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Sihanoukville, Cambodia Home Page |
Life’s a Beach
The old Bamboozler escaped the heat of the big city on the weekend for a couple of days at the beach in Sihanoukville or Kampong Som as it is called locally. Famous as a refuge for backpackers and old hands getting away from it all, it is worth a couple of days (or more) for those seeking a beach bum experience. Getting there is easy, although the new airport has yet to have any scheduled flights. A bus from Phnom Penh is only $3.50 (tickets at Flamingos Hotel) and a taxi will cost $30 to $40 depending on the driver, number of functioning wheels on the car, rising fuel prices, and whether or not it is raining. The road is great and it takes about 4 hours via a tollway. Toll fee has recently been reduced and it is now only US$ 0.69 to get on it and another like amount at the other end. But they do have a restroom stop at the halfway point that you can utilize for only 500 riel (US$ 0.12). Along the way you will get a good view of rural life in the Kingdom and may even glimpse some sights such as the bullock powered pottery caravans that will surely disappear in the next few years.
The town itself consists of a small central core where most of the hotels and bars are located and five and a half major beach areas in various state of development or disarray depending on your viewpoint. On the way into town you will pass the little used airport as well as Cambrew, the country’s only brewery. Drop in to their sampling room and have a glass of the freshest beer in the country. A near disaster was recently avoided as the severe drought almost forced the closure of this landmark institution.
Getting around town can be a genuine hassle. The beaches are about 1-2 kilometers from the downtown and the motodop taxis here have the deserved reputation of being the most aggressive, corrupt and dangerous drivers in the country. The option to rent your own motorcycle has been recently restricted by a locally enforced ordinance that requires you to have a Cambodian or International driver’s license. So without a local with his own vehicle, you are at their mercy. Make sure to check with the owners of the bars mentioned below to get the latest real info and recommendations for a local hire.
The Beaches
Ochheutal beach is the farthest away and will eventually be incorporated to be part of the new golf course. It is currently a collection of ramshackle huts and bars where one can stay for free if buying a couple of beers a day. A true backpackers experience.
The small Serendipity beach is next door and while a half step better in development and character, it has recently been the center of a controversy about it’s name as a local trademark and all the machinations that occur when westerners try to inflict their home values and lawyers into a local legal machinery.
Sokha Beach is the home to the Sokha Beach Resort and 1½ kilometer of private manicured beach. The $1 non guest fee is more than cheap considering the absence of beggars, ptomaine laden food carts and accumulating rubbish.
Independence beach is still very undeveloped but should be enjoyed soon before the reopening of the Art Deco Independence Hotel later this year. The rebuilding of this landmark and later Khmer Rouge headquarters is a major redevelopment project that emphasizes how far this country has come in the past decade.
Next door is Hawaii Beach that is still in good shape. Check out the 2nd “airport” before it all becomes part of a new Japanese resort development. Nearby are some of the best Seafood restaurants.
Victory beach has lots of development, good hotels including the Holiday Palace Casino where I often stay. A full service hotel with a Thai restaurant and only $15 a night. It is overlooked by Weather Station Hill or ‘Backpackers Hill’ that houses lots of bars, restaurants and accommodations.
Downtown
The downtown area is a collection of small bars and hotels and guesthouses with ridiculously low rates especially in low season. Hotel rooms range from $5 to real good ones for $15. While there were almost zero customers on the weekend I was there, there is a load of valuable information to be gained from the local expats and owners, many of whom have been there for a long time. Never underestimate the worth of local knowledge to be gained by talking to these usually friendly folk.
One of these founts of information is Richard at the Marlin Bar. It’s large open bar with good food and lots of expats. One may have to adjust to Richards sometimes ‘crusty’ demeanor to extract the best information, but a beer or two will usually accomplish this. There are also rooms available, but they are like myself some days, a little tired and worn.
For really great rooms and a most affable owner, visit Henrick at The Small Hotel. This is one of my favourite places even though the front doors are locked early necessitating waking the night man for entry. For those wanting to participate in a genuine ‘help the people project’, be sure to ask him about his school for the underprivileged.
Next door is Fisherman’s Den, another late night hangout. They actually do go fishing, so for a different venue check out the weekly trips or splurge and get a few lads together and do an overnight trip for some great offshore fishing.
Sihanoukville also has a number of escapees from the shores of Pattaya. One of them is Bob at the Sihanoukville Hotel who was the owner of Susie Q’s, perhaps the first Western bar built in Pattaya when it was still just a fishing village. But this months ‘Find of the month’ is Shifty’s Bar operated by Shifty of Oasis fame in Pattaya.
Shifty’s is a block from the Shell Station on the main drag, is up a flight of stairs to give it a great view of the town and only opened a couple of months ago. Definitely my new favourite hangout, it features good food and tons of promotions including Cheap Charlie Saturday nights, a Pool Tournament, and friendly staff and owner. Highly recommended.
Up the hill are a few venues worth a view including Corner bar where Mark cooks up great pizza and daily specials. Next door is the latest in strangeness, the Crazy Rabbit Bar, featuring a fully clothed girl dancing on the bar. No chrome pole yet, but if it lasts it may be in the offing.
There are lots of other well known spots that I didn’t have time to visit this trip, but are easily found on the web or by talking to the locals. So for those seeking a seaside diversion, Sihanoukville is definitely worth a trip, if only to see it before it goes the way of Phuket.
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The Beaches of Sihanoukville - Sokha, Ochheuteal and Otres Beaches, Victory Beaches, ‘King’s Beach’, ‘South Channel Beach’, ‘Lamherkay Beach’, ‘Hawaii Beach’ - by Charlie Jones
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Serendipity Beach - (North end of Ochheuteal Beach)
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A photo montage of the north coast road out of Sihanoukville to Stung Hav - by Charlie Jones
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Freedom Hotel's Opening and Full Moon Party in Sihanoukville
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Sihanoukville's Development - Read this article from the Phnom Penh Post in April 2004.
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A Photo Gallery of the people and events at the new airport opening from April 2004. - (40 images optimized for web viewing)
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Cambodia's beach resort gambles on international tourism boom
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The lures of Cambodia's waterfronts, beaches - May 2004
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Friendship Highway binds US and Cambodia - The road from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh - February 2003
Very
friendly ladies from the Freedom Bar and Hotel!
Located down the street from the G.S.T. and Ho Wah
Genting Bus Stations in downtown Sihanoukville. Very nice
English speaking staff who can help you not only with your Internet needs
but travel and visa arrangements as well.