Khun Nan,
- Perhaps you'd be kind enough to give us Gentle Readers some MORE and first hand info. on SIHANOUKVILLE?
- Thanks in advance.
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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.

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-- Khun Nan,
- Thanks for yr. prompt & comprehensive rpt. - appreciated!

-- I note that you quote prices in USD., is that for convenience or because USD. are still an acceptable currency in that country?
- I availed of search-engine Google and noted that USD.10.oo.=KHR.40,250.oo.;
- What is the sit'n. regarding ATMs. and using foreign - ie.: non Cambodian - ATM. Cards?
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USD1 = 4000 real Cambodian approx. Both currencies are being used simultaneously by all & sundry. Crumpled notes are gladly accepted at the bars & restaurants etc.
USD25 exit tax still applies at the airport.

I brought cash & paid with credit card for hotels & airlines. Exchange rates for currency notes at Kuala Lumpur city kiosks are extremely favourable compared to banks & airports in KL & elsewhere.

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I believe there are plans for a new airport at Sihanoukville. It will be the next big development hot spot on the Gulf of Thailand. It's tempting to get in there early, but not sure how secure land titles would be c/f thailand.

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