Best Beaches To Surf In Cambodia
If you’re a surfer in South East Asia, why not check out some of the beaches in Cambodia. Although Cambodia isn’t renowned for surfing, it’s helpful to know the beaches you can go if you’re in the region. I’m Ian, and I’ve lived in Cambodia for over a year in 2017 and, on my travels, discovered some of Cambodia’s rarest treasures. My surf guide will help you surfers catch the best waves possible in Cambodia.
Again Cambodia isn’t renowned for surfing, but there are a couple of spots for you to try out. The best location is Bamboo Island which is about a 30-minute boat ride from Sihanoukville. The Island itself is quite remote, and you can’t rent surfboards here or in Cambodia in general, so you need to bring your surfboard and gear. But maybe you live in Cambodia, and you have a surfboard, why not give it a go? The surf can be decent, particularly in the rainy season.
If you’re thinking about going surfing in Cambodia, catch the guide below, which details all surfing aspects.
Bamboo Island Review
It’s a bit of a shame for Cambodia because they lost the eastern coastline to Vietnam and share Peninsula, giving Cambodia the weaker side of the surf with fewer big waves. But all in all, Cambodia does have some decent waves, it’s just not talked about.
Just off the mainland coast is a remote island called Bamboo island, and getting there is an experience with a rickety boat taking you to the Island from Sihanoukville. When you land on the Island, which is around an hour, you have about half an hour walking through the jungle, and then your on the beach.
When you’re on the beach, wait for the Swell to increase (in the past, Bamboo Island has had three to six-foot swells).
The best time to visit Bamboo island for surf is in June-October as you get monsoon swells.
Accommodation-
Hotel: SAii Phi Phi Island Village
Address: 49 Moo 8, Aonang, Muang, Ko Phi Phi Don 81000 Thailand
Phone: +66 75 628 900
Website: Click here
Restaurants-
Restaurant: Rendez-Vous Restaurant & Café
Address: 28 Mithona Street Group 8, 1 Village, 3 District, Sihanoukville 18000 Cambodia
Cuisine: Chinese, Cafe, Cambodian, Seafood, Thai
Phone: +855 90 612 777
Website Click here
Opening Hours:
Mon-Sun 7am-9pm
Koh Russey Beach (Bamboo Island)
If you’re looking for a bit of paradise, head to Koh Russey beach for great tropical views and beautiful soft white sand.
The best time to go surfing on Koh Russy is in the wet season, from June to October. The monsoon helps swell the sea for bigger waves. When your not surfing, take the time to speak to locals and kick back and have a beer.
Accommodation-
Hotel: Alila Villas Koh Russey
Address: Alila Villas Koh Russey, Ong Village Prey Nup District, Ream Commune 18108 Sih Ream, 18108, Cambodia.
Phone: 0085 596 2141 888
Website: Click here
Climate And Sun Rise/Sun Set Times
Cambodia Climate
| Month | Daily Temp (Min) | Daily Temp (Max) | Mean Total Rainfall (mm) | Mean Number Of Rain Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21.9 | 31.5 | 25.5 | 2.8 |
| February | 23 | 32.8 | 11.5 | 2.4 |
| March | 24.1 | 34.9 | 58 | 5.2 |
| April | 25 | 34.9 | 101 | 8.6 |
| May | 25.3 | 34.3 | 111.6 | 16.4 |
| June | 25 | 33.5 | 177.1 | 16.6 |
| July | 24.7 | 32.5 | 195.0 | 19.6 |
| August | 24.6 | 32.5 | 172 | 21.4 |
| September | 24.3 | 32.3 | 248.8 | 19.8 |
| October | 23.8 | 31.1 | 318 | 24 |
| November | 22.7 | 29.9 | 135 | 11.8 |
| December | 22.1 | 30.1 | 80.3 | 4.8 |
Sun Rise & Sun Set Times
| Month | Sun Rise | Sun Set | Hours Of Day Light |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:22 am | 05:56 pm | 11:34h |
| February | 06:20 am | 06:08 pm | 11:48h |
| March | 06:06 am | 06:12 pm | 12:06h |
| April | 05:47 am | 06:13 pm | 12:25h |
| May | 05:35 am | 06:17 pm | 12:42h |
| June | 05:35 am | 06:25 pm | 12:50h |
| July | 05:43 am | 06:29 pm | 12:47h |
| August | 05:48 am | 06:21 pm | 12:33h |
| September | 05:48 am | 06:02 pm | 12:14h |
| October | 05:48 am | 05:43 pm | 11:55h |
| November | 05:55 am | 05:33 pm | 11:38h |
| December | 06:10 am | 05:40 pm | 11:29h |
Swell Of The Sea
In the oceans, you get storms (Hundreds Of Miles Away) that contribute to the quality of waves on the beachfront.
The contribution to swells are wind strength, wind duration, and fetch wind strength.
Wind Strength- The wind blowing across the deck of the ocean
Wind Duration- How consistently the wind blows for
The Fetch- How Consistent does the wind blow across the deck of the sea without interruption
When the wind blows across the sea, it causes friction which causes energy which in turn causes a wave. The longer this recipe continues, the more energy builds up, which causes deeper waves, also known as Swell.
Swell Period
The Swell period is an essential factor in surfing. The swell period is the number of seconds between each wave. The larger the number of seconds, the bigger the wave.
You need a swell period of around 12 seconds or longer anything below this number is not counted for good surf.
When you get a good swell on the coast, you can get waves 1 1/2 times bigger than normal with a lot of energy coming from the ocean floor.
Wave Buoys Koh Russy & Bamboo Island
We use weight Buoys to provide surface ocean measurements and have been using them since the middle of the century. The cost of maintaining Buoys is expensive and a complex problem to maintain.
Buoys measure the flow of water on the surface of the sea. The data you receive back from the buoys our wave height, the waves consistency, and the direction the waves are traveling. Wave buoys provide data to scientists and weather forecasting. More modern buoys are used for oil spills and general pollution.
If you need any data about swells and wave heights, please check this source as it regularly updates its data daily. Click here
How To Get To Sihanoukville From Phnom Penh
Since April 2016 Phnom Penh has had regular trains traveling to Sihanoukville. On Friday and Saturday, you have one train available, and on Sunday, you have two trains available departing from Phnom Penh.
Phnom Penh To Sihanoukville By Train
[table “” not found /]Travel Duration
6 hours 30 mins
Ticket Fee
$8 One Way
Seat Allocation
Make sure you sit in the right seats as train conductors come round and check your tickets. Both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned seats cost the same.
Location
Phnom Penh Train Station
Phnom Penh To Sihanoukville By Bus
If you get the bus from Phnom Penh, you have three departures a day, and the journey takes around 4 hours 30 minutes which is a lot quicker than the train.
[table “” not found /]Bus Fee
One Way $11
Bus Station
The Ibis bus station in Phnom Penh is on 106 near the Night Market
