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Cambodia is quickly coming of age on the Southeast Asian tourism scene, enjoying annual double-digit increases in international tourist arrivals every year this millennium.
Cambodia has a lot to offer, from a rich culture to accommodating and gentle Buddhist hospitality, great food, and, best of all, possibly the lowest prices of any country in the world.
The country is positioned right where we want it. All amenities you could want and decent infrastructure but low prices because it’s still mostly undiscovered.
Electricity is reliable, international cable television is available cheap, the internet works, the water flows…
Sihanoukville (sometimes affectionately called “Snookyville”) is the oldest and largest seaside resort city in Cambodia with eight gorgeous beaches.
The allure of unspoiled and beautiful islands just leads many tourists to transit quickly through the city and jump on a boat to those offshore points where they can party the night away.
Koh Rong, Koh Rong Samloem, Koh Ta Kiev, and Koh Thmei are the most popular islands, with Koh Rong being only 30 minutes from Sihanoukville by boat. Most of that group are younger backpackers on a party vacation.
In fact, Sihanoukville is home to a large expat population. Thousands of mostly French and American expats call this city home.
The big draw? It’s the cost of living and the great beaches.
Cambodia is probably the cheapest place to live not only in Southeast Asia but perhaps in the world.
Living in Cambodia, you’ll find a noticeable absence of red tape and rules, which can be both good and bad.
The beauty of Sihanoukville’s city center is it’s large enough to have everything you could need yet small enough to retain a provincial feel. No hustle or bustle, no traffic jams, and no huge crowds to deal with. The Sihanoukville International Clinic is situated in the center and has a competent team of English-speaking care providers.
The big draw, again, though, is the coastline. Surrounding Sihanoukville are eight white-sand beaches stretching along 25 kms of coast.
The northernmost beach, Victory Beach (locally known as Mlop Chrey), is frequented mostly by locals. Victory is also one point of embarkation for travel to Koh Rong by fast ferry.
Next comes Hawaii Beach (Ratanak locally), followed by Independence and Sokha beaches, each with its own local flavor.
Otres Beach is a collection of beach huts stretching for about 1 km, about 20 minutes from the center of Sihanoukville. Most of the huts are large restaurants and bars with indoor seating plus beachfront lounges along the narrow beach. The big attraction here is the daytime peace and calm. However, come evening, this becomes a party beach.
Serendipity and Ochheuteal, connecting beaches in the southwest of the city center, are the most developed and popular among foreign visitors.
On the whole, Sihanoukville strikes just the right balance between world-class white-sand beaches and the amenities of a city, including quality dining and shopping at the lowest prices in the region.
Plus, the climate is pleasant year-round.
