LillianEmerald wrote:Hi Mekong,

Thanks so much for your reply and for the information!

So the visa, would you recommend entering on a tourist visa, finding a job then having the employer transfer the visa over? Or how does that work.

In China the rules for visas keep changing and half the time the business/schools have no idea whats going on so I am trying to arm myself with as much information before we book any tickets ... I am stupidly organised at times!

L

No, get an Ordinary visa, which used to be called a Business visa, and is also called the type E Visa, not to be confused with the E-Visa, which is the tourist visa you get online. It is good for 1 month, then you can extend it by 6 months or a year. If you get the tourist visa, you will have to leave the country and come back to get the proper visa. Your employer may help with your visa extensions, but probably not. This should be $30 and then $280 for the yearly extension. The employer is supposed to pay for the work permit and deal with the government on that matter, but you'll be the one penalized if you're not up to code, so make sure they do it.

What Flynn was referring to earlier is that many people who live in Cambodia or visit often consider Sihanoukville a crime filled cesspool, though the people who live there obviously disagree. There's been a lot of Eastern European gang activity lately, mostly Russians. I personally don't like the place, but I wouldn't discourage you from moving there... but maybe checking it out first is a good idea. The pictures you see online don't always capture the vibe you get walking down the streets that well.

is is ok.
pay for teachers is very low, 1/2 of PP.
if you stay out of the tourist zones there is not much crime

Sihanoukville polarises people. They either love it or hate it. I can't remember the last time someone said to me "Sihanoukville was ok". Its either "I FUKN LOVED it" or "I FUKN HATED it". So yeah, come and check it out for awhile before you make your decision to throw your hand in, in China and move here. Also, there are almost NO teaching jobs here and what there are pay shit money. Having said that, I threw my hand in, in Oz 3 years ago to move to Sihanoukville and I fukn LOVE IT ( I did check it out twice first though). Horses for courses ay!

Hotdigr wrote:Sihanoukville polarises people. They either love it or hate it. I can't remember the last time someone said to me "Sihanoukville was ok". Its either "I FUKN LOVED it" or "I FUKN HATED it". So yeah, come and check it out for awhile before you make your decision to throw your hand in, in China and move here. Also, there are almost NO teaching jobs here and what there are pay shit money. Having said that, I threw my hand in, in Oz 3 years ago to move to Sihanoukville and I fukn LOVE IT ( I did check it out twice first though). Horses for courses ay!

We like your sister's house in PP... just sayin'.

I lived in Sihanoukville for 12 months with my western gf in 2012. We both loved the place. She had a reasonable job with an NGO at the time, fell into it though after groundwork. I retired at 42, so I wasn't working. If you have never run a business before I would be ultra careful about doing that here.

I am back here now for a week, still like it as the best place to live in Cambodge.. Either here or Kampot would be my choices.

Teaching.. Tough gig here !

phuketrichard wrote:Before u move think abut this
do u want to be in the middle of a Russian gang war?

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/big-trouble-little-russia

Cheap attack, there is much more going on in Phuket on an everyday basis

Definitely come check it out first. I love these "we want to open a place" thread...

Sihanoukville? I love Snookyville, but as stated its not for everyone. I stopped here on my way to retire on Ko Samui and found my paradise. Try to get out of living downtown as that can get kind of depressing unless your interest included lots alcohol. Closer to the beach's the better is my motto. Find a hotel with a monthly rate, rent a moto and look around.

Yes, there are thug Russians in town, but they mostly seem to screw with each other and leave the rest of us alone. Out of 20 houses in the complex I live in 5 are occupied by Russians and they have caused no problems and mostly keep to themselves.

With a bunch of beach's its not hard to gravitate to a beach area. Even if you don't live on/near a beach, one is only minutes away. Weekdays are great, but on the weekends the crazies from Phnom Penh descend onto the beach's (at least the ones near my house.) And there are the islands for a getaway.

I could never live in Phnom Penh (or Bangkok.) I find PP just a dirty crowded dump with very few redeeming qualities. It has no beach's, just a couple tourist attraction, the traffic is terrible, and the rivers are gray. I read last year in the PP newspapers that the powers that be in PP where thinking of building a "Chinatown" to attract tourist. Pretty sad when a country in SEA has to build an ethnic section of town to attract tourists.

Once the airport/Vietnam airline monopoly in Snookyville is broken and real airlines start flying in here, I will almost never have to take the 4 hour ride on the "Death Highway From Hell" to PP.