Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
8<br />
Southern <strong>Cambodia</strong><br />
When you think <strong>of</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong>,<br />
visions <strong>of</strong> tranquil beaches probably aren’t<br />
the first thing that come to mind, which is<br />
a shame. It isn’t much when compared<br />
with the quality and quantity <strong>of</strong> beach living<br />
in nearby Thailand, or even along the<br />
coast <strong>of</strong> Vietnam, but the southern coast<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong> boasts some fine sandy<br />
stretches worthy <strong>of</strong> putting your feet up<br />
for a few days, especially after some heavyduty<br />
temple touring or bouncing around<br />
the roads <strong>of</strong> rural <strong>Cambodia</strong>.<br />
Rte. 4, which connects Phnom Penh<br />
with <strong>Cambodia</strong>’s only port at Kompong<br />
Som, or Sihanoukville after the former<br />
king, was built by the United States to<br />
facilitate <strong>Cambodia</strong>n trade and the influx<br />
<strong>of</strong> aid starting from the mid-1960s. Just<br />
adjacent to the busy Sihanoukville port,<br />
1 SIHANOUKVILLE<br />
you can find some lovely little beach areas,<br />
most <strong>of</strong> which are speckled with budget<br />
bungalows and groovy bars owned by<br />
Western expatriates. <strong>The</strong> town <strong>of</strong> Kampot<br />
is a lazy little river town, just a grid <strong>of</strong><br />
mostly colonial-style houses along a quiet,<br />
lazy river, but another good place to kick<br />
back. You might also visit nearby Kep,<br />
which was a French colonial vacation spot<br />
whose 1950s/1960s-era villas lay in ruin.<br />
It’s also a seafood mecca, and worth visiting<br />
just for its Kep crab in Kampot pepper.<br />
Connections by bus with Sihanoukville<br />
are convenient, and many choose to do<br />
this region in a rented vehicle or even by<br />
affordable local taxicab. So, if you’re stuck<br />
in Phnom Penh for a few days waiting out<br />
a Vietnam visa, hit the beaches. You’ll be<br />
surprised.<br />
Also called Kompong Som, Sihanoukville was first founded in the ’50s as a deep-sea port.<br />
<strong>The</strong> town itself is a mess <strong>of</strong> dusty concrete and grubby shop fronts. <strong>The</strong> main beach areas<br />
are where the action is, particularly around Ochheuteal Beach. This beach and the district<br />
behind it are now replete with any number <strong>of</strong> hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, and<br />
nightlife venues. It is a pleasant place, though the beach at the north end can get pretty<br />
crowded. <strong>The</strong> other side <strong>of</strong> town around Victory Beach is developing in an entirely<br />
incongruous fashion. <strong>The</strong> beach itself has seen an influx <strong>of</strong> Russian money which has led<br />
to some bizarre venues, including a disco with a real airplane in it and a restaurant you<br />
share with snakes and crocodiles. Behind the beach around Victory Hill is a small district<br />
that has a couple <strong>of</strong> fine restaurants. <strong>The</strong> area is blighted by an increasing amount <strong>of</strong><br />
sleaze, so you may want to keep your distance.<br />
ESSENTIALS<br />
Orientation<br />
Sihanoukville is set on a wide peninsular area jutting south and east into the Gulf <strong>of</strong><br />
Thailand. <strong>The</strong> peninsula is shielded by islands—Koh Rong, Koh Rong Sam Leuem, Koh<br />
T Kiev, and Ko Ses are among the many. Starting on the north end <strong>of</strong> the peninsula,<br />
you’ll find the busy and dusty port area, just south <strong>of</strong> which, tracing the coast, you’ll find<br />
Victory Beach, Independence Beach, Sokha Beach, and Ochheuteal Beach to the far