Unfairly characterized as “Cambodia’s Pattaya,” Sihanoukville still has a small sea town feel about it, and large patches of its spread-out landscape remain undeveloped. The beaches of Ochheuteal, Serendipity, and Sokha form one of the three major tourist areas of the city, and are full of restaurants and places to stay. Downtown and Victory Hill form the other two main areas, and all are accessible to each other by inexpensive motorcycle taxis and tuk-tuks.
Enjoy Sihanoukville while it’s still small. With an eye to the major development in Phnom Penh, it can’t be too much longer before large infusions of foreign capital change the face of Sihanoukville, with rises in prices sure to be along for the ride.
What do I do in Sihanoukville?
In addition to the nightlife, read a book at the beach! There are two very nice used bookstores in town:
Mr. Heinz Books 219 Ekareach Street (near ANZ Bank) ph: +855-012-18-02-721 GPS Coordinates: N10° 37.414’, E103° 31.448’
Q & A Book Café 95 Ekareach Street ph: +855-012-342-720 GPS Coordinates: N10° 37.121’, E103° 31.683’
Getting to Sihanoukville
By bus, a 5 hour ride from Phnom Penh, with several buses leaving daily. From Kampot, it’s a 2 hour bus ride. Consult your hotel for tickets and schedules.
