Naks Shack

We loved the rustic feel of the shaks despite how run down many of them are ( the reality of how hard Covid hit Cambodia is evident everywhere you go) Also the veg curry and rice were excellent, they have a great cook on site

Sadly the reality of what you got didn't match up to the booking.com listing, the photos are about 10 years old, the shaks are very dilapidated now with many sitting in ruins. Inside it was very dirty, the barrel of stagnant water was to replace the shower, taps and flush, in the end we spent an hour cleaning down the bathroom and shelving in the bedroom so we had somewhere to stash our bags. There was a constant stream of tourist boats arriving on the beach from 9am until dusk carrying large groups of Cambodian tourists who left tons of rubbish every day. The "quiet idyllic escape" it was not. On our second night Nak had rented out the shak next to us and the beach in front to a group of rowdy tourists who brought their own generator, lighting rig and karaoke amp! It was unbearable. In addition to this when we got back to our shak the large pile of plastic rubbish behind it had been set on fire filling it with toxic smoke. I'm not so naive to think it all get recycled but burning trash next to guests rooms at 6pm is pretty out of order. We weren't advised that there was an issue with rats so had left a bag of filter coffee in my backpack. My husband woke up to the rat chewing through my backpack but we didn't realise how much damage it had done until the morning. The overall feeling of Naks Shaks is of sadness and desolation. I don't doubt it used to be an amazing place, Nak is very charismatic and despite the amount of rubbish the beach is beautiful, however during our stay all other guests left after pretty difficult conversations about how disappointed they were. There was no bar, no activities, no other guests or atmosphere and often to electricity or lighting from 8pm. For an extra $7 a night you can stay at Kactus on plankton beach, showers, bar, free yoga and meditation, zero rubbish and genuinely good vibes and transparency!

Such a difficult one to write. Nak is a lovely guy, covid really hurt him, and he is doing his best to get back on his feet. The bungalows are rustic and basic, but that is the same for the other 2 places on the island, but they have an idyllic charm in that. What you do get is stunning views, zero development, crystal clear waters, and warm sea. There is no running water, and electric to charge you phone for 4 hrs a night. It is extremely quiet, and very much off grid. There is a slightly more social bar, 15 mins down the beach which provides some social entertainment if you need it. There are very few places left in the world where you get this experience in such a stunning location

My only gripe were the couple of tourist boats that turned up on the beach for a few hours, which impacted on the tranquility a bit.

An authentic Cambodian guesthouse ran and owned by a very charming guy (Nak) and his lovely crew. The bungalows and restaurant have suffered from Covid and tourism to Cambodia being very limited quite a bit. Nak and his team did a good job bringing the place back to life and have a good vibe going again. An island still wild and unspoiled with the beach to yourself right in front of your hut - not much more I needed. Shower is coming from the bucket & you sleep on an outdoor balcony bed, waking up with the calm ocean just there to have a relaxed start into the day.