Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
whose o
ce is on the road to Sokha Beach. You'll seldom
have a problem getting a seat on any of these services except
on public holidays, when it's best to book. Virak Buntham
operates a daily bus to Koh Kong at 8.15am (
T
016 754358),
which continues across the Thai border (change of bus) and
on to Bangkok. Phnom Penh Sorya has the most widespread
services, including to Vientiane in Laos, Bangkok and HCMC
(all via Phnom Penh). Others travel to Vietnam, including
Mekong Express which makes for HCMC and Siem Reap via
Phnom Penh. Capitol Tours (Ekareach St;
T
034 934042) runs
buses to Phnom Penh via Kampot.
Destinations
Bangkok (2 daily; 12hr); HCMC (6 daily;
10hr); Kampot (8 daily; 2hr 30min); Koh Kong (2 daily;
4-5hr); Phnom Penh (12 daily; 3hr 30min); Siem Reap (10
daily; 10hr).
(25,000-35,000 riel); for Koh Kong, there are intermittent
shared taxis (40,000 riel) while for Poi Yapon (for the Koh
S'dach archipelago) you'll first need to take a shared taxi to
Veal Rinh, 45min north of the city, to catch the town's 7am
daily minibus. Shared taxis to Kampot also depart from
opposite Psar Leu. Minibuses to Kep ($10) and the Ha Tien
border in Vietnam ($16) are also offered by a few local
companies, including Kampot Tours and Mekong Tours, their
first morning service connecting with Phu Quoc island.
Destinations
Ha Tien (5 daily; 5hr); Kampot (5 daily; 2hr);
Kep (5 daily; 3hr); Koh Kong (4 daily; 4hr); Phnom Penh
(20 daily; 3hr 30min); Veal Rinh (12 daily; 45min).
5
BY PLANE
Sihanoukville International Airport
Off NR4, 23km
from town; to get here, a private taxi costs $20, a tuk-tuk
$15 and a bus $6. Cambodia Angkor Air (
T
023 222360,
W
cambodiaangkorair.com) is the only carrier, connecting
to Siem Reap (daily; 1hr).
BY SHARED TAXI AND MINIBUS
Shared taxis and minibuses depart throughout the day from
the bus station for Phnom Penh and destinations en route
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist o
ce
The tourist o
ce on Ochheuteal Beach is
friendly enough, but has no real information (Mon-Fri
8-11am & 2-5pm).
Visitor guides
Two booklets, the
Sihanoukville Visitors
Guide
and
The Sihanoukville Advertiser
, keep abreast of new
places to sleep, eat and drink. Both are available free in
bars, restaurants and guesthouses.
Travel agents
Ana Travel, Serendipity Beach Rd, next to
Beach Road Hotel
(8am-9pm;
T
012 915301,
W
anatravelandtours.com), and Mottah Travel, 193
Ekareach St, Downtown (
T
012 996604,
W
mottah.com),
can arrange visas/extensions, boat tickets, bus tickets, car
rental, local tours, and both domestic and international
flights.
GETTING AROUND
The main areas of interest are quite spread out, and as Sihanoukville is a little hilly, getting around on foot can be hard
work. If travelling to Otres, you'll definitely need transport.
By moto and tuk-tuk
Motos and tuk-tuks are readily
available, especially along Serendipity Beach Rd,
Downtown and at Ochheuteal Beach, and motos hang
around most other tourist spots. Prices are fixed to the
Serendipity Beach area: $3 for a moto, $6 for a tuk-tuk.
When picking up a moto or tuk-tuk on arrival, bear in mind
that many drivers get commission from guesthouses, so be
firm if there's somewhere particular you want to stay (you
may be regaled with stories about how your chosen hotel
has closed or is full of prostitutes).
ON THE ROAD: SURVIVAL TIPS
While there is no more exhilarating way to explore Sihanoukville's coastline than on the back
of your own rented motorbike, you need to be on your guard for prowling policemen looking
for a
bribe
. There is currently no legal requirement for tourists to hold a license but the police
have come up with a few reasons to pull you over and take your money. There are some
measures you can take to keep them at bay.
The first, and one that we would recommend regardless of police interference, is to wear a
helmet
; it's every one for themselves on the road, so safety should be your number-one priority.
Riding without a shirt is enough to have you pulled over and, bizarrely, driving with your lights
on during the day is unacceptable; allegedly, it's the privilege of travelling dignitaries only.
Being stopped for any of these offences will result in you being asked to hand over a fistful of
dollars (up to $100). However, in almost every case you can barter this down to one or two. If
you know you haven't done anything wrong, insisting on handling the situation down at the
station is a big deterrent, as the police are not actually charging you with anything.
