Things To Do In Sihanoukville Cambodia

If you are reading this article, chances are you already know that Sihanoukville, (Snooky), is a beach town in the south west of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Perhaps it is already on your holiday shortlist, and you are curious as to what it offers besides great beaches?

And yes, great beaches there are! All in all I could list five beaches within four miles of the town centre, all with turquoise water and white sand. That may well be enough reason in itself to get yourself over to this fascinating town, but in case there's a rainy day or you want to explore, here are some other options.

Although still water related, a really great option for a day out is a boat trip to one of the many nearby offshore islands. Within thirty minutes from leaving the beach directly on a boat, you can find yourself snorkelling, diving or fishing off or around one of the adjacent islands. While water quality varies like it does everywhere, on the frequent good days, you'll be dealing with clear clean water and an abundance of marine life from fish and crabs to exotic coral and sponges.

If you are a land lover, there are several islands that have a bar and restaurant onshore. Because I have done it first hand myself, I can tell you that you can be sitting at an island beach bar with a cold beer or wine unhand for around a dollar each, and ordering a quality seafood and rice lunch for around $3. All this with no mobile phones or bustle, and the occasional local cow or goat wandering past!

About twenty kilometres south of Sihanoukville sits the Ream National Park. Ok, there is a major naval base there, that manages to be pretty unobtrusive anyway, but other than that the only noticeable development is the local fishing village. The national park is naturally divided by the river of the same name that meanders to the sea here. You can wander round unescorted, but probably a better idea is to pay a small sum to one of the local guides who will find you when you arrive.

The choices range from a hefty hike though the jungle, seeing exotic birds, insects and perhaps troupes of local monkeys, or a more relaxing stroll along the river bank zones to the estuary. The river itself is worth mentioning as it is the home to pods of river dolphins, a shyer and smaller offshoot of their marine cousins, sporting a motley grey and cream skin. The Ream national park fits nicely as a full single day trip from Sihanoukville.

A final suggestion would be to throw nature out of the window completely and take a trip to the local casino. While it is not the size of a Las Vegas casino by any means, the basics are there. You can play the slot machines to your hearts desire or sit at a dealt game of baccarat, blackjack or roulette. You will find that a little money here is a lot, and free drinks and meals are part of the service.

Whatever you decide to do here, Sihanoukville is a truly fascinating place to come and relax.