#reamnationalpark

[wkndamsterdam-blog]

Cambodia - Lost in Ream National Park (Sihanoukville)

[chasingcorners]

Ream Beach, Cambodia

Accommodation: Monkey Maya

Duration: 4 days

As addicting as Otres was, we wanted a beach all to ourselves. Our options were either a trip to the nearby islands or to Ream National Park. The park seemed a little more low key. There is one hostel in the area, which only opened up about six months ago.

We caught a midday boat from Otres to the park. As the bar-lined beach disappeared in the distance, our junk boat motored around a few coves and away from the crowds. An hour and a half later we arrived at our destination, Monkey Maya Hostel.

The beach was exactly what we were hoping for, white sand, clear water, and no people. The hostel had a few nice bungalows that we couldn’t afford, so we opted for the 16 person dorm (the largest thus far). The room was huge and we only used it to close our eyes, it was fine.

On our first day we wandered about a kilometer down the beach in search of the perfect trees to set up our recently purchased travel hammocks (www.grandtrunk.com). We found three sweet trees, perfect for hanging. That became our spot for the next four days.

There are few things I enjoy more than having an entire beach to myself. That’s exactly what we had. We read, slept, swam, and built epic drip castles on our private beach. The water was as warm as a bath and as clear as glass. Hardcore chilling.

Monkey Maya had delicious food. And although the beer was twice as expensive as our favorite spot on Otres Beach, it was still only $1 USD. There was only electricity from 6pm-12am and no wifi whatsoever. Makes you realize, if you’re happy and content, you do not need much more.

Ream Beach is also know for its luminescent plankton. Once full darkness sweeps across the beach, the glowing critters become visible. Their neon presence is accelerated by movement in the water. On our third night, at around 11pm, we ventured down to the beach. Unsure if the plankton would be visible that night, I ran full speed into the water, collapsing face first. As I quickly peeked my head from beneath the water, I noticed my entire body glowing. It was magical, straight out of a fairy tale or Avatar. The more we moved the brighter they became. It was like being followed by a group of raving algae. It was a perfect final evening in paradise.