#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Cambodia Forum >  >  > Cambodia Questions >  >  Sihanoukville visit

## HAMILTON

Hi there, Looooong time since I posted.
I plan to travel from Pattaya this August to Sanukville (Sp??) in Cambodia
Does anyone know much about that?  Best route, mode of transport etc:  And Basically, is it safe?
I plan to go for about 1 week and don't mind paying for a taxi rather than public bus.  I would love to stay somewhere beside the sea.  I'm looking for somewhere with clean, clear water for swimming. Any help at all would be gratefully received.
Thanks

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## ItsRobsLife

I went for a week, stayed for a month. 

There's plenty of threads on Sihanoukville in the Cambodia sub-forum for info. 
If you really don't mind paying for a taxi, go to Trat, cross the border to Koh Kong get yourself a driver and you'll be in Snooky in about four hours. Otherwise fly to Pnom Phen and get a taxi, but that's about six hours, the only way into Snooky really is by road as the airport there is not developed yet. 

If you want a proper Hotel head for Ocheteul beach, mostly it's guest houses otherwise. 

And a clean, quiet beach... well that would be Otres of course... 



Is it safe..? Up to you. Don't go about alone at night, don't be too conspicuous with your wealth, don't argue with the locals.

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## Marmite the Dog

I stayed at the Holiday Palace on Victory Beach. It's a clean, modern hotel and only cost about $20 for a cracking room. If you want to stay in a shitty GH on Independence Beach, then knock yourself out. Motodops are easily found, so there's no need to.

More here

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## graym

When I was down that way 3 years ago I'd rented a motorcycle in Phnom Penh and ridden it down to Snookers where rentals were not only unavailable locally but open to persecution when stopped. Something to do with the motorcycle taxi mafia or something. I wonder if this is still the case...

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## ItsRobsLife

Having driven on the roads there I'm surprised you made it alive!

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## baldrick

can you catch a ferry from Trat to Sihanoukville ?

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## Mr Brown

> When I was down that way 3 years ago I'd rented a motorcycle in Phnom Penh and ridden it down to Snookers where rentals were not only unavailable locally but open to persecution when stopped. Something to do with the motorcycle taxi mafia or something. I wonder if this is still the case...


I got pulled last November by the cops on a bike, they presented me with a document stating that foriegners were not permitted to hire bikes in snooky.  the document was in both Kmher and English; they believed my wife to be Khmer and spoke to her first.  Upon finding out she was Thai we were shown the english translation which clearly stated that due do foriegners being drunk in charge of a motorcycle and not respecting local laws in the past, foreigners were not allowed to ride in snooky.

After haggling the price down from 20 dollars I paid the two cops 2 dollars or there abouts and they let me go.  I asked for directions back to the guesthouse and they kindly obliged.  I was pulled on going towards the harbour.

I'm sure the cops are open to all tea money agreed on - so if this does happen agree a price - you don't want the bike impounded if the owner of the bike has your passport.




> can you catch a ferry from Trat to Sihanoukville ?


I last travelled by boat from Koh Kong to Snooky after crossing the Thai border at Hat Lek or something by that name, was just a wooden hut for border control (They actually fucked my stamp up, I found out later) and it took approx 6 hours from Koh kong by ferry; I'm not sure how border control would work if you took that route suggested

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## dirtydog

TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum cambodia_guesthouses_koh_kong
TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum Cambodia Guesthouses Sihanoukville
TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum Cambodia Hotels Sihanoukville

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## ItsRobsLife

> can you catch a ferry from Trat to Sihanoukville ?


From Koh Kong you can. 

I've seen the ferry and believe me the aircon buses are a safer and more comfortable journey.

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## DrAndy

I am not sure why it is worth the bother. The beaches are nice enough but it is much easier and cheaper to stay in or near Koh Chang

unless of course you wish to partake of underage gilrs posing as fruit sellers

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## wefearourdespot

> unless of course you wish to partake of underage gilrs posing as fruit sellers


are the seafood sellers in the game too ?

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## SALMON

I am thinking of going to sooky ,but would be cautious of bad men,which would be the safer ,pattaya or sooky,if theres such a thing as safe. :cmn:

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## Phuketrichard

Very easy to get to Shinoukville form Pattaya,
I have driven it man times.
Pattaya to border 4 hours
Border to Shinoukville 4 hours.
border to Phnom Penh 4 hours.
Phnom Penh to Shinoukville 3 1/2-4 hours

Otres is ok BUT no electricity.  

I stay at Victory beach and plenty of places.  Sakal bungalows up the hill is a great deal for $12-20/niohgt and good 24 hour bar

If your there give my friend Rony a call as he runs the ONLY sailboat charter in Cambodia and u can see it buoy'd at Victory beach .
Sail Cambodia


IF you going only for Girls stay in Pattaya as there are magor crackdowns going on right now in Cambodia

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## Phuketrichard

PS:
since they (the Thai's) built the 4 bridges you no longer need ferry across and the rivers and since the bridges were built the ferry from Koh Kong very seldom runs

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## robbyp2001

A few months ago I booked a bus from Pattaya to Sihanoukville with an overnight stay in Koh Kong.  Everything including your border fees are paid up front and it all worked very smoothly.  Not much to do Koh Kong after dark mind you, apart from Fat Sam's bar just around the corner from the hotel, but it was OK.  Maybe there are other attractions in Koh Kong, it's just that I don't know of them.  I am thinking of doing the same journey again in a couple of weeks, so if anyone knows of anything to do in Koh Kong after dark, I'd be very grateful.

Hope this helps.

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## ItsRobsLife

> Not much to do Koh Kong after dark mind you, apart from Fat Sam's bar just around the corner from the hotel, but it was OK.  Maybe there are other attractions in Koh Kong, it's just that I don't know of them.  I am thinking of doing the same journey again in a couple of weeks, so if anyone knows of anything to do in Koh Kong after dark, I'd be very grateful.


Invite a local Policeman to drink with you. Get drunk. Avoid wandering about.  
I stayed there for two nights and as you are aware it's a very shady little town after dark, I wouldn't bother again if I could help it. 

The one gem that I did find was Bac Long Beach which was a great way to spend the day.
https://teakdoor.com/cambodia-forum/5...-province.html (Bac Long Beach, Koh Kong Province.)

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## ItsRobsLife

> If your there give my friend Rony a call as he runs the ONLY sailboat charter in Cambodia and u can see it buoy'd at Victory beach .
> Sail Cambodia


And very nice it is too.  :Very Happy:

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## ItsRobsLife

> I am not sure why it is worth the bother. The beaches are nice enough but it is much easier and cheaper to stay in or near Koh Chang
> 
> unless of course you wish to partake of underage gilrs posing as fruit sellers


Poor troll attempt Andy. One thing I heard time and time again visiting Koh Chang was "you should have come here 10-15 years ago before it got developed, it was so beautiful and the peoples attitude was so much nicer"
kind of grinds after the umpteenth time. 

Cambodia was rough around the edges, but there were some unspoilt locations, and the attitude toward me was wonderful, curious rather than deceitful. I was prepared to take it for what it is and forgoe some convenience and comfort and for that the experience was much more satisfying. My trip there really put into perspective how materialistic and manipulative Thai society is in comparison. 

The water at Otres was far cleaner than at White Sand or Kai Bei beach, I prefer it clear and without a froth on it.  :Very Happy:

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