Rabbit Island

Introduction

Rabbit Island is another popular name of Koh Tonsay. The special feature that creates the name of the island is its bizarre shape that looks like a giant rabbit lying over the sea. The island belongs to Kep Islands, which remain its pristine nature as well as possess countless beautiful sceneries around all of them. Rabbit Island covers a total area of nearly 2 square kilometers to the South of Kep town. Being compared with many other top-visited Cambodia tourist spots, Rabbit Island may not be as attractive as these spots. However, the island has earned its own reputation as a true gem for travelers to have a life-time journey here to cancel all the hustle and the bustle and enjoy a meaningful vacation. It is worth noticing that life on the island is quiet and even tedious a bit. Electricity and wi-fi will not be available all day long as they just run from dusk till about 10:00 pm every day. Therefore, daily life on Rabbit Island may not suit the one who does not have a good preparation for such things happen. However, it should be a heaven for nature lovers and adventure seekers to take advantage of these times to go outside and explore the natural beauty of the Island.

The rich natural diversity of Rabbit Island never fails to bring a perfect natural setting to visitors

How to get there

Rabbit Island is 4.5 kilometers away from Kep town. The estimating time to travel to Rabbit Island from Kep by boat is around 20 minutes. If you stay in Kep during your trip to Cambodia, it is highly advisable for you to take a certain time to move to Koh Tonsay then come back to where you are from in Kep to take a rest. There are numerous boats moving from Kep to Rabbit Island and vice versa during the day, so you can easily make up your mind to have a day-time or an overnight visit to the Island that depends on your liking. The fare for a trip during the day is 7 USD, while you need to spend 10 USD to have an overnight trip to the island. You can either book your boat ticket at the hotel in Kep or directly at Kep Pier. When you are in Kep Pier, you will meet a lot of Cambodian tourists waiting in line to book a boat trip. To avoid getting stuck in that situation, you should book a ticket in your hotel in advance, and that ticket is also helpful as it will offer you a quick transfer by tuk-tuk to Kep Pier.

What to do in Rabbit Island

• Swimming

No beach journey is complete without any swimming experiences. That is the same case with a trip to Rabbit Island for maximizing your travel experiences. Despite the fact that the main beach on the island is just about half a kilometer long and only a few meters wide, there is still enough room for most popular outside activities on the beach such as sunbathing, sun strolling, or relaxing on a hammock. Almost all the beaches surrounding Rabbit Island are warm and shallow with crystal clear seawater, so they are a good try for both children and less confident swimmers. If you want to indulge in an out-of-this-world swimming experience, you need to spend at least one night here on the island to go for a dip at night from the main beach. When going diving at night, you may be lucky to be a center among endless sparkles shining altogether that originates from thousands of bio-luminescent plankton hidden in the night seawater. This is also a convincing reason for having an overnight stay at Rabbit Island to explore further what day time cannot provide to you.

The shallow sea is perfect for taking some swimming training sessions for your children!

• Strolling

If you have a strong tase for wanderlust, come make it happen at Rabbit Island. Since the island offers a lot of deserted beaches with golden sand and clear water, you can arrange your own trip by strolling around the island effortlessly. It just takes you about an hour and a half to a maximum of two hours to wander around the 8-kilometer borders of Koh Tonsay. If you want an instant and simple journey, just go in the right direction around the island, but watch out for the high tide because you can get wet when wading through a mangrove forest. Another choice for you is to go for a walk into the interior of the island which is very hilly and rich in the lush green jungle. It is necessary for you to hire a guide to help you navigate through the jungle, and it will cost you about 5 USD for that service.

Walking into Rabbit Island would be challenging but very exciting for visitors

• Fishing

One of the best ways to see the island is having a fishing session. You can choose between fishing on the boat or fishing off the coast that is up to your preference at all. You should rely on suggestions from the locals or your tour guide for a great fishing experience. For visitors expecting to spend time fishing on board, you may rent a boat for 15 to 25 USD for a half-hour to a four-hour trip. You then will be provided with basic fishing equipment such as a hand-made fishing rod and cuttlefish as bait. If you catch anything, the local restaurant will be happy and ready to cook it for you depending on whatever recipes you wish to. Always remember to bring sunscreen and sun protection shirt to cover your body against fierce sunshine when you are on board.

There are still a large number of intriguing outside activities waiting for you in Rabbit Island ranging from snorkeling, kayaking, having a massage, or just interacting with the locals. Do not hesitate to back your suitcase up and turn Rabbit Island into your next ideal stopover in your upcoming Cambodia trip!

Cuong Ngo

Image Source: Internet