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By
: Moul Vongs.
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Sokha
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Sihanouk
Ville
Sihanoukville is Cambodia's most famous beach town.
Better known as Kampong Som to locals, is about
230 km southwest of Phnom Penh and boasts the best
beaches in the Kingdom.
On weekends and public holidays, the beaches are
crowded with local Khmers, tourists and expatriates.
Being a coastal town, it is not surprising that
there are many restaurants serving fresh local seafood
specialties as well as international cuisine. |
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Crabs, prawns,
lobsters, mantis shrimp, live fish, scallops and exotic
shellfish abound the range of delicacies seems endless.
Visitors can see the large fishing fleet sailing from
the nearby port at dusk every night and watch their lights
winking on the horizon as darkness falls. Many of these
boats fish for squid, which lives in abundance off the
Sihanoukville coast.
At the time of printing, the city had 39 hotels, 24 guesthouses,
seven karaoke lounges and countless spots to enjoy a quiet
tea or coffee and watch the world go by.
Points of Interest |
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Sihanoukville
The Municipality of Sihanoukville is flanked by
Kompong Speu, Koh Kong and Kampot provinces.
Covering just 1,283 square kilometers, it comprises
three districts, namely Mittapheap (the downtown
area), Prey Nop and Steung Hav. These contain 22
communes and 85 villages.
Until the French withdrawal from Indochina in 1954,
Sihanoukville was just a sleepy fishing village
and Cambodia conducted its sea trade via the mouth
of the Mekong. After 1954 this area reverted to
Vietnam. King Sihanouk was one of the leading proponents
for making Kompong Som the new main port of his
independent Kingdom, and it was duly developed to
now be Cambodia's only seaport.
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Sea Port
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It was officially
renamed Sihanoukville in honor of the king in 1959, but
reverted to its old name when King Sihanouk was removed
from power by Lon Nol in 1970 and Cambodia was declared
a republic. It regained its old name for the national
elections in 1993, but many locals still refer to Sihanoukville
as Kampong Som.
Beaches
There are five main beach areas around town - Sokha, O-Chheu-teal,
Independence (or Seven Story Hotel), Victory and Hawaii
Beaches, plus the more remote Ream National Park areas.
A mix of foreign and local fun seekers often crowd Sokha
Beach on weekends, while the long, white stretches of
O-Chheu-teal (sometimes spelt Ochheuteal in guidebooks)
are popular with foreign visitors.
Shaded in parts and less exposed, Independence beach is
named after the seven story derelict Independence Hotel
which towers above it on the point. Hawaii is quieter
still. Further around the coast from O-Chheu-teal are
the secluded beaches of Ream National Park. These are
not visited much by anyone except local fishermen and
are perfect places to get away from the crowd.
Boat trips to islands like Koh Rong and Koh Tang are available
by booking at tour offices in the town center or at some
guest houses. |
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Kbal Chhay
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Kbal
Chhay
About eight kilometers out of town on National Route
4 is Kbal Chhay, which comprises several sets of
quite beautiful waterfalls.
The road to the falls can be difficult after rain
but this does not deter hoards of picnickers from
descending on them each weekend. During the week
they are deserted.
Deep pools and white water cascades make this a
pleasant place to swim or relax.
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O-Chheu-teal
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Steung Hav
Follow the port road past the old Caltex depot to
its terminus, then cross the railway tracks onto
a wide dirt road and you soon reach the district
seat of Steung Hav.
There you can view a fleet of navy vessels and a
massive UNICEF tanker, seemingly floating in a sea
of grass. These Russian-made navy vessels served
the Cambodian defense force during the 1980's but
have since been left to rust in this surreal dock.
Preah Sihanouk (Ream) National Park |
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Popularly called
Ream after one of the villages that lie within the park's
boundaries, this park incorporates forest, two large islands
and the ocean area around them, making it Cambodia's only
marine national park. The turnoff to the park is off Route
4 (the main road to Phnom Penh) along the Sihanoukville
Airport road.
Rangers from park headquarters (located just inside the
park on the left hand side) are happy to arrange guided
boat trips and walks.
Independence Hotel
Built in 1964, the Independence (actually spelt Independence
on the French name plaque) accommodated some of the world's
biggest names in its heyday, including actress Catherine
Deneuve. It towers over Independence Beach.
Only the shell of what was once the tallest structure
in Indochina survived the war. Said to have been used
as a prison and torture center under the Khmer Rouge,
it is widely believed by locals to be haunted. |
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