KaZantip faces second re-location, moves to private island in Cambodia

KaZantip, the popularly known Eastern European electronic music festival that was based on the Crimean peninsula from 1992 until 2013 will face its second move in 2015. Last year, the festival moved for first time in its history to Anaklia, Georgia due to political disputes between Russia and the Ukraine. Unable to catch a break for its second consecutive year, KaZantip will re-locate to Koh Puos Island in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

From February 18-28, the 1km-square island brimming with seaside villas, shops, restaurants and glistening beaches will welcome an abundance of DJs and fans. In transforming the Russian-owned territory into a festival hub, it seems as though KaZantip’s second run on foreign soil might be a refreshing change of scenery.


http://www.dancingastronaut.com/2015/01 ... -cambodia/

I live 1000 meters from the Ko Pous Island bridge. There isn't squat on that island. No hotels, no bungalows, no food, no water, no restaurants, nothing. Its advertised on their web site like there is tons of infrastructure and there is nothing. My Russian neighbors say that they have already sold 3000 tickets and expect 10,000 people.

As I use Hawaii Beach by the bridge most days, I don't see a lot of activity going on. A few weeks ago I was bicycling by the end of the bridge and got to talking to one of the few workers I've seen as he came off the island and he asked me were they could get sound equipment in Snooky. They have a month before the festival and they haven't got their sound equipment lined up?

I talked to a travel agent in town (a Brit) and he said because of the Ruble's nose dive that a lot of Russians are canceling they vacation reservations.

If you go on the internet and type in "Interstate Hotels and Resorts" you will see that this American company (owned by the government of China) has taken over the lease for Ko Pous Island and plans a one Billion dollar project with two 4 star hotels, one 5 star hotel, one 6 star hotel and a casino. Looks like this festival on Ko Pous will be a one off.

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Sailorman wrote:I live 1000 meters from the Ko Pous Island bridge. There isn't squat on that island. No hotels, no bungalows, no food, no water, no restaurants, nothing. Its advertised on their web site like there is tons of infrastructure and there is nothing. My Russian neighbors say that they have already sold 3000 tickets and expect 10,000 people.

As I use Hawaii Beach by the bridge most days, I don't see a lot of activity going on. A few weeks ago I was bicycling by the end of the bridge and got to talking to one of the few workers I've seen as he came off the island and he asked me were they could get sound equipment in Snooky. They have a month before the festival and they haven't got their sound equipment lined up?

I talked to a travel agent in town (a Brit) and he said because of the Ruble's nose dive that a lot of Russians are canceling they vacation reservations.

If you go on the internet and type in "Interstate Hotels and Resorts" you will see that this American company (owned by the government of China) has taken over the lease for Ko Pous Island and plans a one Billion dollar project with two 4 star hotels, one 5 star hotel, one 6 star hotel and a casino. Looks like this festival on Ko Pous will be a one off.

Thank you for the update. I am originally from sihanoukville, but now i am living and working in phnom penh. I have not been around that area for many years now. i have never visited that bridge, so i have no idea. I guess more and more islands in cambodia will become private resorts where many Cambodians can afford to visit.

Soumy Phan wrote: From February 18-28, the 1km-square island brimming with seaside villas, shops, restaurants and glistening beaches will welcome an abundance of DJs and fans.

Looking at a Google Earth satellite image of Ko Pous, that description is quite off the mark. There do seem to be a handful, maybe 20 buildings on the island, all concentrated on one strip on the south-east coast. I can't imagine any of those buildings being functioning hotels, shops, or restaurants, though. A couple of winding roads have been built on the island too, but there appears to be nowhere to go yet. Not much trace of "glistening beaches" either (maybe some in that cove on the island's north side - but not much). There is, of course, lots of shoreline. A shoreline is not necessarily a decent beach, as most holiday makers envision one, anyway.

I imagine most of the festival activity will have to be on the bridge pavement itself, but its a pretty narrow structure for so many people to interact upon. One unruly crowd push and people are going "into the drink", as they say. I can't see this thing ending well. And if they do get anywhere near their predicted turnout, the island will be trashed.

now more and more of Cambodians knew about the Kazantip after this news was translated into Khmer. Many have dicussed about it and many other shared it. Not many positive comments were given to this news.

From Hawaii Beach that is across the bridge from the island, I can see unfinished condo and apartment buildings. They are just shells and have been the same for a couple years. My Russian neighbor who original told me about the festival and last month said they had sold 3000 tickets, yesterday said that they have now sold 6000 tickets to this festival. I have seen one or two cars/trucks cross the bridge, but nothing much for a festival that is suppose to have 10,000 people.

i just read a local news. The governor of Sihanoukville has already ordered to postpone the event.

Kazantip Music Festival Pulled Over ‘Sexy Activities’

The Preah Sihanouk provincial governor said Monday he has canceled the notoriously raucous “Kazantip” festival that was slated to take place on Koh Puos island later this month, citing concerns over “sexy activities” as the reason for pulling the event.

Chhit Sokhom admitted his authorities had been too quick to give the go-ahead to the festival, which was held in the Crimean Peninsula before being moved to Georgia in 2014 due to conflict in the region and was due to be held on the island off Sihanoukville for the first time.

“We have seen through social networks that this festival has a lot of sexy activities including sexy dancing, having sex in public and gambling,” said Mr. Sokhom.

“We decided to ban the festival because it could affect our tradition, culture and our youth,” he added.

Organizers of the 10-day festival, which labels itself “a republic” and boasts its own “constitution,” were initially given approval by authorities on January 30, said Mr. Sokhom, who had expected around 1,000 revelers a day.

Y Sokha, deputy provincial police chief, said last month he had been in discussions with the festival organizers and that they had assured him it was simply a “friendly meal party.”

Cambodia Daily News

Looks like someone didn't get their "tea money" and lost face because of it. With the Ruble about to be worth the same value as toilet-paper maybe someone got paid off in that and is now unhappy because their stash is now worth less than 50% of what it was worth. A big injection of US dollars/Euro's from the Russian "wise-guys" could save the festival, but they already have their "laundry" set up and don't need this one to clean ill gotten gain.

Reports from a few days ago said that big earth moving equipment was at work on the island, but nothing since. Anyone got any updates?