Held on a tiny secluded island, Freeflow Fire & Arts festival 2016 put on its first ever festival on Koh Rong island, Cambodia and I was extremely lucky to have been passing through as it was taking place. Blessed with magic, natural beauty and free-spirited culture, it's no wonder why the organisers decided to throw a festival on this island. Koh Rong has definitely been the most breathtaking place I've ever been to, thanks to its white sands, sparkling sea and remoteness. It's been one of the least touristy destinations so far. No roads, no annoying people trying to sell you things you would never wear and just a handful of hostels. Once you settle in, it's not long until you find out that the electricity cuts out numerous times a day, there are nothing but freezing cold showers and ATM's are non existent. But this all adds to the beautiful, 'live in the present' package of Koh Rong. The island boasts an abundance of Khmer rawness as cows, chickens and dogs roam freely on the beach, village children playfully run around your legs and locals welcome you into their homes. By the end of the week I felt part of the island family.
Freeflow Fire & Arts festival wasn't your typical music extravaganza filled with punters partying all day and night. It had a real chilled, laid back and spiritual essence to it, celebrating many kinds of weird and wonderful arts. The organisers left attendees spoilt for choice holding a great combination of workshops in circus tricks, fire dancing, meditation, yoga, massage, hula-hooping, juggling, dream-catcher creating, body painting, sand castle crafting, tie die making and even laughter workshops!
The after hours brought the beaches to life as the sparkling stars hung ahead, so clear that it was almost surreal to gaze at! DJ's entertained a mass crowd, kind gypsies provided us with free glitter face paint, and mind-bending, psychedelic installations lit up the sands. The DJ's were a rare treat for locations like Asia - they span esoteric tracks from the deep and sombre Song With Blue by Roman Flugel, to Sevmek Istiyorum's Turkish-infused House track MMT.
A free, small-scale festival held on the most incredibly, enchanting island was my idea of pure paradise. The islands cultural charm won me over, however it's obvious that Koh Rong is becoming less elusive and turning into a number one spot for tourists. It seems to be attracting more and more attention and the mystique of the island may stretch a little thin quite soon. Overhearing a traveller say to his mate that "as soon as an ATM arrives, I'm fucking out of here", suggests that the island will soon be discovered by the big money-makers of Cambodia. So if you happen to be in Cambodia, make sure to catch a short boat ride to this earthly utopia...before it's too late.
Tania x
