Koh Tonsay () is a
Cambodia
Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
n island located off the country's southern coast in the
Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand (), historically known as the Gulf of Siam (), is a shallow inlet adjacent to the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. ...
. "Koh Tonsay" translates to Rabbit Island, it is being administered by
Kep Province.
Koh Tonsay is located just south of
Kep town, has an area of around and can be reached by ferry boat from the local port. The island is open for visitors and tourists, who value white sand beaches and the marine scenery. The surrounding sea is shallow, the sea bed gradually sloping, excellent for recreational activities. A number of
coral
Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...
reefs and a variety of habitats for animals and plants attract researchers and ecologists.
During
Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk (; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a member of the House of Norodom, Cambodian royal house who led the country as Monarchy of Cambodia, King, List of heads of state of Cambodia, Chief of State and Prime Minister of Cambodi ...
's
Sangkum Reastr Niyum
The Sangkum Reastr Niyum (, , ;Headly, Robert K.; Chhor, Kylin; Lim, Lam Kheng; Kheang, Lim Hak; Chun, Chen. 1977. ''Cambodian-English Dictionary''. Bureau of Special Research in Modern Languages. The Catholic University of America Press. Washi ...
regime (1953 to 1970), the island was a rehabilitation center for convicted criminals, who were in turn used to defend the island. Horse cart paths and wooden, thatched roof hotels were also constructed during this time. Most of this infrastructure has been destroyed by weather and decades of war.
Currently there are individually built and run guest houses on the main beach, attracting Cambodian and foreign tourists. Local settlers - fishermen and their families also live on the island, occupying other beaches around the shoreline.
In September 2021, the Try Pheap Koh Tunsay Resorts company owned by Cambodian tycoon
Try Pheap began construction of a 144 hectare project on Koh Tonsay. The company was awarded a concession for 50 years to develop the island in 2019. The company has pledged to maintain 60 per cent forest cover on the island.
Etymology
Tonsay () is derived from the word "rumsay" (, "discharge").
While trying to avoid the commander's troops, Khmer prince Sakor Reach grew hopeless because his troops were exhausted. He led his remaining troops across the sea to an island in front of Kep city, where the troops spread out. Accordingly, the island was called Koh Rumsay (), the name underwent a transformation towards Koh Tonsay (កោះទន្សាយ), as it is known today.
Images
File:Boats at the sandy beach of the Rabbit Island Koh Tonsay Cambodia.jpg, Boats on a Sandy Beach
File:Koh Tonsay 2.jpg, A Beach on Koh Tonsay
File:Koh Tonsay 1.jpg, Palm Trees on the Island
File:Koh thonsay beach.jpg, Koh Tonsay's Main Beach
File:Bird's_Eye_View_of_Beach,_Koh_Tonsay.jpg, Beach at Koh Tonsay
File:Ariel_View_of_Koh_Tonsay.jpg, Aerial view of Koh Tonsay
See also
*
List of islands of Cambodia
References
{{coord, 10.435, N, 104.327, E, display=title, source:dewiki
Tonsay, Koh
Islands of the Gulf of Thailand
Geography of Kep province