Sihanoukville Information
Best Cambodian beaches lockated in Sihanoukville.
INDEPENDENCE BEACH. Independence Beach was named after the long closed down Independence hotel. Although used by weekenders it is less crowded than the other beaches. Long and narrow this beach is better at low tide. The northwest end is better because it's wider there. A seafood restaurant and fresh water lake can be found there but don't swim there as you might meet an old crocodile. A grassy park with many kinds of statues is there for your relaxation as well as a few monkeys along the road to the decaying Independence hotel.
VICTORY BEACH. Victory Beach is divided by a rocky point. The southern beach (shown) is also known as "Hawaii Beach" and is home to a good seafood restaurant and a lot of peaceful sand. The northern side is where the shipping port and a park are located. A great place to watch the big ships come and go. Budget bungalows & restaurants can be found close by.
OCHHEUTEAL BEACH. Ochheuteal Beach is developed at one end and quite and peaceful on the other end of this long and narrow beach. Many nice hotels can be found on the developed end along with some great seafood restaurants. Sand fleas can sometimes be a problem so bring some repellent just in case. There are some decaying old building that are worth a look at the quite end of this beautiful beach.
SOKKA BEACH. Sokha Beach is the most popular beach. It is a high quality beach with many facilities available. So wide that even at high tide it can be enjoyed. Grass and shade from the palm trees will add to your enjoyment. Soft drink vendors, bungalows and even a seafood restaurant are all within walking distance. The southern end which is a short walk offers a rocky point which you may do some snorkeling and even staying dry you might see some marine life at low tide. Enjoy this beach now as construction is planned in the near future.
SIHANOUKVILLE MOUNTAIN. This 132m peak offers a spectacular view of the city, the islands and the beaches from Otres to the port. Take Rte 4 about 2.5km north of town. Make a right turn at the brewery and follow the road up the hill, about 200m past the pagoda. Walk out on the rocks. Excellent sunset spot.
The history of Sihanoukville goes back only as far as 1955 when the area was known as Kampong Som. In August of that year, a French Cambodian construction team cut a base camp into the unoccupied jungle where the Hawaii Seaview Restaurant now sits. They laid the groundwork for the construction of the new Port of Kampong Som - a project that had been set into motion by the 1954 dissolution of French Indochina. Prior to 1954, Cambodia maintained international sea trade via the Mekong. But the end of Indochina meant the Mekong delta reverted to the control of Vietnam. Seeking unfettered access to the ocean, plans were made to construct a new ocean port. Kampong Som was selected for water depth and ease of access. Sihanoukville?s heyday came in the 1960s. Although Kep was more popular as a holiday destination, the commercial success of the port led to a flurry of construction and expansion including the construction of the Independence Hotel (abandoned but still still exists on Independence Beach in a dilapidated state ), the original Angkor Brewery (closed in 1975 and reopened in 1991), a Truck & Tractor Plant, Wat Chotynieng (aka Wat Leu), St Michael's Catholic Church (constructed in 1960, closed in 1975 and reopened in 1993), dozens of villas on Ochheuteal Beach (destroyed in the 1980s) and other structures. There was also a second phase of port construction, which began in 1965 and halted with the Lon Nol coup d'etat of 1970.
Sihanoukville entered the history of the American/Vietnam conflict when, during the late 1960?s and early 70?s, it served as a transit point for weapons bound for anti-American forces in Vietnam. The town?s most direct involvement came on May 13, 1975 when the Khmer Rouge captured the S.S. Mayaguez, a U.S. container ship. As part of an attempt to release the ship, the U.S. attacked Koh Tang, an island near Sihanoukville, and met fierce resistance, suffering heavy losses. American bombers struck the naval base at Ream, warehouses at the Port, the old air field, the train yard and the oil refinery north of town. The ship and its crew were released May 15, during the battle. During the UN sponsored elections in 1992 and 1993, Sihanoukville played host to the Australian, Belgian and French contingents of UNTAC.
For many years, Sihanoukville's pristine, peaceful, white sand beaches have been a secret of a few hardy travellers. Though not in anyway the equal of Thailand's magnificent beaches, the palm-dotted sands surrounding Sihanoukville are nevertheless uncrowned and unspoilt by the mass tourism monster - all this is about to change. There are more than 300 km of coastline from the Vietnamese border in the South East to Thailand in the North West. Most often wild and far from the Koh Kong - Sihanoukville road.
To the South East, on the road from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, lies Kep a former colonial seaside and beach resort abandoned following tragic events which took place in the 70's. A few miles from Sihanoukville, between the coast and 3 close by islands one will find the Cambodian Navy Base of Reeam. Between the village and the base lies the Cambodian National Park and nature preserve. Its is now only an animal and vegetation reserve, but come the days where there will have extraordinary things to see. To the North West of Kompong Sa?m bay, the port of Stoeung Haow , the village of Sre Amb?l (smugglers place) and still further north the city of K?h Kong, close to Thai border. Today most places along the coast can only be reached by boat. Using motorbikes in the sand is mostly impossible since rocs often cut off the beaches from time to time but also because no skilled guides, capable to bring you back safely, are available.