As the former laid-back Sihanoukville slowly fades from view, there’s not much left to do beside sit on the beach or gamble.

Hit the beach

Sihanoukville is a beach town, and there’s no better way to spend your time there than on the beach. The most popular beaches, Ochheuteal and Serendipity, are not the best that Sihanoukville has to offer, unless what you’re looking for is litter, petty crime, and beggars. Otres Beach is still the go-to spot for backpackers. That’s changing fast, though, as businesses are torn down or shuttered. The best beaches in Sihanoukville are the least popular ones.

Private Sokha Beach is technically only for guests of the Sokha Resort. You can pay for a $10 day pass, which also gets you access to the resort’s pool. In practice, though, tourists who don’t look Cambodian or like total beach bums are rarely asked for proof.

Independence Beach is a lovely beach next to the Independence Hotel. Parts of it are sometimes closed to the public, but it’s usually empty and worth the visit. Another good place for sand and surf is Hawaii Beach, which is part of Victory Beach. Although Victory Hill has a sleazy reputation, Hawaii Beach is popular with Cambodian families and is a nice place to get some sun and relax for the afternoon.

Gamble

Over the last year, Sihanoukville has been transformed into a town by and for Chinese gamblers. We’ve had to remove almost all of the activities from this page as businesses fall like dominoes to make room for more Chinese casinos and high rises. So, if you like gambling, Sihanoukville offers ample opportunity hit the tables and lose some cash. And since there’s not much else to do in town, why not?

Horse riding

If riding off into the sunset sounds appealing, head on down to Liberty Ranch in Otres Village. They offer beach and countryside horse riding tours and training for adults and children. Prices range from $10 for children’s pony rides and tours range from $25 for an hour to $85 for a half day trip.

Liberty Ranch

Bookings only, contact for availability
Otres Village, Sihanoukville
T: 097 257 0187
libertyranch-sihanoukville.com

Take a cooking class

Sinuon Khmer Cooking Class offers daily courses from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day. The cost is $15 per person for two courses, or $23 for three courses, with an additional $2 per person for hotel pickup and drop-off. Classes are led by Sinoun, the chef from the popular local Khmer restaurant, Nyam (and formerly of the Traditional Khmer Cookery School). There are thirteen dishes to choose from including amok, banana flower salad, and Cambodian chicken curry.

Sinuon Khmer Cooking Class

Road 1035 next to Deluxx Boutique hotel, Sihanoukville
T: 092 738 615
sinuonkhmercookingclass.wordpress.com

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