Pearl Beach Resort & Spa

White sand runs along Saracen Bay, and Pearl Beach Resort & Spa sits where that shoreline meets a hillside of tropical forest. Bungalows and villas climb the slope in tiers, so many rooms look down past palm canopy to open water. The Luxury Villa Ocean View, at 100 square metres, stands barely 10 metres from the sea. Others, set higher on the hill, trade proximity for a wider view over the bay and jungle behind it. Bathrooms throughout use rainforest showers and hot water, and select villas add a private plunge pool reached by a short path to the beach. The resort keeps a 100-metre stretch of private beachfront for guests only, backed by an 8 by 20-metre freshwater pool with its own bar. You can hear little beyond the tide and the pool bar's ice in a glass. A restaurant serves Khmer, Asian and seafood dishes, drawing much of its catch from the waters just offshore. Kayaks and snorkelling gear are available for guests keen to explore the reef and coastline beyond the sand, and short boat trips run to nearby dive sites and a waterfall inland. Front desk service runs around the clock, arranging boat transfers and tours for the island, which has no roads to speak of. Speedboats reach the resort's own pier directly from Sihanoukville. It is a quiet corner of Koh Rong Sanloem, built for slow mornings and longer swims.