I’d done a bit of diving before – just my PADI Open Water last year – and I was looking forward to getting back in the water in Cambodia; however, I was in no way prepared for the experience of the month on Koh Rong Samloem – “The Island”.  My aim in this article is to put across, as best I can, the incredible breadth and depth of life on The Island and the immense value of being part of it.

The Island is a tropical idyll with no vehicles, no roads and no mains power.  Instead there are long, golden, untouched beaches, dense jungle and, below the calm waters of the Gulf of Thailand, diverse coral reefs teeming with life.  The small population of a few hundred live off the land and sea, mainly fishing for squid, and trading with the mainland for other commodities.  At the edge of the village is the Marine Conservation Cambodia project.  Their accommodation and buildings were all built by the project staff with their bare hands and do a great job of keeping out the elements (even in tropical storms), though admittedly not all of the local wildlife.  For those who are fond of their creature comforts, showering with a bucket of spring water might be a bit of a culture shock but everyone quickly learns to love it; and for those of us who’ve never known anything but andrex and flushing toilets, going to the loo is a different experience.

My main objective was to do as much diving as possible and contribute in whatever way I could to the conservation efforts.  This was impeded a bit by the weather but I managed 25 dives, doing a lot of cleaning on the reefs as well as some great experience diving – deep, night, drift – and getting my Advance Open Water.  In between I also took advantage of some of the other opportunities: jungle trekking, building, beach cleaning with the local kids and helping out in the village; I even did bit of English tutoring when put under pressure.  The social life, at the project and in the village as well, was great.  After a day’s diving there was always time for a beer or a round of the local rice wine.

One of the principles of the project is that volunteers do as much or as little as they want: for those intent on spending weeks swinging in a hammock, reading a book, there will be no objections.  But, for someone who sees new opportunities to contribute to the project, community or island, all the time and support they need will be provided.  This makes for a great atmosphere and anyone dissatisfied with life on the project has only themselves to blame.

Koh Rong Samloem is a breathtaking place to live, the goals of the project are admirable and the diving is awesome; however, what made my month on The Island such an incredible experience – and what will keep me wanting to go back again and again – was the people: locals and project staff alike were, without exception, wonderful hosts, great company and genuinely inspirational to live and work with.

You are my heroes, guys!