Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Mostcurious · Post by **Mostcurious** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 1:14 am

Recently visited Sihanoukville for the first time in 10 years.
Lots of reports on social media and reported that Sihanoukville is ugly and smelly, which is partially true. Some areas of Sihanoukville do stink.
Yes there are lots of unfinished high rise buildings. However that's what makes the place so unique.
Yes there are many many casinos and a large proportion of the population of the city are now Chinese, but hey that's progress for you.

There are still nice quiet picturesque areas of Sihanoukville to visit.
Otres Beach, further south is the Bay of Lights and even further south there is Ream national park. You also have the Island of Koh Rong.
There is now a shopping mall, the Prince Shopping Mall, which has a nice selection of restaurants.
Up on Victory Hill there is still some night time entertainment to be found.

All in all Sihanoukville is unique, its different and I would recommend visiting once. Make up your own mind rather than be deterred by the negative stories on social media.
Has anyone here visited Sihanoukville what is your opinion on the city ?

Earl of Mercia · Post by **Earl of Mercia** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 1:42 am

Personally I think the whole point of Sihanoukville and its charm was that of a sleepy little fishing village,with different areas like Victory Hill,Independence Beach,Ochheuteal Beach,Victory Beach with the quirky Aeroplane Bar.

Go and see the monkeys at the far end of Independence Beach there was always a gang of young Khmer kids monkey watching,their little faces lit up with delight at the mischievous primates’ antics!

The little gems like G’Day Mate open 24/7 to go and have a chat with Mick wasn’t it,shoot the breeze over a couple of VBs,the Dolphin I loved ok it was a bit seedy but watching the sun come up as the tide came right in dancing in the sand was just awesome!

All the varied restaurants around the Golden Lion Roundabout all gone now I believe?

It had its own special Khmer charm and that is now gone,I just don’t know if I ever want to go back and see Paradise Lost is the honest truth?

Mostcurious · Post by **Mostcurious** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 3:00 am

I understand what you are saying.
The only part of Sihanoukville that still remains are the Golden Lions landmark on the roundabout.
Just right of the ferry pier at Ochheuteal beach there was once a row of bars and restaurants overlooking the sea.
I enjoyed drinking at the bar as the sun was setting, all that has gone now which is a shame.

There are now many unfinished buildings situated all over the city, which could be described as an eye sore. On closer inspection it was interesting to see how locals had actually taken up residence in the unfinished buildings.

What I feel still remains is the warm Cambodian hospitality.

Bongmab69 · Post by **Bongmab69** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 8:49 am

If you never saw sihanoukville before, you will like it for sure. I was there for a couple of nights in january and liked it. The golden lion roundabout is still there, the restaurants all changed. There is a very good BBQ-buffet called ROMDOUL, perfect place to eat, better value for money then PP for sure. I believe they opened a year agO in november. I found a more khmer-place called Poipet-buffet not so far from the roundabout, cheap and good food. If you go to Otres-beach, all nice and clean, the hotel prices are gone up a lot, but where not !! If you want a beach-holiday or a nice hotel with pool, fully recomended.
And yes, there are a lot of chinese signs everywhere, who cares, i cant read themn either the khmer signs. And have no problem with chinese people, i prefere a chinese neighbour above a yank without any questioning !! Will go for a week or so soon i think !!

Jerry Atrick · Post by **Jerry Atrick** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 9:14 am

Mostcurious wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 1:14 am Recently visited Sihanoukville for the first time in 10 years.
Lots of reports on social media and reported that Sihanoukville is ugly and smelly, which is partially true. Some areas of Sihanoukville do stink.
Yes there are lots of unfinished high rise buildings. However that's what makes the place so unique.
Yes there are many many casinos and a large proportion of the population of the city are now Chinese, but hey that's progress for you.

There are still nice quiet picturesque areas of Sihanoukville to visit.
Otres Beach, further south is the Bay of Lights and even further south there is Ream national park. You also have the Island of Koh Rong.
There is now a shopping mall, the Prince Shopping Mall, which has a nice selection of restaurants.
Up on Victory Hill there is still some night time entertainment to be found.

All in all Sihanoukville is unique, its different and I would recommend visiting once. Make up your own mind rather than be deterred by the negative stories on social media.
Has anyone here visited Sihanoukville what is your opinion on the city ?

Well, When I first went there in 2009 it was a dingy and seedy and ugly port town shithole that happened to have some nice beaches within an easy ride distance

Now it's an empty overbuilt weird, seedy and ugly port town shithole and the people there have a bad attitude

It's worth daytripping while on way to the islands, or if one is enough of a sad bastard to put renting an ok apartment on a major discount ahead of every other quality of life metric then perhaps it's not a bad place to live on a budget

pissontheroof · Post by **pissontheroof** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 10:34 am

Shirley there must be opportunities for some hippies to start a stretch on the beach 🏖
Sorta like the good old days . I always hear khins shack is still in business , but ,
there should be more choices like that to have a walk the whole length of serendipity and occheteal beaches
An old man needs exercise walking between bars , and a good school for … a young dependent?

Without traveling / going for 1st hand knowledge is there still a path between ‘ above us only sky ‘ to khins shack ?
With anything like the purple bar in between to chill ?

พิซออนเดอรูฟ ®

phuketrichard · Post by **phuketrichard** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 10:48 am

wasn't good visit for this guy

Handcuffed and beaten foreigner found in canal

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501397162/ ... -in-canal/

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 12:11 pm

I went there twice this year and had a good time. That it now takes a much shorter time to go there from Phnom Penh thanks to the expressway definitely helps.

Still, it's not a destination I would be eager to visit on its own, I wouldn't come to Cambodia to visit Sihanoukville.

hanno · Post by **hanno** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 1:17 pm

Personally, I never liked Sihanoukville much, even when it was still just a small village. Don't care much for it now, with all the derelict buildings and the garbage. Having said that, I did go 4 times this year, for work and staff outings, and had a blast. Found some good seafood, the beaches a little away from town are sill OK. I agree with Alex: I would never go to the place for its own sake.

rogerrabbit · Post by **rogerrabbit** » Fri Nov 24, 2023 1:50 pm

Mostcurious wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 3:00 am I understand what you are saying.
The only part of Sihanoukville that still remains are the Golden Lions landmark on the roundabout.
Just right of the ferry pier at Ochheuteal beach there was once a row of bars and restaurants overlooking the sea.
I enjoyed drinking at the bar as the sun was setting, all that has gone now which is a shame.

There are now many unfinished buildings situated all over the city, which could be described as an eye sore. On closer inspection it was interesting to see how locals had actually taken up residence in the unfinished buildings.

What I feel still remains is the warm Cambodian hospitality.

Some of the old restaurants and bars are still around on Ochheuteal Beach. They just moved a bit, about 100 meter, to new buildings put up by the city. Khin's Shack for example. It's been on the beach for what 15 years(?), owned by the same family. You can still enjoy sunset with cheap beer and BBQ there.

pissontheroof wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 10:34 am
Without traveling / going for 1st hand knowledge is there still a path between ‘ above us only sky ‘ to khins shack ?

If I'm not totally wrong Abo us only Sky closed couple months ago. The barang owner got good money. Big international hotel chain hotel is going to be built there.

Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Re: Sihanouville Travel Destination - Is it worth Visiting ?

Who is online

Register/Login to CEO with your Social Media Account: