journey from downtown or from nearby Ochheuteal Beach (the main tourist beach in the area). The sea is cleaner and clearer here, and the beach is flanked by tall casuarina and palm trees rather than resort hotels.

Accommodations on Otres Beach range from small boutique hotels and independent resorts to family-run beach guesthouses. The beach is divided into two sections, Otres 1 and Otres 2, by a resort. Otres 1 is busier, while Otres 2 is less developed and further down the coast.

The boutique hotel Otres Resort is a five-minute stroll from Otres 2 beach. The rooms and suites are designed in a cool Scandinavian minimalist meets Khmer style, and the hotel features a lovely pool, tiny spa, and its own restaurant.

10. Ream Beach

Ream Beach is located around 30 minutes from Sihanoukville City and is part of Ream National Park. This vast wildlife preserve contains a lengthy stretch of undeveloped beach. There are a few fishermen's shacks and a few of small, family-run beach cafés. There are also covered seating areas with hammock rows. A mangrove wetlands region is nearby. It's a fantastic area to go if you want to avoid the crowds on Sihanoukville's bigger beaches, especially on weekends or holidays.

Despite being a national park, the area is home to a local community of approximately 5,000 families who work on farms or fish (or operate tourist businesses). For travellers travelling in or out, this beach is close to Sihanoukville Airport.

11. Saracen Bay, Koh Rong Samloem

Some of the greatest spots to visit in Cambodia to enjoy remote, beautiful beaches are the country's islands. Koh Rong Samloem, one of two sister resort islands off the coast of Sihanoukville (the other island is Koh Rong), features some fantastic, quiet beaches and a variety of exciting activities. The ferry voyage from the mainland takes 40 minutes, departing from Sihanoukville.

Saracen Bay was formerly a small fishing community, but it's now a hip tourist destination with several beach options. It is popular with young people and couples. A tiny town and coastal accommodations are available. There are also a few beach resorts nearby. Most have a very relaxed atmosphere.

12. Serendipity Beach

Occasionally, such as when travelling with children or when you only have a few hours to kill, you want a large beach with plenty of facilities and things to eat and do. Serendipity Beach is Sihanoukville's largest beach area. Although there is no peace and seclusion here, there is a large beach, lifeguards, and calm surf. There's also a lengthy pier and a beachside area with lodgings, stores, and cafés.

Because the beach is adjacent to Sihanoukville City, you can walk a few minutes and find a plethora of shops and restaurants.

13. Sner Beach

Sner Beach is located in the Koh Kong province. It has a distinct vibe than some of Cambodia's other beaches because it is located on the country's southwestern coast, directly adjacent to the Thai border.

It's one of those amazing spots to visit in Cambodia where you'll primarily, if not entirely, find Cambodians having fun, as it's not a popular destination for international visitors. The beach is never crowded, the water is usually clean and transparent, and there are covered hammock portions where you can simply rest.

Sner Beach is also an excellent spot to go if you like seafood, as you can get it cooked for you on the beach barbeque pits. Along the beach, there are a few small beach shacks and cafés.

14. Song Saa Private Island

This sustainable, ultra-exquisite boutique resort is located on its own tiny island, Koh Rong, and provides a really secluded, beyond luxurious tropical island resort experience. It not only offers stunning private beaches, but it also has some Instagram-worthy over-the-water villas. They have glass floors or other apertures that allow you to glimpse down into the blue-green water beneath. All of the villas are outfitted in a modern, luxury Cambodian style, and each has its own private pool of some sort.

The resort includes multiple Michelin-starred eating locations (or in-villa dining), a wellness-focused spa, and a magnificent infinity pool encircled by cabanas and day beds. Morning yoga on the beach and a variety of water activities are available at the resort. A short boat ride from Sihanoukville takes you to Song Saa Private Island.

15. Victory Beach

If you just have a limited amount of beach time, this beach is close to Sihanoukville City (next to the new port) while still providing a beautiful, somewhat private vibe. It has a few beach shacks, as well as some small cafés and tourism companies that rent rafts and umbrellas. There's also a little pier that reaches out into the water and is ideal for fishing or sightseeing. The surrounding port development's construction cranes can obstruct the vistas, but this also helps keep the crowds at bay.

Victory Beach is likely to be less congested than its more popular and developed nearby beaches, such as Serendipity. Walk up from the beach to the cool Victory Hill neighbourhood when you're hungry after a day on the sand.