Koh Rong is the second largest island of Cambodia. The word Rong might refer to an old term for "cave" or "tunnel", although some islanders say Rong refers to a historical person's name. It can also refer to the Old Khmer word for shelter, adding up to Shelter Island.

Koh Rong Sanloem is an island off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, 4 km (2 mi) south of Koh Rong. It is around 9 km (6 mi) long, 4 km (2 mi) wide and 1 km (1 mi) wide at its narrowest point. Its distance from the local port of Sihanoukville is 25 km (16 mi) (beeline) and 23 km (14 mi) (beeline) from the Serendipity/Ochheuteal beach pier. The word "Sanloem" translates to: 1. drowsiness and to: 2. far out and hard to discern, in a wider sense. Inconsistencies on how to spell the island's name in its Latinized version date back to the 19th century. The first controversial spelling variants were issued by map makers during French rule. Alternatives have since become widespread and are in common usage. Often confusion ensues as Google Maps offers the phonetically most consistent variant, whereas Google Search redirects to an alternative.