Cambodia’s renowned beach town Sihanoukville, known as Kompong Som to some, is a beautiful seaside town offering remarkable beaches, exotic sea life and a relaxing small town atmosphere. Built in the 1950s as a French deap sea port, Sihanoukville is known as Cambodia’s busiest seaport, most popular beach resort town and is home to several of Cambodia’s most exotic hotels and casinos.

With buses transporting tourists from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, accessing Sihanoukville is as simple as buying a ticket from any major city. Bus fares rarely cost more than $20 and are reasonably quick — ranging from 5 hours from Phnom Penh to 8 hours from Siem Reap. While Sihanoukville is currently inaccessible by air, the new airport is under construction and regular plane service from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is expected within a year.

What to see:

Home to some of South East Asia’s most impressive beaches, Sihanoukville is Cambodia’s number one spot to rest and relax. Accommodation, even that directly on the beach, is incredibly inexpensive and offers numerous opportunities for beach exploration and swimming. Serendipity Beach, the towns most popular beach, is home to many guesthouses, bars and local watering holes, and is the perfect place to meet fellow travelers and locals alike.

While the mainland beaches are certainly impressive, the most rewarding destinations are the islands off Sihanoukville’s coast. Koh Russei, the most impressive island in the area, is accessible by private charter boat and long-tail transport boat, both of which will cost around $5-10 per person. The island itself is a fantasy-style tropical paradise, complete with untouched beaches and remarkable sea life. Accommodation on the island is relatively inexpensive, with rooms available from just $10.

SCUBA diving is popular in Sihanoukville, and there are several tour operators ready to take you out in the surrounding area. Prices are cheap, although not quite as cheap as in Thailand and Malaysia. A two-dive trip will cost around $50-60, and multi-day trips generally start at around $150. If there aren’t many divers around, do try to negotiate with the dive masters and shop attendants. You just might be able to score an extra dive or a trip to a more exotic and rewarding dive site. PADI and SSI dive centers both operate in Sihanoukville.

Where to stay:

Most of Sihanoukville’s accommodation is centered around Serendipity Beach, where restaurants and guesthouses back onto the beach and offer simple rooms for ultra-budget prices. The most upscale accommodation options are typically at other beaches, with the recently reopened Independence Hotel open at Independence Beach and the $150+ Sohka Beach Resort featuring its own private beach area.

For budget travelers the best option is to take a motorcycle taxi from the bus station down to Serendipity Beach, where the largest selection of budget selection is present. Rooms are available from $3, but the standard of accommodation available at that price isn’t exactly brilliant. $5 will get you a very basic room typically backing onto a restaurant or nightclub, and while it may be comfortable in the heat, it’s unlikely that it will be quiet enough for you to get a good night’s sleep.

If you want something slightly more quiet and comfortable it’s best to walk a couple of blocks back from the beach, where more modern and developed hotels will offer rooms from as little as $8 per night. While the price difference is small, the quality difference is absolutely massive. These rooms all offer hot water bathrooms, double beds and the vast majority also offer sea views. While there’s a slightly longer walk to the beach, it’s more than made up for by the lack of noise and disturbances.

How to get around:

If you’re just visiting the beaches and entertainment areas it’s unlikely that you’ll need any transport. Motorcycle taxis will happily take you to Serendipity Beach from the bus station, with fares around $2 during the day and slightly more at night. As is usual in Cambodian towns, motorcycle taxis will often stop and ask you if you need a ride. There’s no need to feel obligated to hop on — just tell them that you’re fine on your own and keep on walking.

Taxis are available to almost all nearby destinations, generally for a fixed cost above $5. You won’t find them driving through the streets, but you should have no problem calling for a taxi from any one of Sihanoukville’s guesthouses or restaurants. Taxis are perfect for visiting the many natural areas and parks around Sihanoukville, or for moving from one beach to another with the comfort of air conditioning.

If you want to travel around the town independently, small motorcycles are available to rent from most major guesthouses. From around $5 per day you can find a 110cc Honda or Yamaha motor scooter, complete with semi-automatic gearbox and pack rack. Make sure to ask for a helmet and to only ride in long pants — Cambodian roads are notorious for accidents, and the last thing you want is to be involved in a bike accident in swimming trunks.

Costs, Customs and Extras:

Sihanoukville is a great low costs alternative to Thailand’s many crowded beaches, offering much of the same for a significantly lower price. However, with that low price comes some fairly devastating poverty, and it’s not uncommon to see limbless beggars asking for money on some of the beaches. Also, ‘beach kids’ selling pirated copies of popular books aren’t uncommon, and may pester you on the beaches. If you’re not interested, just tell them so — they’ll often want to practice their English and learn about you once you let them know that you’re not interested in buying.

Those visiting Cambodia for gambling are advised to investigate specific casinos and locations, for gambling scams are reasonably common. While most frequently reported in Poipet, they occasionally pop up in Sihanoukville, so be sure to educate yourself on the risks if you plan on visiting one of the city’s casinos.