Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville, Surrounded by white-sand beaches and undeveloped tropical islands, Sihanoukville (Krong Preah Sihanouk), also known as Kompong Som, is Cambodia’s most happening beach destination. Visitor numbers have risen steadily in recent years and look set to skyrocket now that flights from Siem Reap are operating daily, with more routes planned.

For the time being, despite the boomtown rents, the city and its sandy bits remain pretty laidback. While backpackers continue to flock to the party zone of Serendipity Beach, the gorgeous Otres Beach, south of town, has made an incredible comeback and is now equally popular for a more relaxed stay. That and the emergence of the southern islands as cradles of castaway cool give non-backpackers a reason to visit.

None of Sihanoukville’s beaches would qualify as southeast Asia’s finest, but it’s easy to have stretches of casuarina- and coconut palm–shaded sand to yourself, especially if you venture outside the centre.

Named in honour of the then head-of-state, Sihanoukville was hacked out of the jungle in the late 1950s to create Cambodia’s first and only deep-water port, strategically vital because it meant that the country’s international trade no longer had to pass through Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.

When the best time to visit Sihanoukville

Despite an all pervading heat across the year, Sihanoukville is a holiday destination that can be visited across the year. Though most travelers prefer to avoid visiting the beaches during rainy season which last from May to October there are many excellent photo opportunities to take advantage of if you are planning to visit the Angkor Wat temples, the lush greenery of the countryside and the full moats. The dry season falling between November and April are generally crowded with tourists. The best time to visit Sihanoukville is the time between hot and dry months which is October and November when there is no debilitating heat effects or frequent bouts of rain showers. Heat lovers tend to flock to Sihanoukville during December and January to take advantage of the bearable heat and sunshine.

Getting There & Away

 Air

Temple-beach combo holidays are now possible thanks to daily direct flights between Siem Reap and Sihanoukville with Cambodia Angkor Airlines. New routes are under discussion, including direct links with Thailand and Vietnam.

The airport is 15km east of town, just off the NH4. Figure on US$5/10 for a one-way moto/remork.

Please contact us to book flight ticket.

Moto & Remork

Sihanoukville’s moto drivers are notorious for aggressively hassling passers-by and, more than anywhere else in Cambodia, shamelessly trying to overcharge, so haggle hard (with a smile) over the price before setting out.

A moto/remork should cost about US$1/2 from the centre to Serendipity, Occheuteal and Victory Beaches and Victory Hill. Remorks from Serendipity to Victory Hill/Beach should cost US$3, but drivers ask US$5 for this trip.

Motorbikes can be rented from many guesthouses for US$5 to US$7 a day. For fund-raising purposes, the police sometimes ‘crack down’ on foreign drivers. Common violations: no driver’s licence, no helmet, and no wing mirrors and, everybody’s favourite, driving with the lights on during the day.

Hiring a moto (including the driver) for the day costs US$10 plus petrol; a remork is about US$20 a day.

Bus

All of the major bus companies have frequent connections with Phnom Penh (US$3.75 to $6, four hours) from early morning until at least 2pm, after which trips are sporadic. The cheapest is Capitol Tour. Virak Buntham runs the last trip at 8.30pm. Giant Ibis runs a ‘luxury’ service, complete with hostess and wi-fi.

Virak Buntham and Kampot Tours & Travel run minibuses to Kampot (1½ hours), that continue to Kep (2½ hours) and the Prek Chak border crossing with Vietnam (five hours). We can arrange hotel pick-ups.

Virak Buntham and Rith Mony have morning buses to Bangkok (change buses on the Thai side) via Koh Kong (four hours). Paramount Angkor has daily services to Koh Kong, Siem Reap, Battambang and Saigon. GST has a night bus to Siem Reap and day buses to Battambang and Saigon. Virak Buntham also has a night bus to Siem Reap (nine hours) with departures at 7pm and 8pm.

Bookings made through hotels and our office.

Bicycle

Bicycles can be hired from many guesthouses for about US$2 a day, or try Eco-Trek Tours at Mick & Craig’s for mountain bikes.

Boat

Sihanoukville is the gateway to Cambodia’s booming offshore islands.

Sights & Activities

Otres Beach

At the southern end of Occheuteal Beach, beyond the small headland, Phnom Som Nak Sdach (Hill of the King’s Palace), lies stunning Otres Beach, a seemingly infinite strip of casuarinas that can give southern Thailand a run for its money.

Developers have long been eyeing Otres Beach, and in 2010 a stretch of resorts was forcibly removed. However, Otres has made yet another recovery and is currently in rude health with more than 30 bungalow resorts in the area, including a couple of more upmarket boutique hotels. It’s fair to say that Otres is no longer the empty beach it once was. Even so, Otres has cleaner water and is more relaxed than anything in Sihanoukville proper, and is lengthy enough that finding your own patch of private sand is not a challenge… just walk south. Otres is split into three distinct sections: Otres 1 is the first and busiest stretch and about 2km south is Otres 2, separated by a slated resort development and currently known as ‘Long Beach’. Inland lies laidback Otres Village, an up and coming estuary area.

Otres also has an expanding range of activities on offer. At the northern end of the beach (near where you arrive from Sihanoukville) you’ll find Hurricane Windsurfing , which rents out paddle boards (per hour US$8), windsurfers (basic/high-performance boards per hour US$10/20), sea kayaks (single/tandem per hour US$4/6) and skim boards (try bungee skim boarding). Otres Beach sometimes gets surf from May to October; you can rent surfboards and bodyboards here too.There are also various flying contraptions for the brave, including flyboards (flyboardcambodia.com) and amphibious microlights with room with one passenger.

About 700m south, near the main cluster of guesthouses, you’ll find Blue Lagoon Kitesurf Centre . It’s located at Sunlord Seagarden resort. The owner also runs daily boat tours to four islands (per person US$15 including breakfast, lunch, snorkelling and a drink or two).

Way down at the beach’s sleepy southern terminus on Otres 2 is Otres Nautica , a laidback, French-run outfit that rents tandem sea kayaks (per hour US$4) and Hobie Cat sailing catamarans (per hour US$10) that you can take out to nearby islands. It also has a boat for snorkelling or island-hopping excursions.

Otres Beach is about 5km south of the Serendipity area. It’s a US$2/5 moto /remork ride to get here (more at night). If going it alone, follow the road southeast along the beach and skirt the hill by headling inland on the inviting tarmac. From the city centre, you can take Omui St from Psar Leu east out of town for 5km.

Occheuteal Beach

This 4km-long beach is by far Sihanoukville’s most popular. Sunset views and a string of mellow beach bars make it a great place for happy hour, but you’ll likely want to avoid it during the day, when it’s too busy with vendors, beggars and nuisances like jet skis. It also gets packed, especially at weekends, and it’s far from clean: note the rivulets of wastewater that flow from the shacks into the surf.

Escape the mayhem by walking down to the southern section of the beach, ultimately and ridiculously slated to become another exclusive Sokha resort (the company doesn’t seem to have the funds to complete their existing projects, without building another mega-complex) but for now pretty empty.

A rocky strip at the northwestern end of Occheuteal has emerged as a happy, easy-going travellers’ hang-out known as Serendipity Beach . At the atmospheric resort bar-restaurants, waves lap just a few metres from the tables, providing a romantic backdrop, especially at sundown and in the evening.

Lamherkay Beach

About 1.5km southwest of Victory Beach, next to a shady grove, is Lamherkay Beach, also known as Hawaii Seaview Beach. It’s hugely popular with car-owning Khmers on weekends and holidays but quiet on weekdays. Koh Pos (Snake Island), the island 800m offshore, has been leased by Russians with big resort plans, which explains the flashy new bridge linking it with the mainland. It’s currently a bridge to nowhere, as work on the actual resort appears to have stalled.

Sokha Beach

Midway between Independence and Serendipity lies Sihanoukville’s prettiest beach, 1.5km-long Sokha Beach. Its fine, silicon-like sand squeaks loudly underfoot. The tiny eastern end of Sokha Beach is open to the public and rarely crowded. The rest is part of the exclusive Sokha Beach Resort. Tourists are welcome to enjoy the sand near Sokha but are expected to buy something to drink or eat. You might even duck into the resort to use the pool (US$5).

Victory Beach

This is not the best beach in town due to the looming backdrop of Sihanoukville Port. That said, it is clean, hassle-free and family-friendly, with plenty of midrange beach eateries.

Independence Beach

Northwest of Sokha Beach, Independence Beach (7-Chann Beach) has mostly been taken over by a gargantuan new property development. The only open section is beneath the classic hotel for which the beach is named.

Monkeys

On most days in the late afternoon, three troupes of tame monkeys gather on 2 Thnou St (behind and on the chain-link fence enclosing the grounds of the Independence Hotel), hoping to score peanuts and bananas from passing humans. Locals often stop by with their kids, generating a great deal of mirth and mutual interprimate admiration.

Wat Leu

Spectacular views of almost the entire city and gorgeous sunset panoramas await at Wat Leu, situated on a peaceful, forested hilltop 1.5km northwest of the city centre.

From the city centre, a moto ride due north up the hill costs 6000r, but drivers will likely want US$2. Remorks have to take the long way around and ask US$5.

Eating

Tamu: Far End of Otres Beach, Sihanoukville, (Phone: +855 889017451)

“The Deck” Tapas Bar: Sokha Beach Resort, Street 2 Thnou, Sihanoukville (Phone: +855 34935999)

Delicious: Beach Road, Sihanoukville

Sky Bar: Serendipity Road, Serendipity Beach, Sihanoukville (Phone: 017665638)

Grand Restaurant Kampuchea: Golden Lion Circle,  Ochheuteal Beach, Sihanoukville, (Phone: 012 987 073)