Sihanouk Ville: Sihanouk Ville, 230 km from Phnom Penh, is the provincial center (Town) of the Kampong Som province. The town was named afterKing Sihanouk (in power 1954 - 1970) as a dedication to his effort of creating a port city to improve the international trades. The town was re-named "Kampong Som city", after the King was overthrown in 1970 by Lon Nol, his military leader. Many people these days still call the port city Kampong Som. The town has a population of 18,000 (government census 2003). There are several beaches in Sihanouk Ville but the most popular and developed one is O Chheu Teal beach. There are some other beaches sprawling along the cost but they are not as well developed, such as Chmkar Dong and Thmar Thom beaches. The popular Beaches: Victoria, Independence, Sokha, O Chheu Teal, and O Tres.
Travel to Sihanouk Ville from Phnom Penh: You can hire a private taxi from Phnom Penh to Sihanouk Ville for 25 US dollars. The air-conditioned public bus is 3.50 US dollars one way. The trip takes between 3 and 4 hours.
Provinces along Cambodia cost line: Kampot, Kampong Som, and Koh Kong. Coast line: 443 km
The city is served by Sihanoukville International Airport. The planned flights between Sihanoukville and Siem Reap may encourage visitors to Angkor temples in Siem Reap to extend their stay, though the crash of a charter flight on this route in 2007 has caused concerns. Sihanoukville attracts tourists with its laid back beach atmosphere when compared to Thailand's more developed ones.
Sihanoukville is on a small peninsula with beaches and tropical islands off its south and west coast and the commercial port to the north west. Beaches that line the west contour of the city from north to south are Victory Beach, Lamherkay Beach, Koh Pos Beach, Independence Beach, Sokha Beach, Serendipity Beach, Ochheuteal Beach and Otres Beach. The most popular beaches are Ochheuteal, Sokha, Independence and Victory. Tourists can take water taxis to the nearby islands for diving, snorkeling, and game fishing.
The town centre is located on a hill roughly in the centre of the peninsula and is seen as a distinct area for tourism promotion. It contains the banks, bus station and market, although the post office is some distance toward the port.
