Parks and the outdoors in Sihanoukville

Parks and the outdoors in Sihanoukville

1. See

   Kbal Chhay Waterfall

   A waterfall approximately 7 km from the city of Sihanoukville and then a further 9 km along a red dust track. Popular swimming area, families come to spend the day, many food stalls, rest houses and other facilities line the stream. The swimming is the attraction more than the waterfall so don't expect much nature at the stream.

2. See

   Otres Beach

   Amazing 4-km-long stretch of clean, white sands. Far less crowded and more relaxed than other beaches in Sihanoukville. Every season more and more beach bars and guesthouses pop up along the beach. Tourists will find accommodation in rooms or bungalows (prices ranging from US$5-30), e.g., Cinderella Beach Bungalows, Castaways Beach Bar and Bungalows. Like most of Sihanoukville's budget accommodation, no air-con is available in Otres Beach lodgings, except for the Secret Garden Resort, at the far end of "Old Otres" (Otres 2). Otres Beach is a great place for lazy sunbathing, but other activities also available (catamarans, windsurfing, kayaks, various boat trips, bicycles.) Unlike Serendipity Beach, marijuana and marijuana-based baked goods are openly and safely smoked and sold at the beach side bars/guesthouses and on the beach itself, which is now attracting a young Western crowd to the area. A second part of Otres Beach about a 5-10 min tuk-tuk ride away, referred to as "Otres 2", has several guesthouses open and is beginning to attract tourists looking for an even less crowded beach than the relaxed main strip of Otres Beach. Otres 2 is far less developed and less crowded, but offers only minimal activities and locations. There are no stores of any kind in Otres 2, though in the main strip of Otres 1 there's a bank machine. Adjoining that on the road in from Occhuteal is a Khmer village with various stores and a few Khmer restaurants; with a small, modern convenience store on the side road out of the village that leads to and from Occhuteal. Otres has a different climate than Snooky; it may be sunny all day when downtown Sihanoukville and the other beaches are raining and flooding. It's also known in the area as having the best sunset, and people staying in closer beaches often drive out to watch it from there (with few vendors or other harassment unlike closer to the city). Otres is fairly large away from the beach; side roads lead to other areas inland, includi

3. See Not mapped

   Ochheuteal Beach

   ​ឆ្នេរអូឈើទៀល - Chnay Occheuteal

   A long narrow strip of white sand beach in Sangkat No 3. The northern section has now become known as Serendipity Beach, a beach popular with Western tourists, noted for small guesthouses right on the beach. There are around 30 beach huts serving good value meals and a wide selection of drinks, a golf course development at the south end, and a cluster of mid-range hotels and restaurants in the middle. Grass umbrellas, rentable beach chairs, and little drink huts line the beach from one end to the other. Further south along the beach in front of the golf course development, a number of budget backpacker-oriented bar/restaurant/beach hangouts have sprung up offering chairs, umbrellas, drinks and a chilled-out atmosphere. Expect noise and exhaust fumes though from the numerous 2-stroke jet skis in the area. Swimming can be dangerous and several tourists have been killed by jet skis.

4. See Not mapped

   Ream National Park

   A wonderful mangrove nature reserve about a 30-min drive from Sihanoukville. Take a moto to park headquarters for US$2. From there, park rangers can arrange boat rides for US$40 per boat through the mangroves. The boats leave a few miles away just before the highway crosses the river, so don't send away your moto or taxi. Destination is an island where you can walk on a decaying boardwalk that leads to a viewing tower you may not climb due to decayed ladder. You have spend all your time watching your step so the walk (100 m, perhaps) is not worth taking. Call in advance. Hiking trail with ranger accompanying has been suspended as of November 2018 due to fallen trees on the trail that the park lacks money and manpower to clear.

5. See Not mapped

   Serendipity Beach

   Guesthouses, bars and restaurants right on the beach, open until the early hours. This beach is the most popular and typically has the greatest number of people on the beach.

6. Do Not mapped

   Snorkelling

   Possible around most of the islands, with the best snorkelling being at the further our islands for visibility, corals and fish. Many restaurants at Serendipity Beach advertise a snorkelling trip for US$15, but most are incapable of properly explaining what their offer includes. Most will boil down to the same trip organized by one of the travel agents which includes (simple) breakfast at the beach, a visit to two snorkelling spots and a 3-hr lunch break at Koh Russei (Bamboo Island). If you are serious about your snorkelling, you should consider going with one of the three scuba dive shops, to ensure you get proper gear.

7. See Not mapped

   Sokha Beach

   Owned by Sokha Beach Resort. It is private, but you can access it by paying a couple dollars. You won't have many people begging or trying to sell you something here.

8. Do Not mapped

   Travel to the islands of Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem

   Finding a clean and unspoiled beach (apart from private Sokha Beach) is challenging in Sihanoukville, but can be found a couple of hours away on the islands, Koh Rong Sanloem and Koh Rong. Sihanoukville in 2024 is mostly used by travelers as a hub to go to the islands. Daily ferries can take you there from Sihanoukville tourist pier, the best option is with GTVC as they have the best and most boats, running to the island 4 times a day at 08:00, 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00. There are other ferry companies such as Buva Sea, Speed Ferry Cambodia or Island Speed Ferry Cambodia.

   US$25

9. See Not mapped

   Victory Beach

   Plenty of budget accommodation nearby on Weather Station Hill. This beach is close to the seaport.

10. See Not mapped

    Independence Beach

    also known as 7-chan beach after the seven-storey Independence Hotel

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Sihanoukville (CC BY-SA 4.0).