Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville (Krong Preah Seihanu), formerly Kompong Som, is a seaside town in Cambodia. This formerly laid-back beach destination has been transformed by Chinese investment and is now basically a giant construction site for Chinese resorts and casinos. It remains the launching point for beautiful islands nearby. In 2019, the city had about 67,000 residents.

Sokha Beach, the best in Sihanoukville

Understand

In a land with thousands of years of history, Sihanoukville is a colourful but tragic upstart. A joint French-Cambodian project carved a camp out of the jungle and started building the first deep-sea port in a newly independent Cambodia. Named Sihanoukville in 1964 after the ruling prince of Cambodia, the booming port and its golden beaches soon drew Cambodia's jet-setting elite, spawned the first Angkor brewery, and the modernist seven-story Independence Hotel which, claim locals, played host to Jacqueline Kennedy on her whirlwind tour of Cambodia in 1967.

Alas, the party came to an abrupt end in 1970 when Sihanouk was deposed in a coup and Cambodia descended into civil war. The town, renamed Kompong Som, soon fell on hard times. The victorious Khmer Rouge used the Independence Hotel for target practice and, after they hijacked an American container ship, the port was bombed by the U.S. Air Force. Even after Pol Pot's regime was driven from power, the bumpy highway to the capital was long notorious for banditry and the beaches stayed empty.

Peace returned in 1993 following historic elections organised by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and in the ensuing ten years Sihanoukville was busy picking up the pieces. First visited only by a few intrepid backpackers, guide books still talk of walls pockmarked by bullets, but any signs of war are hard to spot in today's Sihanoukville, whose new symbol seems to be the construction site. The Independence Hotel is up and running again, more and more Khmers and expats have settled down to run bars and restaurants, and the knowledge of what the New York Times dubbed "Asia's next trendsetting beach" is starting to spread.

Sihanoukville has been transformed by Chinese investment; a flood of Chinese tourists and construction workers have arrived to turn it into a Chinese resort city full of casinos. As of 2020, over 90% of businesses in Sihanoukville are Chinese-owned.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Sihanouk International Airport (KOS  ^IATA Sihanoukville Airport) (17 km east of the town, on the edge of Ream National Park). The airport is extremely small, unprepared for the influx of Chinese investments (and people). There is no place to sit on the landside (the landside is so small so that some of the check-in desks are outside). Cambodian Angkor Air is the only airline serving this airport. There are direct flights between here and Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, as well as Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. (updated Sep 2019)

Getting there and away: The only way to get from/to the airport seems to be taxi. You can arrange a taxi from hotels in the center for around US$15. If coming from the airport to the city, you have to haggle hard to get this price.

By bus

Frequent buses arrive in Sihanoukville from Phnom Penh (4-5 hr via National Road 4 or 2½-3 hr via Express Lane 4), Siem Reap (10-12 hr), Ho Chi Minh City (10-12 hr), and Bangkok.

From	Company (comments)	Departs	Hours	US$
Phnom Penh	Phnom Penh Sorya (air-con)	07:00 08:00 09:00 11:30 12:45 15:45 17:00	5	7
	Capitol (air-con)	07:15 08:45 09:45 11:15 12:15 13:30 14:30	5	7
	G.S.T. (air-con)	07:15 08:15 12:30 13:30 13:15	5	7
	Virak Buntham (blanket, water, air-con)	01:30	4	8

Also Larryta Express, Mey Hong, Vibol Express, and Chan Molyroth operate daily bus services from Phnom Penh, taking 3-5 hr and costing US$10–15, depending on the quality of the bus and the number of stops. For a more premium ride, Giant Ibis has been known for their quality while the newer VET Air Bus Express offers a range of amenities such as WC, Wifi, onboard entertainment, snacks and drinks. The first buses leave Phnom Penh at 07:00, the last at 19:00. All buses arrive and depart from the bus station near the Central Market. Tickets can be booked at the bus company offices, travel agencies, many guesthouses and online ticketing sites such as 12Go.Asia or BookMeBus. In case of a national holiday, it is worth reserving a days in advance. Express Lane 4 between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville is Cambodia's best road as of 2023.

From Kampot, Champa Mekong Travel and Tours runs minivan 3x daily (0830, 1030, 1330hr), $10USD from their office in Kampot to their Sihanoukville office ("Champa Tourist Bus") next to the shipping port, which is not close to the city centre. The route is Kampot - Prey Nob - Stueng Hav - Sihanoukville, 101km duration 2h30min.

International:

Virak Buntham Express operate daily air-conditioned minibus service leaving at 08:15 from the border with Thailand at Koh Kong/Hat Lek, taking about 5 hr. Other "Local" and "tourist" minibuses service this route; they are always jam-packed, and the trip can be uncomfortable. "Local" service price depends on how much space you want (a whole seat, half a seat, or a space on the roof); foreigners can expect to pay around US$6–8. They will also typically have pickup in front of the offices on the main strip in town at 07:30, after which they simply drive over to the station to wait until the 08:30 departure time. You may be offered pickup at your hotel for a premium. Sometimes there are buses leaving at 14:00 but the service may be available only with suitable demand and ticket prices may be higher (~US$15).

Kampot Transport offers a bus service from Ha Tien in Vietnam to Sihanoukville via the Xa Xia/Prek Chak border post. From Ha Tien, there is a ferry to Phu Quoc Island, another popular tourist destination. This trip has become easy and straightforward.

By train

• 2 Sihanoukville Railway Station (about 2½ km north of city centre), ☏ +855 99222544. (updated May 2019)

One daily train from Phnom Penh — times and prices from:

• Phnom Penh – 07:00, 6 hr, US$10
• Takeo – 08:40, 4¼ hr, US$8
• Kep – 10:20, 2¾ hr, US$7
• Kampot – 10:40, 2¼ hr, US$6
• (Sihanoukville – 13:00)

The return journey starts at 14:00.

By taxi

A chartered taxi from Phnom Penh's Central Market can make the trip in less than 3 hr and will around US$25–40 per car, depending on the petrol price of the day and the condition of the vehicle. You can reduce the price by sharing seats, but Khmers will squeeze as many as eight people into the car, including two in the drivers seat, so you may need to buy two seats for comfort.

By boat

• 3 Marina, ☏ +855 69 367684. Opened in Oct 2013, a yacht marina for boats up to 25 m. On the breakwater (island Koh Prib) Sihanoukville port. Visa on arrival for boaters US$25 for 30 days. Daily berthing, US$2 per meter. 

There is no boat to/from Koh Kong/Hat Lek (the border crossing with Thailand) anymore.

Modest numbers of cruise lines, e.g., Oceania, offer one-day port visits, usually along with more stops in Vietnam en route to or from Bangkok.

Get around

Distances between the beaches are too long to walk comfortably, but getting around is easy, as the roads are wide and bike taxis (motodop) are everywhere. The standard price is US$1 per trip, although expect to haggle at night or if the distance is long. They'll gladly pile on two people and their luggage too. For larger groups, car taxis can be called by phone (fixed US$5 to most places around town).

There are dozens of the ubiquitous tuk-tuks around the new bus station and the accommodation areas. They are some of the most persistent and over-charging drivers in Cambodia; they have formed an "association" for price fixing: a trip to the bus station, US$2 in Phnom Penh, costs US$3 if your bus company pays but they charge US$6 if you arrive at the bus station and want to go to the beach. If you have decided where you will stay it can help to call for a pick up. Even if it's not free, it may save you some overcharging.

The ride from the new bus station to Serendipity Beach should cost no more than US$3 during the day.

Another great choice to get around is to rent a scooter. Haggle a bit and you can get it for US$4 a day or more depending on the season. Fuel is not very cheap (about US$1.25 per litre) but can be bought at many roadside shacks. However, as of 2009, renting scooters to foreigners is illegal, and the police may stop and fine you.

Central Sihanoukville

See

The town doesn't offer much to see. The main areas of Sihanoukville of interest to tourists are Serendipity Beach, Otres Beach, Victory Beach, and the various islands off the coast.

Beaches

The main reason to visit Sihanoukville is the beaches. They are not as crowded as many of those in Thailand, but can be cramped on weekends and holidays. Like many beaches in Southeast Asia, they are often covered in a lot of rubbish.

• Independence Beach (Also known as 7-chan beach after the seven-storey Independence Hotel). 
• Ochheuteal Beach (​ឆ្នេរអូឈើទៀល - Chnay Occheuteal). A long narrow strip of white sand beach in Sangkat No 3. The northern section has now become known as Serendipity Beach, a beach popular with Western tourists, noted for small guesthouses right on the beach. There are around 30 beach huts serving good value meals and a wide selection of drinks, a golf course development at the south end, and a cluster of mid-range hotels and restaurants in the middle. Grass umbrellas, rentable beach chairs, and little drink huts line the beach from one end to the other. Further south along the beach in front of the golf course development, a number of budget backpacker-oriented bar/restaurant/beach hangouts have sprung up offering chairs, umbrellas, drinks and a chilled-out atmosphere. Expect noise and exhaust fumes though from the numerous 2-stroke jet skis in the area. Swimming can be dangerous and several tourists have been killed by jet skis. (updated Sep 2016)

Ochheuteal Beach - Sihanoukville

• 1 Otres Beach (SE of Serendipity and Ochheuteal Beaches). Amazing 4-km-long stretch of clean, white sands. Far less crowded and more relaxed than other beaches in Sihanoukville. Every season more and more beach bars and guesthouses pop up along the beach. Tourists will find accommodation in rooms or bungalows (prices ranging from US$5-30), e.g., Cinderella Beach Bungalows, Castaways Beach Bar and Bungalows. Like most of Sihanoukville's budget accommodation, no air-con is available in Otres Beach lodgings, except for the Secret Garden Resort, at the far end of "Old Otres" (Otres 2). Otres Beach is great place for lazy sunbathing, but other activities also available (catamarans, windsurfing, kayaks, various boat trips, bicycles.) Unlike Serendipity Beach, marijuana and marijuana-based baked goods are openly and safely smoked and sold at the beach side bars/guesthouses and on the beach itself, which is now attracting a young Western crowd to the area. A second part of Otres Beach about a 5-10 min tuk-tuk ride away, referred to as "Otres 2", has several guesthouses open and is beginning to attract tourists looking for an even less crowded beach than the relaxed main strip of Otres Beach. Otres 2 is far less developed and less crowded, but offers only minimal activities and locations. There are no stores of any kind in Otres 2, though in the main strip of Otres 1 there's a bank machine. Adjoining that on the road in from Occhuteal is a Khmer village with various stores and a few Khmer restaurants; with a small, modern convenience store on the side road out of the village that leads to and from Occhuteal. Otres has a different climate than Snooky; it may be sunny all day when downtown Sihanoukville and the other beaches are raining and flooding. It's also known in the area as having the best sunset, and people staying in closer beaches often drive out to watch it from there (with few vendors or other harassment unlike closer to the city). Otres is fairly large away from the beach; side roads lead to other areas inland, including along the small river that flows through the broad prairie that lies inland from the beach strip. Along it, another village lies, and a few small resorts, and during high season, a small public market with entertainment. There's a couple of resorts and bars there, including a funky westerner-run backpackery bar and stage, and another more modern one with dining room and also a stage. The river can be navigated by kayak, and fish from it is part of the menu among local Khmer. The beach at Otres is very shallow for a couple of hundred meters out, or more, depending on the tide. The bottom is soft sand and clean and when there are no waves very safe for children and novice swimmers. (updated Sep 2016)
• Serendipity Beach (Connected to Ochheuteal Beach). Guesthouses and bar/restaurants right on the beach, open until the early hours. This beach is the most popular and typically has the greatest number of people on the beach. 
• Sokha Beach. Owned by Sokha Beach Resort. It is private, but you can access it by paying a couple dollars. You won't have many people begging or trying to sell you something here. 
• Victory Beach (S of the commercial port). Plenty of budget accommodation nearby on Weather Station Hill. This beach is close to the seaport. 

Rivers

The mangrove-lined Ou Trojak Jet River, Sihanoukville's longest river, runs from Otres Pagoda to Otres Beach. It is popular with both canoeists and anglers, and the lower section harbours a marina. Restaurants along the south bank of the river serve fresh seafood supplied by the local inshore fishing boats.

Temples

• Wat Kraom (Lower temple), Independence Beach (at the foot of Sihanoukville Mountain). Forested environs. Large statue of sleeping Buddha. 
• Wat Leu (Upper temple), Wat Leu Road (1.5km from the downtown). Hilltop location. Views over the town and ocean. Working temple with a number of resident monks. 

Other

• Kampong Pier Nup Lok (2 km N of the commercial port). The old fishing port. Offers some nice views. 
• Koh Rong (Monkey Island). Advertised all around Serendipity Beach, Koh Rong is a small island 2-3 hr away from Sihanoukville by ferry that offers a relaxed location away from the crowds, a long beach, a small jungle to trek, as well as a handful of bars, restaurants, and guesthouses on the beach covering an area of only about 2 km. Ferries from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong leave 3-4 times daily from various docks and several different ferry companies in Sihanoukville. Ferries can be booked from any guesthouse or travel agent. Round trip tickets are sold for between US$5-15. A tourist may be quoted more for the ferry, but can be negotiated down, and should not pay more than US$15. Both dorm beds (US$7) and private rooms (US$15-30) are readily available on the island. Fishing, diving, and snorkelling are available as well at prices similar to the rest of Sihanoukville. Most places on Koh Rong run electricity on a generator and usually have electricity from sunset until midnight, though a few bars will run throughout the day and go until 04:00. Koh Rong does not have an ATM. US$5-15. 
• Ream National Park. A wonderful mangrove nature reserve about a 30-min drive from Sihanoukville. Take a moto to park headquarters for US$2. From there, park rangers can arrange boat rides for US$40 per boat through the mangroves. The boats leave a few miles away just before the highway crosses the river, so don't send away your moto or taxi. Destination is an island where you can walk on a decaying boardwalk that leads to a viewing tower you may not climb due to decayed ladder. You have spend all your time watching your step so the walk (100 m, perhaps) is not worth taking. Call in advance. Hiking trail with ranger accompanying has been suspended as of November 2018 due to fallen trees on the trail that the park lacks money and manpower to clear. 
• 2 Kbal Chhay Waterfall, Kbal Chhay Waterfalls, Ou Treh. A waterfall approximately 7 km from the city of Sihanoukville and then a further 9 km along a red dust track. Popular swimming area, families come to spend the day, many food stalls, rest houses and other facilities line the stream. The swimming is the attraction more than the waterfall so don't expect much nature at the stream. (updated Nov 2018)

Do

• The Cambodian Children's Painting Project (CCPP) (On Serendipity Beach Rd). An NGO which works with impoverished Cambodian children. Together with volunteers, the children create art which is then sold to help support the children's families and the project itself. As part of the project children are provided with access to education, painting materials, sport activities, two meals a day, medical and dental assistance. Social workers are employed to work with the children's families. You can help by becoming a volunteer, donating painting materials, buying a painting, donating money or by holding an exhibition of the children's art. 
• Unique Spa, Ochheuteal Street (Opposite Monkey Republic), ☏ +855 98 513 009. Massages, nail care, body scrubs. 
• Scuba Diving. There are many islands off the Cambodian coast that have lots of coral and fish. All dive boats leave from the Sihanoukville port area. There are 4 PADI dive centres, one of which, Scuba Nation PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre, the pioneers of diving in Cambodia, provide comprehensive diving and snorkelling services, day trips, liveaboards, nitrox and a full range of PADI courses from beginner to instructor. Flexibility is the key: you can do training sessions while sightseeing in Phnom Penh, then finish with a liveaboard on the only custom made diving boats in Cambodia. EcoSea Dive, offers SSI courses as well. There is also some shallow diving at Koh Tas some 10 km from Sihanoukville, but it's mostly reserved for when the weather is too rough to get all the way to Koh Rung Sanloem. The best diving Cambodia has to offer are the overnight trips to the Koh Tang group, where large pelagics are seen regularly and visibility is double what you will find at the closer sites. 2 dive day trips US$59-85, overnight trips US$185-325 all inclusive. 
• Snorkelling. Possible around most of the islands, with the best snorkelling being at the further our islands for visibility, corals and fish. Many restaurants at Serendipity Beach advertise a snorkelling trip for US$15, but most are incapable of properly explaining what their offer includes. Most will boil down to the same trip organised by one of the travel agents which includes (simple) breakfast at the beach, a visit to two snorkelling spots and a 3-hr lunch break at Koh Russei (Bamboo Island). If you are serious about your snorkelling, you should consider going with one of the three scuba dive shops, to ensure you get proper gear. 
• Unspoiled Island Day Trip. Finding a clean and unspoiled beach (apart from private Sokha Beach) is challenging in Sihanoukville, but can be found a couple of hours away on the island Koh Rong Saloem. Daily ferries can take you there in the morning or a one-day trips including snorkelling, fishing, lunch and light breakfast. This particular company takes its passengers to a deserted 5 km strip of deserted beach. It's run by a very fun and entertaining German named Robert. There is also accommodation on the island at Lazy Beach. EcoSea Diving offers overnight trips to Koh Rung Sanloem as well, where accommodation is in small basic cottages. Unfortunately there are a lot of sand flies on the island. Prepare to be bitten. US$15. 

Buy

Banks and ATMs

• ATMs can be found throughout the city. Downtown, there are ATMs from ANZ Bank, Canadia Bank, Acleda Bank, May bank, ABA Bank, CIMB Bank, Union Commercial Bank, Cambodia Commercial Bank, and UCB Bank.
• There are also ATMs around the "Golden Lions", on Beach St, at CCS Hotel and one at the Golden Sands Hotel, Occheuteal Beach. There is also an ATM in Otres 1.
• T E Lee Hong Money Exchange 7 Markara Street.

Supermarkets and groceries

There are several supermarkets in the town, plus a standard Cambodian market ('Psaa Leu').

• Orange Supermarket, Ekareach Street, ☏ +855 34-933878. 07:30-22:00. (updated Feb 2017)
• Samudera Supermarket, Ekareach Street. 07:00-22:00. There is a money exchange with in the Samudera supermarket. (updated Feb 2017)
• Lucky Ocean Supermarket, 7 Ekareach Street, ☏ +855 34-451155. 08:00-22:00. (updated Feb 2017)
• Psar Leu (Public Market), 7 Makara Street. 06:00-18:00. Low-priced fruit and vegetables. also sells home wares and clothing. (updated Feb 2017)

Eat

Along the beaches, especially at Ochheuteal Beach, there are many food stalls and some restaurants serving grilled, meat, chicken, and seafood with chips/fries and a beer for US$3–4. There are a good many restaurants in town as well. Sihanoukville has a surprisingly diverse set of cuisines.

• Sandan, Street 10311, one block south of 7 Makara Street (look for their brightly lit mango tree), ☏ +855 98 454 400. A restaurant serving local flavors and Cambodian traditions with an 8 or 12 course dinner option if you prefer. 

Drink

Coffee

• Cinderellas Coffee Shop (Serendipity Beach Rd, opposite Monkey Republic), ☏ +855 12 613380. Very pleasant coffee shop/cafe just off Ochheuteal Beach with comfortable indoor and terrace patio seating. Reasonably priced menu featuring Western, Korean, and Asian dishes. In addition to coffee there is beer, wine and cocktails. 
• Seapony Cafe, #4 Seapony Lane M'Pai Bai Village, Koh Rong Samloem (will need a launch to Koh Rong Samloem island offshore), ☏ +855 96 264 5541. W-M 08:30-15:00. Serving up breakfast and lunch. 
• Starfish Bakery & Cafe, Street 208 (100 m from junction with 7 Makara Street) (small street along side Samudera Supermarket) (will need a launch to Koh Rong Samloem island offshore), ☏ +855 12 952 011. Daily 07:00-17:30. Makes contribution to local charitable causes. 

Alcohol

• Golden Lion Plaza at Occheteal Beach, 10 friendly bars in one street, but all are also used as spots for picking up prostitutes.
• The trend on Serendipity Beach is to advertise a permanent happy hour, which usually implies cocktails for US$2–2.50 and draught Anchor beer for as little as US$0.50-0.75. Beer prices generally rise to US$1 at night with cocktails remaining US$2–2.50.

Bars in town

• Captain Morgan (Golden Lions Plaza). Open late. Nice looking bar with friendly staff. Food and snacks. 
• Star Bar (Downtown, behind Shell gas station). Extremely cold Anchor draught beer (happy hour US$0.50, rest of the day US$0.75). Friendly waitresses. Good pool table. Decent kitchen with Western-oriented menu. Popular Wednesday evening barbecue, US$2. 

Sleep

Koh Ta Kiev Island - tree houses on the beach (Cambodia)

Accommodation ranges from basic guest houses on the beach to four-star resorts. There are plenty of guesthouses, however, the cheapest guesthouses directly on the beach frequently sell out. Reservations are necessary at peak times such as at New Year. Due the extensive construction works in the city, any list of accommodation might be outdated. As of Sep 2919, it seems that most of the hotels aim at Chinese clientele.

Budget

• Savannphoum (300m from Serendipity Beach). A nice alternative for people wanting to stay close to rather than on the beach. Most of the guests are Khmer. Good cheap Khmer food, clean rooms, cheap scooter rentals. US$10. 
• Ten103 (formerly Jonty's Jungle Camp), Koh Ta Kiev Island (call or e-mail in advance and you'll be picked up with the boat in Sihanoukville), ☏ +855 92 502374, jonty@jontysjunglecamp.com. Sleep in a tree house or in a hammock with a mosquito net. The facilities are very basic, but that's what makes the place so special. Koh Ta Kiev Island is full of unexplored jungle, lovely beaches, and almost no tourism. US$7-25. (updated Sep 2016)
• 1 Onederz Hostel Sihanoukville. Supposedly one of the last hostels in Sihanoukville. Features a small swimming pool and a bit overpriced Khmer food. 10USD per bed in dorm. (updated Sep 2019)

Mid-range

• 2 Above Us Only Sky (Bar & Bungalows), Serendipity Beach (From Tranquility Guesthouse follow the beach in the quieter direction to 3 buildings further on), ☏ +855 88 426 8030, aboveusonlyskysihanoukville@gmail.com. Spacious bungalows on a very quiet part of the beach. It has fan and air-conditioning rooms and a nice porch in front of the bungalow with comfortable chairs and couch and brilliant ocean view. Wi-Fi. There is also a nice little bar downstairs. No restaurant, but there are plenty nearby. 
• The Don Bosco Hotel School, Phum 1 Sang Kat 2 (2.5 km from Otres Beach), ☏ +855-87919834, fax: +855 34 933765, reservation@donboscohotelschool.com. Hotel in a lush garden with a swimming pool, air-conditioning, hot showers, and free Wi-Fi, pick-up and shuttle to the beaches and city. It is a training hotel to help young Cambodians learn a skill and find a job. US$30-60 including breakfast. 
• Sokha Beach Resort (Sokha Beach), ☏ +855 34 935999, reservations@sokhahotels.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. An international-class beach resort. Very bland and a bit rough around the edges, but the beach is gorgeous and hassle-free, and the resort is family-friendly with children swimming pools and playgrounds. Try their best Restaurant, Lemongrass, and "The Deck" Tapas Bar. 180° views of the gulf. Promotional rates: US$140-810. 

Splurge

• 3 Independence Hotel, St 2 Thnou, Sangkat 3, ☏ +855 34 934 300. A modernist concrete seven-story block on top of the cape and with great sea views, it has a pretty pool and attractive, expansive gardens. A nice touch are some black and white photographs of the hotel in its heyday. The best feature is the adjacent clean pale sand private beach which has crystal clear water and some big rocks, although this may be under development as the hotel are planning bungalows. Some distance from town. From US$140, breakfast included. (updated May 2019)

Stay safe

WARNING: Overseas job scams are rampant in Cambodia, particularly Sihanoukville. People are lured in by offers of a high-paid job with little to no experience or work visa needed, then held hostage under threats of violence and forced to work in call centers, online gambling, etc. See Human trafficking for details. Chinese speakers are most frequently targeted, but others have been trapped as well. If you or somebody you know have been caught in this scam, contact your country's diplomatic mission.

Government travel advisories Hong Kong

• Cambodia National Police: ☏ 0312012345NOCC, ☏ 0316012345NOCC
• Cambodia National Police, Sihanoukville Branch: ☏ 011 506 677NOCC, ☏ 011 516 677NOCC, ☏ 011 526 677NOCC

While violent crime is extremely rare, purse snatching, pick-pocketing, and petty theft are extremely common occurrences on and near Serendipity beach during both the day and night. Women should not carry purses containing anything valuable, and if possible should not carry any purse at all. Groups of young children often surround women leaving the beach bars at night, cut off their purses and run away. In addition, criminals on motorbikes will often grab a woman's purse and then drive off during both the day and night, dragging the woman behind them until they let go. The majority of this activity is confined to the Serendipity area and travellers to Otres Beach or the rest of Sihanoukville should be careful, but far less concerned about crime.

Jet ski

At least six tourists and one local boy were run over and killed at Ochheuteal Beach and Otres Beach by jet skis since Sep 2009. The number of tourists and locals injured by banana-boats and jet skis is unknown. In 2009 the police marked a swimmers-only area with buoys along most of the beach but the employees of the jet ski & banana-boat operators completely ignore it and keep showing off silly but very dangerous high speed stunts just meters from shore and in the middle of swimmers to hunt and attract customers. Complaints to the police are ignored. On weekends you will see many very drunk Cambodian tourists on jet skis, chasing each other inside the swimming zone and ignoring the simplest safety rules. At Serendipity, the northern end of Ochheuteal Beach, jet skiers race between the coral bommies, completely disregarding the safety of snorkellers, damaging and killing marine life with the oil in their exhausts. All but one jet ski are old models from the 1990s with 2-stroke engines. If three or four jet skies running at the same time, the whole beach stinks from the highly toxic exhaust fumes, not to mention the permanent chainsaw noise the beach is blasted with. If you want to enjoy a quiet, relaxed day on the beach, do not rent a jet ski and tell everybody about the danger, or go to one of the other beaches outside of town and pay US$3–5 for a one-way ride with a motodop.

Stay healthy

Medical services in Sihanoukville are very limited and basic. The best medical service is offered by the CT Clinic or Sihanoukville International Clinic. These are the only clinics trusted by expats who live in Sihanoukville. The public hospital should be avoided at all costs, as it is terrible. In case of major illness or injury evacuation is necessary.

HIV/AIDS is nowhere near as prevalent as it was, but the infection rate is still relatively high within certain high risk groups such as female sex workers. In 2016 the infection rate for brothel-based female sex workers was estimated to be 14.7%, but government initiatives have raised the rate of correct and consistent condom use to over 90%. However, many sex workers are now operating outside of brothels, so the rate could be significantly higher in this group.

Connect

Sihanoukville's area code is 034.

Internet

There are many Internet cafes and some guesthouses and many hotels offer Internet access. Many now have Wi-Fi, some for free.

Post

The new main Post Office is near the Victory Park on the left hand side of the road as you go to Victory Hill. There is also a branch at the market downtown, but here you can only leave your postcards during office hours, as it does not feature an outdoor mailbox.

Consulates

• Vietnamese Consulate (On Ekareach St). M-F 08:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00; Sa 08:00-12:00. Issues 30-day tourist visas for pick up at 10:00 the next morning. In Feb 2014 applicants arriving after 12:00 are charged an additional US$5 to have their visas processed same day. US$60 for a 30-day single entry visa (Feb 2015); US$80 for 30 day double entry (Feb 2014). 

Go next

• Bokor National Park – An abandoned French hill station near Kampot which was a popular destination in the 1920s
• Kampot
• Kep
• Koh Kong
• Koh Rong
• Koh Rung Sanloem
• Koh Russei
• Bangkok via Trat Thailand – Minibuses offer direct service for US$35
• Ko Chang, Thailand – Minibuses offer direct service to the ferry crossing
• Siem Reap – 12 hr by day or overnight bus. The price is US$17–18 (July 2015) and they will not negotiate (probably due to cartel). If you take the night bus, they will force you to sleep next to a stranger on a small single bed. If you are a big person they may force you to pay double.

Routes through Sihanoukville

Phnom Penh ← Kampot ←

E  W

→ END