Sihanoukville is a seaport & holiday spot located in Kompong Som province of Cambodia, approx. 230km from Phnom Penh. It has been popular with the French colonialist & laterly Russians, mostly because of the great beaches.
Facing the South China Sea with distinct dry/cool & hot/rainy seasons according to the whims of the monsoons.
Getting there by bus(several bus companies & many trips all day) is very convenient & cheap(USD4), taking 4-5 hours with one short stop midway. Half of the passengers were falang backpackers.
A motorbike taxi will get you to the hotels for USD1-2. And there are all types of accomodation, with a recent addition of the pioneer gay hotel & bar. But the location of Cheers is far from the beach. I went to Cheers hotel & bar on my first night with my new 20-yr old student friend. The British guy(from Bristol) owner & his waiter/worker from Chiang Rai were very happy to receive us. Dinner for two(roast organic chicken, greek salad, glass of wine, pineapple juice & draught Ankor beer) cost USD25. We inspected the neatly furnished rooms(USD39-69 with bf)- nice,new, & polished. My friend felt comfortable there, being far from the prying eyes of the minority Chinese-Cambodian trades people to whom he belongs.
The beaches, several within 1-2km of the small town centre, are relatively quiet, except for weekends when the local crowds come in droves, to eat & drink & make merry. Friendly folks.
More than 30 thatched roof huts line the Ocheuteal & Serendipity beaches(most popular) where food & drinks come aplenty & cheap. Just USD0.50(50 cents) for draught Ankor beer! USD3-4 for beefsteak, fish steak with salad & baked potatoes/fries. Fresh local fruits are fresh, succulent & cheap. And the folks are friendly & smiling. And the grilled seafood go well with the cheap drinks.
Gay stuff? Well, I met two via Gayromeo, both asexual encounters. There were local guys at Cheers either alone, or with falang. Just keep your eyes open & smile generously, & many local men will return your smile. Possibilities are there, the longer you stay, the better it gets.
I stayed at White Beach hotel(3*) just across the road from the beach(USD35), & was guest friendly. My 2 new friends didn't have to show any ID, as it was full of locals during the weekend.
The greatest fun I had was the karaoke sessions with straight guys I met at one of the restaurants on the beach. I almost seduced a very friendly guy with a good voice -well, he came to my room, but in the end I thought he should remain faithful to Emma, his blond English lass
. Her name is tatooed on his chest! He showed me his photo album with her.
I went to Ream National Park on a whole-day group tour(USD20, inclusive of grilled barracuda for lunch), & swam at another pristine beach on an island. I spent another great day on another beach(Otres), & felt so relaxed. It was a good 3-night stay, just for relaxation. Vaut le retour M Sextile!
So guys, if you like great beaches & brown boys/men in the sun, head for Sihanoukville pronto! The dry season is Oct-Feb, but I guess some of the boys are still there when the rain finally comes.