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26-Aug-2005
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by The Editor * Part 1 - Part 2

No matter what you think you know or have read about this part of Cambodia, it is most probably wrong as it is changing incredibly fast.

Sihanoukville has big plans and just the recent openings of the huge Sokha Beach Resort that dominates the beach of the same name as well as the 'soft' opening of the new 'regional' airport 18 kilometers out of town on Highway 3 heading north to Phnom Penh, are indicators of these plans.

A new 9-hole golf course is also underway although as of April 2004, only 4 or the 9 holes are finished with the remaining 5 progressing at a snail's pace.  It seems the owners and developers of the project, which also dominates the famous beach of Ochheuteal, are waiting for other infrastructure projects to be completed before they finish and open.

Everywhere you look, from the new airport to the new sea port, plans are turning into projects which in turn are turning into an area which just might become Cambodia's pearl. 

Ochheuteal Beach

Change here is coming fast with some of the change probably not in the best interests of those that like the small huts and restaurants that presently line the beach. 

As you can see from the photo on the left, the 'O'chhue Teal Golf and Beach Resort that is presently under construction will dominate this beach's southern side.

There are basically 2 main roads where restaurants, hotels and guest houses are presently located before you reach the area of the new golf course.  One, which many simply refer to as 'beach road' has some of the more famous Ochheuteal Beach hotels like Seaside and Crystal while the 'second road' (inland) has more affordable and quite quaint guest houses such as the Aspara Ochheuteal and Orchidee Guest Houses.

At the Golden Lion Traffic Circle there are 5 roads which enter and exit the circle.  The one that heads southeast off the circle will place you on the beaches second road where you will immediately encounter the small Ochheuteal Guest House followed by the very new and very large Golden Sand Hotel.  While I was there during the Khmer New Year in April 2004, I noticed that the Golden Sand was quite busy and filled with vehicles that seemed to be owned by the military or government ministries.  It as also become the hotel of choice for many ex-pats headed down this way with rooms between $20-$40.  It also has a large, new pool that got some rave reviews from those that had used it.  The only negative comment was the hotel fills up fast on the weekends with locals traveling down from Phnom Penh so plan your arrival sometime before Saturday.  They can be reached at (855) 34 933-007 or via email at info@cambodianonline.net

The next accommodations are the Holiday Hotel, the Apsara Ochheuteal Guest House, the Sontephead Guest House and restaurant and the Orchihee, all on the opposite side of the road from the beach.  The Apsara is a very nice place to stay with rooms starting at $6 a night while the Sontephead Guest House next to it looks like a large house but offers rooms at $6-$12 a night.  If a moto driver hadn't followed me as I was taking photos and given me a card, I would have never known it was a guest house.

The Lucky GH (016-852-440) and the Les Feuilles French Restaurant are on the beach side of the road just past the Orchidee followed by two more guest houses, the Chantha and what is simply called the 'Guest House' (simple is good...).  The Orchidee Guesthouse seems to be a favorite of many and was the first guesthouse in Sihanoukville with a private swimming pool with room rates between $10-$25 per night.  That completes all the establishments on this road until you get to the wall that is the north end of the new golf course.

View a complete photo gallery of the above guesthouses and hotels!

The Ochheuteal Beach Road

If you hang a right on the first road that intersects 'second road' after dropping off of the Golden Lion Traffic Circle, you will only have to go a few meters before you must either turn right or left in front of the military police base that sets on the beach. 

Travelers heading for the larger hotels like the Seaside and Crystal will turn left while those headed for inexpensive guest houses turn right and pass several very inexpensive places along the way to the dirt road that ends up on what an American named Chuck some years ago named 'Serendipity Beach'
(read another article).

Ru's Place at the Golden Lion Circle

Just near the circle are several hotels and guest houses which are not really part of any beach area.  One that I would like to mention is run by a Brit who use to own the Dolphin Shack on the south end of Ochheuteal Beach. 

Ru's Place as it is now called is a small, 8-room guest house located within a white-walled compound.  He has set up a small bar outside with an area that allows the showing of movies and football on a big screen TV. 

His music is pretty impressive as well and it seems to be favored by folks in the know from the looks of those stopping by on Saturday nights.  He has rooms downstairs starting at $5 while rooms upstairs are only $4.  Monthly rates are available as well.