Andong Tuek is a tiny village on the road from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville to Koh Kong that most visitors don’t even notice as they even pass through it on the bus.
It doesn’t hold much in the way of appeal to tourists in itself, yet the town serves as the launching point for boats to more exotic destinations as well as a base for hiking into the mountains of Koh Kong Province.
There is a profusion of river estuaries around Andong Tuek and it is one of the best places to get a ferryboat headed along the coast, where the various rivers spread out into a web of mangrove islands, or upstream into the Cardamom Mountains for a hiking expedition.
Wildlife abounds in this region of Koh Kong Province, and if you explore deep enough into the wilderness you may catch a glimpse of a rare tiger or crocodile if you’re lucky. A new road has been built between Phnom Penh and Koh Kong with a series of bridges, making for faster access.
Andong Tuek is a river port not far from the sea at Preak Piphot and boat trips along the coast heading south to Botum Sakor National Park are a highlight. You can also organize an excursion upriver to the community based ecotourism project in the village of Chi Phat or to other noted wildlife sanctuaries in the region.
Getting There
Buses run regularly to Andong Tuek from the capital on a Koh Kong routing, taking about 4 hours. You can also get off the bus half way between Sihanoukville and Koh Kong.
Need to Know
- What is It? A small town that serves as a launching point for boat trips on the coast or upriver into the Cardamom Mountains.
- When to Go: Best in the dry season months between December and March.
- Nearest Town: Andon Tuek is 120 miles west of Phnom Penh in southwest Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand.
- Opening hours: 24 hours daily
- Entrance fees: free