Cambodia
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Sihanoukville, Cambodia: Gulf of Thailand Islands and Coastal Temples
Also called Kampong Som, Sihanoukville sits at the tip of a peninsula on Cambodia's Gulf of Thailand coast. Chinese investment and a casino boom have changed much of the town since the 2010s, and it has no old colonial quarter, so come for the pagodas, the beaches and the sea. Keep bags on the side away from the road, because thieves on motorbikes target visitors.
- Port traffic
- QuietNext 30 days
Good to know
Overview
Cruise ships call at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, about 4 km from the town center, and passengers are free to go into town. The terminal has toilets, restaurants, food stalls, cash machines and convenience stores, so you can get cash and a drink before you set off.
- The city has no public transport, so the ride into town is by tuk-tuk, motorbike taxi or a car with a driver.
- US dollars and Cambodian riel are both in everyday use. Shops commonly count four thousand riel to the dollar and give change under a dollar in riel.
- Torn or worn dollar notes are often refused, and fake dollar bills have been handed out as change, so look at the notes you are given.
- The wet season runs from April to November, with the heaviest rain in July, August and September. December to March is the dry season.
Sihanoukville on Your Own
The sights here are spread out, so for a day on your own, hire one tuk-tuk and driver for the whole outing. A simple loop takes in a hilltop pagoda, the town market and a beach, then back to the port.
- Agree terms first: Settle the price, the stops and the return to the port before you get in. Many drivers do not go by street names or numbers, so show the place on a map or name a landmark.
- Wat Leu: The upper pagoda stands on the hill above the town, about 1.5 km from downtown, and looks out over the bay. Monks live there, so treat it as a working temple.
- Psar Leu: The central market sells fruit and vegetables, household goods and clothing.
- A beach: Ochheuteal Beach, with Serendipity Beach at its northern end, has bars and food stalls on the sand; Otres Beach, farther southeast, is quieter. See the beach section before you swim.
- The islands: Ferries to Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem leave from a pier next to the port, but crossings take from about 30 minutes to two hours depending on the boat and the route. That fits only a long port day.
- Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own. All-aboard is given in ship's time, which may not match the local clocks or your phone.
- Papers: Carrying a copy of your passport photo page is useful, but it is not a legal requirement in Cambodia.
Getting Around
Tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis are how most people get around Sihanoukville, since there are no city buses.
- Riding as a passenger on a motorbike taxi is risky: the bikes are often poorly kept, and driving standards are low.
- Thieves on motorbikes snatch bags and phones from people on foot and in tuk-tuks, especially in the beach areas. Carry your bag on the side away from the road, and choose a tuk-tuk with metal grills on the back and sides if you can.
- Traffic drives on the right, and accidents are far more likely after dark.
- Tourist boats to the islands have sailed despite weather warnings, so check the forecast and the boat yourself before you board one.
- Ream National Park, about 18 km from the city, protects mangroves, beaches, coral reefs and islands.
Where to Eat
Grilled seafood and chicken from the stalls and simple restaurants along Ochheuteal Beach make the easiest lunch. For a Cambodian classic, order fish amok.
- Fish amok: Fish is coated in a spice paste with coconut milk and egg, then steamed in a banana-leaf cup until it sets to a soft, mousse-like texture. It is served hot with rice and counts as one of Cambodia's national dishes. Many restaurants also make it with chicken or tofu.
- Kampot pepper: The neighboring province grows a pepper protected as a geographical indication in Cambodia since 2010 and in the European Union since 2016. Green, black, white and red Kampot pepper all come from one plant.
- By the river: Near Otres, restaurants on the south bank of the Ou Trojak Jet river cook fish landed by the local inshore boats.
- The town's water supply is polluted, so drink bottled water.
Culture
Theravada Buddhism is Cambodia's state religion, and the town's two main pagodas take their names from where they stand: Wat Leu, the upper pagoda, on the hilltop, and Wat Krom, the lower pagoda, at the foot of the hill.
- Wat Leu, also called Wat Chotynieng, honors Chhoun Nath, a leader of Cambodian Buddhism in the years before the Khmer Rouge.
- Wat Krom honors Yeay Mao, a popular ancestral spirit of southern Cambodia.
- St. Michael's Church, built by sailors in 1960, stands on the same hill as Wat Leu and faces the sea. It is the center of the town's Catholic community.
- Wat Otres, in Otres village beside the Ou Trojak Jet river, has a water garden and statues of animals, some real and some legendary.
- The town marks Khmer New Year in April, Pchum Ben, the festival of the ancestors, in October, and the Water Festival in November.
History
Sihanoukville is a young city. It was cut out of the jungle from 1955 to give newly independent Cambodia a deep-water port of its own, took the name of its king, and has since been hit by war and reshaped by Chinese investment and a casino boom.
- Kampong Som: The older name, still in use, means port of the moon, or Shiva's port. A royal chronicle lists Kompong Saom among the provinces held by King Dhammaraja in 1479.
- 1717: During a war between Siam and Vietnam, a Siamese fleet burned the small port of Kompong Som.
- 1955 to 1960: A French and Cambodian team set up a base camp in August 1955, at what is now Hawaii Beach. France paid for the port and the United States for the road, and the port was inaugurated in April 1960.
- A showpiece hotel: The seven-story Independence Hotel, completed in 1964, was by far the tallest building in the country and hosted guests including Jacqueline Kennedy.
- The railway: The southern line to Phnom Penh, 264 km long, was built between 1960 and 1969.
- War, 1970 to 1979: After 1970 the port served the United States. In May 1975 the Khmer Rouge seized the US container ship Mayaguez off the coast, and US aircraft struck the port, the naval base and the oil refinery. The Khmer Rouge used the empty Independence Hotel for target practice.
- Recovery: Ream National Park was created by royal decree in 1993, the hotel reopened after refurbishment in 2007, and Sihanoukville became a province in its own right in 2008.
- The casino years: By 2019 more than 90 percent of the city's businesses were Chinese-owned, and more than 100 casinos were planned. Online gambling was banned that year, and major police raids on online scam operations in the city began in 2022.
Families and Children
Keep a family day here simple: one tuk-tuk, one beach and lunch in the shade. Hold on to younger children whenever you are near the road, where traffic and motorbikes come close.
- Younger children: Otres is the gentlest choice. Its sandy seabed slopes very gradually, so the water is still shallow well out from the shore, and it is calm on days without waves. Jellyfish close to shore can give dangerous stings, so ask locally before anyone goes in.
- School age: The ride up to Wat Leu gives wide views over the bay, and the town market is a lively change from the beach.
- Teenagers: Ream National Park, about 18 km away, has mangrove forest, and dolphins, monkeys and pelicans have been recorded there. By car it is about a 30-minute drive.
- Heat: Daytime highs average about 31°C and can climb higher before the rains, so bring hats, water and sunscreen.
Accessibility
Getting around Sihanoukville means a tuk-tuk, a motorbike taxi or a hired car, so a wheelchair user should arrange a suitable vehicle through the cruise line before the call. Ask your ship about the gangway on the day.
- The port terminal has toilets, restaurants, food stalls, cash machines and shops, so a short visit ashore is possible without leaving the port area.
- The beaches are too far apart to walk between comfortably.
- Medical services in Sihanoukville are basic, and serious illness or injury may mean evacuation, so carry any medicines you need and good travel insurance.
Beaches
Sihanoukville has a string of beaches along its coastline, and each one is a tuk-tuk ride from the port. Some carry a lot of litter, so look the sand over before you settle.
- Independence Beach: Also called 7-chan beach, after the seven-story Independence Hotel.
- Ochheuteal Beach: A long, narrow strip of white sand. Its northern end, called Serendipity Beach, is the busiest, with bars and guesthouses on the sand.
- Otres Beach: About 4 km of sand southeast of Ochheuteal, and much quieter.
- Sokha Beach: Owned by the Sokha Beach Resort.
- Victory Beach: South of the commercial port and close to it.
- Watch for jet skis: Jet skis have killed several swimmers at Ochheuteal and Otres since 2009, so swim well away from where they operate.
- Watch your bag: Theft is common on and around Serendipity Beach, by day and at night. Take only what you need.
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