Introduction

Sihanouk Ville, 240 km from Phnom Penh, is the provincial center (Town) of the Kampong Som province. The town was named afterKing Sihanouk (in power 1954 - 1970) as a dedication to his effort of creating a port city to improve the international trades. The town was re-named "Kampong Som city", after the King was overthrown in 1970 by Lon Nol, his military leader. Many people these days still call the port city Kampong Som. The town has a population of 18,000 (government census 2003). There are several beaches in Sihanouk Ville but the most popular and developed one is O Chheu Teal beach. There are some other beaches sprawling along the cost but they are not as well developed, such as Chmkar Dong and Thmar Thom beaches. The popular Beaches: Victoria, Independence, Sokha, O Chheu Teal, and O Tres.

Sihanoukville is the third largest city in Cambodia and has been a resort destination for many years now. It is the primary resort area in the country for the Khmer's as well as foreign tourist. Cheap Flight information for CambodiaSihanoukville surprises people when they get here to the size of the town which was at first three separate areas that have merged over time which stretches for over 3 kilometers from the port to the new Ochhel teal golf course. Sihanoukville was know in the old days as Kompong Som and is still called that by the older people and the Thai's.

The current King saw the potential for Kompong Soam and invested resources to make the city a showcase of Cambodia with the focus being the 4 now 5 beach's. We will go into detail on the beach's in detail further down. You will find statues and parks all over Sihanoukville beachs most have facilities that cater to visitors from rest rooms to restaurants and food stalls, to showers and you can rent beach toys, mats and umbrellas.

Travel to Sihanouk Ville from Phnom Penh: You can hire a private taxi from Phnom Penh to Sihanouk Ville for 25 US dollars. The air-conditioned public bus is 3.50 US dollars one way. The trip takes between 3 and 4 hours.

Provinces along Cambodia cost line: Kampot, Kampong Som, and Koh Kong. Coast line: 443 km

The city is served by Sihanoukville International Airport. The planned flights between Sihanoukville and Siem Reap may encourage visitors to Angkor temples in Siem Reap to extend their stay, though the crash of a charter flight on this route in 2007 has caused concerns. Sihanoukville attracts tourists with its laid back beach atmosphere when compared to Thailand's more developed ones.

Sihanoukville is on a small peninsula with beaches and tropical islands off its south and west coast and the commercial port to the north west. Beaches that line the west contour of the city from north to south are Victory Beach, Lamherkay Beach, Koh Pos Beach, Independence Beach, Sokha Beach, Serendipity Beach, Ochheuteal Beach and Otres Beach. The most popular beaches are Ochheuteal, Sokha, Independence and Victory. Tourists can take water taxis to the nearby islands for diving, snorkeling, and game fishing.

The town centre is located on a hill roughly in the centre of the peninsula and is seen as a distinct area for tourism promotion. It contains the banks, bus station and market, although the post office is some distance toward the port.