Cambodia: Sihanoukville

Saturday, June 3, 2023, Sihanoukville, Cambodia

The ship arrived at 1 pm in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, named after a past king, Norodom Sihanouk.  It’s a coastal city flanked with beaches. The port was the last place to be evacuated by the US Army.  

A container ship leaving port as we arrived.

We didn’t have  a tour lined up, but there was a free shuttle bus from the port that stopped first at a beach and then at the Phsar Leu Market. We rode all the way to the Market. Along the way, we observed many construction projects, many that looked abandoned but some active sites, too. 

The bus parked in a lot across from the market. Tuck-tuck drivers offered to take us on tours. We wanted to see the market first. The parking lot had extremely basic facilities, and after using them I got the shake-down by a young woman sitting at a card table with a sign in Cambodian script. Basic as they were, these facilities were not free. I didn’t have any local currency, so I gave her a dollar. She looked at me blankly. I shrugged and continued on to the market.

The open-air covered market was huge and old. The first booths had fancy showcases with gold jewelry. The proprietors were busy working with gems and gold, not paying any attention to us. We could tell there was going to be a language problem. They had no idea what we were saying to them.  

The jewelry section

The further in we went the darker it got, with many bare-bulb light fixtures casting some light. There were housewares, shoes, miniature temples, vegetables, dry goods, appliances, electronics, a wet market (mostly live fish, frogs and other sea creatures), the periodic hair or nail salon. You name it, they probably had it here. It was also a family affair—being Saturday, kids were helping their parents. There were hammocks and lounge chairs for the proprietors to rest. It was a good introduction to Cambodian culture.

Helping mom

Family selling vegetables

Every color egg you can imagine

Vendor resting in a hammock

Gangs of small children were playing in open areas. We were standing in one such area when the skies opened up and poured rain. We found a place to sit under a tarp to discuss our next move. 

Kids playing in a hallway at the market

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Then it poured—I’m in a pink dress under the blue tarp

At this point, Mr. Thorn approached us. He had a tuktuk and a write up in English with sightseeing ideas. And he spoke a fair amount of English himself. Charlie checked out his tuktuk—easy to get in and out of—then negotiated a price and off we went, out of the rain in Mr. Thorn’s tuktuk. It stopped raining almost immediately.

Riding in back in Mr. Thorn’s tuk-tuk

These girl are on a motorcycle in front of Mr Thorn’ tuk-tuk

Our first stop was Wat Krom, a Buddhist temple complex dedicated to Yeay Mao, a Southern Cambodian mythical heroine. Climbing out of the vehicle, we were met by a large reclining Buddha, surrounded by smaller buddhas. There were the usual stupas, a lovely temple—this one with cobra railings, and a stairway flanked by more buddhas, females on one side and males on the other. Across the way were monks in orange robes doing construction work, renovating another temple in the complex. Another couple from the ship arrived, on their own tour with another tuk-tuk driver. 

Reclining Buddha

Close-up of cobra railing

Stupa

Charlie at the top of stairs, flanked by eerily life-sized Buddhas

Monks in orange robes doing construction work

As we were driving to our next destination, we encountered monkey families on the side of the road. A tuk-tuk driver was selling fruit, and tourists were feeding the monkeys. Some wandering goats  joined in. We observed for a bit, then continued on to the beach.

Opportunistic monkeys

More girls on motorcycles

The first beach we visited was Independence Beach, surrounded by a large park. 

Charlie found a group of young men to converse with.

Next, we stopped at Prince Mall; very modern. We ducked inside to look at it, and there was a children’s program in progress with Zooba, a cute little lion character. Upscale families were there with their young children. 

Modern mall in Sihanoukville

Me posing out front with some women coming back from a break.

Next stop was Ochheuteal Beach. Some people from the ship spent the entire day here and had a wonderful time.

Ochheuteal Beach

Lots of locals enjoying the beach

Some swimming, some just hanging out

On our way to dinner, we passed the famous “Golden Lion” roundabout.

We were hungry by then and asked Mr. Thorn to take us to a place with good Cambodian food. Not too far out of the way was Sandan, a restaurant with creative cuisine that also serves as a training workshop for vulnerable youth. The food was excellent and provided a nice respite while seated outdoors in a garden courtyard. We additionally supported their cause by buying a spoon ring and some artistic postcards from their gift shop section. 

Dinner at Sandan with Mr. Thorne. The young woman in blue was our server.

Mr. Thorn dropped us back at the market so we could catch the shuttle back to the ship. We gave him a big tip—he was a wonderful tour guide and a very nice person. He told us we were the only tourists who would talk to him at the market. Apparently he had prayed for someone like us to hire him just before approaching us.

Back on the shuttle bus, it was a dark and rainy ride back to the ship. The city looked more modern and vibrant lit up in neon colors.

Even on a rainy night through shuttle bus windows the Sihanoukville colors were impressive.