phuketrichard wrote: ↑Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:46 pm shv has been a lost cause since Papa john passed

That is about the time it really started going south. 2015??
I saw him just days before he passed.

Sihanoukville will linger in the minds and heart for many of its past visitors, and mainly the ones who watched the little beach town over the past years grow. Expats of all nationalities made the move to run businesses and have a family life there, why not too, with everything going for the place, well established for many, that of a wanna go place for tourists visiting Cambodia.
The dream for many and that of the future outlook of Sihanoukville would come to an abrupt end for most who lived there, and also who would visit. Not only the Americans, European, Russian, Indian, African and so on, it would effect the local and visiting Khmer people too, some would lose their business and homes too, while others may benefit, such has landlords who would not take too much persuading knowing their new tenants would pay higher rental prices.
New people and new money has made new movements that was once on the tourist trail of many, now it was looking more like a destination that would be mainly of a exclusive Chinese only gambling club. The building boom of the time seemingly confirming this. But then, with the ban on online gambling, and then the outbreak of Covid19 becoming a world pandemic seems to have slowed progress in development and tourism. Like others I look on, wondering what the outcome will be.

Having spent the last month in Sihanoukville, here are some thoughts about the place.

Lazy small town feeling is gone. It feels now like a big city. In some corners of the city, it kind of looks like Pattaya now.

Locals like to spend their holidays there again. I would say even bigger crowds than prio 2018. Weekends and on public holidays the place is packed with families from Phnom Penh. Hotels prices goes up and condos fill with Cambodian families. Hard to find parking on the new beach road. Locals like to go eat there. Around 5pm the beaches start to fill with red plastic chairs and hammocks as the mobile food carts and nearby local restaurants set up their dining places on the beach.

I saw more Westeners than back in 2019.

I saw a lot less Chinese than back in 2019.

Lot of the buildings still unfinished. Many projects continued their building during my stay. But also hundreds seem to be totally stalled and abandoned. Though hundreds of projects have been completed since 2019 too and there are people living in these.

You can find rooms from $75 up for long term stay. Nice new modern condo apartments from $300 up.

New roads are great. Traffic lights on the other hand sucks. They work idiotic way in most places. The traffic is easy daytime on weekdays but evenings people drive crazy and fast. Weekends have more traffic due to people from Phnom Penh.

Beaches are much cleaner than before. But at Otres erosion is happening. Though they have brought new sand to the beaches. Occheteul has now fine white sand from the islands. Beaches have now free public toilets and showers every 500 meters or so. Very nice addition. Same buildings also have coffee shop and/or restaurant.

The city is actually walkable now. Much easier to walk around compared to Phnom Penh for example.

Here are few restaurants and bars catering westeners:

Khin's Shack https://www.google.com/maps/place/Khin' ... BJ6BAhCEAU
This has been +10 years on the beach. Still there, bit different location now. Same family still own it. BBQ, western and asian food. Average dish price $6.

Romdoul's Place https://www.google.com/maps/place/Romdo ... 03.5045392
Cheap western and westenized asian foods at Victory Hill. Average dish price $3.

Titanic Restaurant https://www.google.com/maps/place/Titan ... 03.5396594
This place used to be located at Occheteul but has now moved to inner city. Not the most convinient location if you are just on holiday. But cheap western, BBQ and westenized asian foods. Average dish price $3.

TOTO's Pizza https://www.google.com/maps/place/TOTO' ... 103.521551
Excellent pizza and home made pastas. Average dish price $6.

Pepe Artisan Food https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pepe+ ... VZMDluRUFF
Excellent steaks and ribs. If you like meat, then you want to visit this place. Average dish price maybe $10.

And then you have your usual western fast food & cafe options like Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC, Mike's Burger House, Starbucks... if you are into those.

Corner Bar https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+C ... 03.5041313

Tommy's bar

Sunset Lounge https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sunse ... 03.5422638

Eden bar & restaurant https://www.google.com/maps/place/Eden+ ... 03.5601427

Also some really great dim sum / chinese (doh), malay and indian food available in the city.







And yes, no one kicked me out of any place. I visited many Chinese owned restaurasts, marts, hotels. Also visited Casino once and they allowed me in! Crazy eh?

Great report totally different from what many imagine snooky to be like now.

Super report @rogerrabbit. I just watched several fresh videos showing the wide roads, roomy sidewalks with generous building setbacks. Everything looks neat and clean for a modern city. Maybe even a city of hope.

But what does one do in a former ocean front city now covered head to toe in concrete and asphalt? Would I venture to another treeless concrete jungle? Would I want to expose myself to this Chinese gangland? Would I be tempted by the evils of gambling? Would I enjoy a six-month rainy season peering out from my 28th floor rats' nest tower? The answer is a big negative, from me.

rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:12 am Around 5pm the beaches start to fill with red plastic chairs and hammocks as the mobile food carts and nearby local restaurants set up their dining places on the beach.

A few months ago the police shut down "In My Dream" restaurant for a week for putting a 1 table & chairs on the beach. They're taking their chances!

Yobbo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 05, 2022 1:01 pm

rogerrabbit wrote: ↑Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:12 am Around 5pm the beaches start to fill with red plastic chairs and hammocks as the mobile food carts and nearby local restaurants set up their dining places on the beach.

A few months ago the police shut down "In My Dream" restaurant for a week for putting a 1 table & chairs on the beach. They're taking their chances!

Yes, I believe Occheteul beach the authorities are very strict about chairs and tables on beach as I didn’t see any during my stay. But when going towards Otres and Otres itself they don’t seem to care and there are lots of “temporary” local dining places on the beach.

ExPenhMan wrote: ↑Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:51 am Super report @rogerrabbit. I just watched several fresh videos showing the wide roads, roomy sidewalks with generous building setbacks. Everything looks neat and clean for a modern city. Maybe even a city of hope.

But what does one do in a former ocean front city now covered head to toe in concrete and asphalt? Would I venture to another treeless concrete jungle? Would I want to expose myself to this Chinese gangland? Would I be tempted by the evils of gambling? Would I enjoy a six-month rainy season peering out from my 28th floor rats' nest tower? The answer is a big negative, from me.

Treeless? This was view from the condo I stayed. From another window can see the sea. And this was pretty much centre of town. Few minutes walk from beach/mall/restaurants/bars/occheteul.



What did you do before there?

That's not centre of town. There is nothing like that in the centre and since at least 1996 (my first visit) there never was.