Despite some rather unflattering publicity fuelled by certain foreign media, Sihanoukville is not quite the “devilish destination” it is portrayed to be. While the coastal province has certainly been influenced by “Yahoo”, then Russian mob and then Chinese developments, with their advantages and also some less pleasing aspects, Cambodians have now made the coastal province their favourite weekend destination. There are certainly a few reasons for this.
We already had the opportunity to describe certain destinations in the province, such as Independence Beach and Koh Rong, with very welcoming establishments of an excellent standard, such as the Independence Hotel and the Royal Sands. These are luxury hotels that cater for a clientele with high income. But what about families and others who want to spend a few days by the sea in a family-run establishment?
Accommodation
The Sea Breeze Resort is a small hotel located in Otres and is more like a family guesthouse, with excellent facilities and amenities. Located just across the road from the beach, the Sea Breeze Resort offers fairly comfortable accommodation with 22 very pleasant rooms offering lovely panoramic views of the beach.
Offering direct access to the garden or pool from the terrace, the air-conditioned bungalows feature a TV and seating area. A fridge and minibar are also included. The spacious en suite bathroom is equipped with all the usual amenities. Each room has a double bed and a 2nd single. With prices ranging from $40 to $50 per night, the cost of a family stay is quite reasonable. There is also a poolside restaurant serving a varied selection of local and Western dishes.
Obviously, if the charm is summery with this configuration between boarding house and holiday village, do not expect too much calm, the clientele is essentially family and the pool is constantly occupied by children who noisily express their joy to agitate in water.
Beach
Just cross the road and you're on the beach. As we all know, large pedestrian walkways have been built, making it possible to walk several kilometres to Occheuteal.
The provincial government has made a real effort to clean up the beaches, starting early in the morning. Despite this, it's hard to find a stretch of beach that's completely clean, and the plastic has a hard time disappearing altogether. However, we are a long way from the abuses of the Chinese-Casino period and the state of the beach remains generally acceptable.
There are far less of them than before, but a few street vendors sell toys, buoys and other swimming equipment at prices that, curiously, have remained reasonable. The friendly shellfish sellers are still active, and some of them stroll between the huge pedestrian walkway and the beach from 9am.
Around the hotel, a number of stalls sell sweets, but also swimwear and balls to ensure that the family idleness is perfectly disrupted by the children. A hundred metres away, a few Jet-skis are available for hire for $60 an hour. Reasonable if everyone takes it in turns to use it.
However, avoid swimming in the area, as few jet skiers are experienced and some sometimes find themselves in difficulty with the swell right from the start.
For those on foot, a short trot to Occheuteal will allow you to appreciate these vast stretches of beach, but also to discover some of these “buildings in mutation”, some of them baroque, some of them still standing or waiting to be reborn. Some are still under construction, while others are not. Officially, the city has signed a “master plan consultancy agreement” with the Urban Planning Design Institute of Shenzhen (UPDIS) for the development and transformation of Preah Sihanouk into a model multi-purpose SEZ, the next logistics and tourism hub and innovation centre of Southeast Asia’.
In other words, as far as the authorities are concerned, these semi-ghostly buildings will either have to be demolished or “updated”. An alternative which, if it comes to fruition, should be good news, as it's a shame that these major roads and pedestrian walkways only serve to connect very “contradictory” areas, i.e. very pleasant, family-friendly corners alternating with very urban, dark and unfinished blocks.
Along the walk to Occheuteal, you can stop off at Brown Coffee, the (much better) alternative to Starbucks, which also offers the use of a telescope on its terrace to admire the horizon and only the horizon.
For those wishing to push on into the city centre, it is advisable to use a tuk tuk. It's true that huge towers have sprung up around the two lions and the centre has definitely lost its exotic, bohemian appeal of yesteryear, with its many souvenir shops and small markets that have all but disappeared. There are a few luxury boutiques with sales assistants who are not very bilingual, and a few shopping arcades, but the centre itself offers little of interest.
Before going out for dinner, don't forget to take in the magnificent sunsets - photographers will be delighted.
In the evening, the beach restaurants turn on their neon lights and offer a multitude of local dishes and seafood. On the beach a few families and groups of friends roll out their mats and get ready to dance on the beach after a few beers. The restaurants are full and the atmosphere is friendly and happy. On the downside, the fireworks and firecrackers sold by kids and fired a few metres from the tables are not very reassuring, especially when a flaming lantern gets lost in the foliage after a gust.
Sihanoukville by night no longer features the raves and techno parties organised on the beaches, which sometimes lasted several days. In the evening, the beaches have become very calm, ideal for relaxation and family time. While the destination will certainly evolve and change, it has already taken on a slightly more cheerful hue than in the pre-Covid period. Nothing is perfect, and the police still regularly raid certain areas in need of cleaning up.
But it is possible to spend a weekend with the family in Otres, in a pleasant hotel directly overlooking a pretty, wide beach, with the possibility of a little sporting activity and seafood tasting.