Chance brought us to Ko Ta Kiev. We had no particular plans — we just wanted to move on from the beach we were on, and the first option that came up was this Cambodian island.
Less than an hour by boat from Otres Beach in Sihanoukville, the crossing was short and calm. But the moment we stepped ashore, the images refused to leave our eyes: for the first time we were looking at genuinely crystal-clear water — you could see the seabed from metres away.
Most of Cambodia's islands, like many of its most idyllic beaches, are under threat from large companies looking to develop the area into giant luxury resorts. Fortunately for us — arriving with half a kilo of pasta and six bottles of water between us — the existing businesses were still standing.
The only accommodation on Ko Ta Kiev is at TEN 103, and it's nothing like a conventional place to stay. Think treehouses, hammocks with mosquito-net canopies, and beds that have a roof but no walls.
Houses without walls
Treehouse
The island is a genuine paradise where you can get properly lost: snorkelling (watch your feet — there are sea urchins everywhere), hiking the jungle trails, swimming in the warm water around the beach, reading a book in a hammock or swing, or just lying in the sand doing nothing at all.
Given how little human presence and development there is, the wildlife is abundant — though mostly harmless. Carnivorous plants, lizards of every size, spiders of considerable dimensions, and mosquitoes by the thousand. But the thing to really watch out for is sand flies. Take precautions against those unless you want to leave the island looking like you've been peppered with birdshot.
A "tiny" spider in the island jungle
A lizard running up a tree trunk
The owners of TEN 103 are chefs, and despite having no electricity they produce Italian, Mexican and Greek food from scratch. They make their own pasta, bread and dough in a wood-fired oven and keep mainland supplies cold with large blocks of ice.
Their daily specials are worth trying, but if you're on a tight budget like we were, bring your own food — otherwise you'll be foraging for crabs to throw on the grill.
Crystal-clear water beach at Ko Ta Kiev
Shall we swim to that other island?
The sunsets on the island are spectacular
