Sihanoukville (Snookyville), Cambodia

Located midway between Thailand and Vietnam, Sihanoukville is surrounded on three sides by the Bay of Thailand. The town itself doesn't offer much to see but Serendipity Beach does have quite a number a restaurants and bars that are popular. If you yearn to see more temples or tire of the beautiful beach routine, you may want to visit a Buddhist temple such as Wat Leu with its views of the city and surrounding islands or Wat Kraomwith its landscaped grounds.

Serendipity Beach, on the northern end of Occhuteal Beach, is Sihanoukville’s most popular beach with many small beach-hut rooms and restaurants right on the silky-sand beach. Some mid-range hotels are also available. Grass umbrellas, rentable lounge chairs, and little drink huts line the beach from one end to the other.

Just after the beach goers have watched a beautiful sunset over the South China Sea, Serendipity Beach and streets leading into it liven up at night with an active restaurant and party scene. During the day, the more active can jet ski, take jungle tours, scuba dive, or take snorkelingboat trips to the offshore islands. There are many islands off the coast with beautiful coral and fish.

If you are like us and are looking for a wonderful clean beach that is laid back and far less commercialized, head over to Otres Beach. Sitting on a wonderful beach with $1 draft beers of the local brewed Anchor Beer, $4 lunches, $5 pedicures, and $8 full-body massages, we spent a completely enjoyable and relaxing day at TheLighthouse Bar & Restaurant (see photos). They offered us free lounge chairs with an umbrella under their trees where we returned the favor by having drinks and lunch that were good. What a delightful day!

You can also stay at Otres Beach in rooms or bungalows right on the beach (see photo). A motorcycle taxi ride from Otres to Serendipity Beach is just $5 if you want a more lively nightlife or you can have a relaxing night having dinner with your feet in sand.

Travel tips: The whole area is a bit grungy but the type of nice grungy that we like. We felt safe but as usual in places like this, standard travel precautions should be taken, especially after 9pm. Also, be cautious to use plenty of suntan lotion and drink water. The typical sun is strong.

Some interesting recent history:  Sihanoukville has a colorful but tragic young history in Cambodia’s long history of 1000’s of years. Just 50 years ago to facilitate international trade, a French-Cambodian construction effort built the first (and only) deep-sea port of a newly independent Cambodia. It was named Sihanoukville in 1964 after the ruling prince. The port flourished and its wonderful beaches soon attracted Cambodia's elite with modern hotels. The first Angkor Beer brewery started nearby.

Even after Pol Pot's infamous regime was driven from power by a military invasion from Vietnam in 1979, the highway to the capital was notorious for banditry and Sihanoukville’s beaches remained empty. Sihanoukville started getting attention again after peace returned in 1993 when Sihanouk was restored to power and following the elections organized by the UN. It is hard to spot any signs of war today.