Sihanoukville // Cambodia

After taking the Virak Bun Tham night bus from Siem Reap – hence all the negative feedback they got online –, I arrived unexpectedly well-rested in Sihanoukville. The bunk beds inside this „Hotel Bus“ were pretty small (about 170 cm x 120 cm). Luckily there was an inconspicuous Khmer man next to me, who sometimes even left the bunk as he preferred to talk to fellow travelers.

In the morning a moto-taxi dropped me off at my guesthouse „The Moonflower Bungalow“. Even though check-in is usually after 2 pm, the owner led me into my bungalow at 10 pm already! I was very grateful because this way I didn’t lose any time! I was happy to know, that I made the right decision, when booking this bungalow! After a shower, I organised my stuff and rented a motorbike to explore the city and beaches!

OTRES 2 BEACH

Sihanoukville has quite a bad reputation, because it’s known to be very touristy with many people coming there just to party hard. So my expectations were pretty low. As I only planned to stay for two nights I chose an accommodation near Otres 2 beach, where the boat to Koh Ta Kiev would leave from.
So the first place to visit was Otres 2 and I was more then positively surprised! The beach was incredibly beautiful and it was a very calm and clean area. There was no music, just the natural sound of the surroundings. heart

SHANTI SHANTI

For anyone, who wants to spend a night close to the beach and feel the natural breeze instead of an air-condition, Shanti Shanti is the perfect choice.

THE ELEPHANT GARDEN

Almost a bit posh, but the ripped pillow cases reveal the authentic Khmer style and so does the food! Just look at that delicious and tasty looking mango and papaya salad! I especially loved all the spices that came with the salad! tongue

OTRES 1 BEACH

The next beach is Otres 1. Here you’ll find more beach bars and restaurants, as well as guesthouses and small shops. The closer you get to the city center, the louder it gets. In between Otres 1 and 2 you’ll be happy to find some private spots at the beach, just for yourself.

OCHHEUTAL & SERENDIPITY BEACH

Ochheutal beach is next in line and it’s by far the most popular beach in Sihanoukville. The northern half is very busy and touristed and it ends in the Serendipity beach, which you probably would like to avoid! But now that the low season has begun, and the monsoon starts to kick in, there are not as many tourists around anymore and it also gets much more relaxed in the late afternoon.

SOKHA BEACH

The last beach I visited was the Sokha beach, where all the locals go to swim. It’s definitely one of the nicer options, because no one wants to constantly sell stuff to you and get your money!

>> IMPRESSIONS <<

With the scooter I also explored some of the countryside and I really enjoyed the different sceneries I got to see on my way! Against all odds, Sihanoukville was really one of the places I enjoyed most (as I tried to stay away from people as much as possible :D).