Bac Long Beach, Koh Kong Province.
Bac Long Beach, Koh Kong Province, Cambodia.
To cut a long story short the photos in this thread are not in their original order.
After crossing the border from Trat to Koh Kong we were interested in finding out if there was more to the area than just a transit point.
We hired a Taxi driver for the day for $20 and after looking around town asked him if there were any good beaches nearby.
He told us there was, but it was quite a drive. Ok we said let’s go.
First we stopped at the local petrol station were he fuelled up, out of the money we had already paid him, and off we set.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0402.jpg
Out of the town and back over the bridge toward the border, we hung a left and were off road and out into the Cambodian countryside.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0403.jpg
The road was unmade and was very slow going, it looked like it was used mainly for construction vehicles. As we descended from the nearby hills the road ploughed through a mangrove swamp, much of which near the roadside had been cleared for development, the plots muddy and barren marked out with white posts. It must have been a hell of a job.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0407.jpg
On and on we went along the bumpy track until after about 45 minutes of being shaken around we hit solid ground again,
and as the road rose up we came out on a track running along the back of the beach.
It was virtually deserted, wonderfully peaceful, and beautiful.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0408.jpg
Our driver pulled up behind a ramshackle cabana and we were immediately greeted by the occupants, very excited to have some potential customers for food and drinks, they obviously new our driver very well and we agreed that it would be a good spot to spend the day.
So everybody happy we started into some chilled beers. And the menu was translated for us.
We were offered a large bowl of huge prawns, but then the owner told us the price, $50!
Being as they very rarely got visitors they thought they would make the maximum out of us.
There was an awkward silence when I declined them.
However the prawns where swiftly taken away and we ordered some chicken and rice,
drinks for everyone and the jovial atmosphere soon returned.
I have to say though that the bill at the end of the day was still rather extortionate,
but what can you do in the face of several shit eating grins? You live and learn.
So anyway while the food was being made, we made for the sea, there was a good onshore breeze,
the beach was almost white and very clean and shelved of nicely, the water was lovely, warm clean and clear.
It was quite a novelty to have the beach to ourselves, the only sounds being the lap of the waves,
the warm breeze and plenty of laughter. It really was idyllic.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0436.jpg
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0434.jpg
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0435.jpg
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0441.jpg
After some food and more beers we took a walk down the beach to explore, it really seemed deserted, but after about 500 metres we came to another cabana, this one however was in very good condition and well kept, there was some nice tables and chairs and some very comfy looking easy chairs. Sat at one of the tables was a Farang guy busy doing something.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0444.jpg
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0445.jpg
We walked in and said ‘hi’ and were welcomed buy a very easy going German guy called Stephan. I commented on the very nice condition of the place and he said ‘Well this is my living room and I like to keep it tidy’! Here we were on the edge of a deserted beach and this was his home, wow, what a great thing to say and a wonderful attitude to have.
He invited us to sit and offered to sell us some beers, which were gladly accepted, and proceeded to tell us about himself and Bac Long Beach.
He lived there with his Cambodian wife during the European winter and went over to the markets in Thailand to buy items to make jewellery, stones, shells, links, etc and spent their time there together making jewellery which he then took to Europe in the summer months and sold at various markets. Clever guy.
He had discovered the beach several years previously and, after his wife registered as a resident of Koh Kong, he was able to rent the land and build the cabana. All made of wood, it consisted of a central blockhouse and the roofed over seating area. He bough the furniture in anticipation of customers, but as yet they were few and far between.
The mangrove had been cleared for development for a resort and golf course, but for now progress was slow. He told us that Bac Long was actually an island and before the road we had come down was put in, the only access was a ferry from the Koh Kong town quay to Bac Long fishing village, about another 500 metres further on where the radio mast was, and where he got his electricity and supplies from.
Fishing village? Ferry? Could we still get the ferry across I asked? Yes of course he said, it only takes 10 minutes and runs very regularly. Well me and Dave had to laugh at that after recalling the 50 minute rollercoaster slog we had taken in the taxi down the unmade road. Well we couldn’t blame the taxi driver for making a living. As I say, you live and learn.
The conversation continued and he told us about the building of his place and how it had come about,
it was really peaceful there and suited him and his wife.
The plot was about 25 metres wide across the back of the beach and stretched back another 25 metres to the track along the back. And the rent? $15 a month! Well that was incredible, and what was even more so was the he only paid for the 6 months that he was there, the rest of the time it was all locked up and he didn’t pay a cent. $90 a year for a little piece of paradise.
After several more drinks we bought some items of jewellery from him, exchanged contacts and said our farewells to him and his wife.
We trekked back up the beach to where we had been before, the tide was out by then and the family's children had been collecting some small molluscs, which after ‘cooking’ the heat of the sun the were cracking open and swallowing down with obvious enjoyment, we were offered some but declined to knowing laughter.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0442.jpg
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0443.jpg
Whilst chilling out to a few more beers the father and the dog were both scouring the shoreline for anything edible, it really was another world and put our lives into perspective, we sat contentedly and watched as the sun went down, before heading back to town.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0411.jpg
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0413.jpg
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...6/IMG_0415.jpg
It is a wonderful place, very welcoming and great contrast to the rough image of Koh Kong.
Things will change at Bac Long so it was nice to get there before all the crowds. It really was a perfect day out. :D
