April 20-21 Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Our only stop in Cambodia was at Sihanoukville, a seaside resort town on the west coast of the country named for former king Norodom Sihanouk (1922-2012). It is Cambodia’s main beach resort and a popular escape for people living in Phnom Penh, the capital city. It’s also a favorite with Chinese tourists who come to gamble at the casinos and enjoy the nightlife – more on that later.
At first glance from the port we saw what appeared to be a bustling city with many high-rise buildings. We later learned that around 2017 the coastal town experienced a rapid influx of Chinese investors, and more than 90% of businesses were owned by Chinese nationals. There was a surge in construction, a housing market boom and a steep rise of Chinese residents in the city.
However, it was a bust several years later due to the abrupt withdrawal of those investors and a crackdown on illegal activities. Then Covid-19 was the final straw. Many projects were left unfinished, and the city faced economic challenges. Our tour guide told us that 70-80% of all buildings in the city remained unfinished, and that fact is very visible from the port:
Viking Orion stayed overnight here so we were able to join two excursions. They both involved visits to cultural sites in the city and quick stops at two of the very popular white sandy beaches.
Fishing Village
The first stop is where we learned that fishing remains a source of income for up to 80% of the residents that depend on it as their primary livelihood. This village is known as “Tumnob Rolok”, and it displays the daily life of Cambodian fishermen:
Wat Leu or Upper Pagoda
Thearavada Buddhism is the official religion in Cambodia and is practiced by 95% of the population – just as in Thailand. There are around 4,400 pagodas throughout the country, and we visited two of them here in Sihanoukville.
Upper Pagoda, or “Wat Leu” is located on a hill surrounded by a beautifully landscaped forest. Its location also offers wonderful views of the town and nearby islands. The outside of the congregation hall looks very similar to a Thai-style temple. However, the inside temple walls are covered with colorful paintings depicting the life of the Lord Buddha. The focal point of the congregation hall is the altar, with a statue of a reclining Buddha and several statues of seated Buddha. In Buddhism, each different position that the Buddha holds has a special meaning.
Shoes off each time we entered a temple, glad we wore good socks!
Finally, we headed out to Independence Beach, which Jacqueline Kennedy purportedly visited in 1967 during her tour of Cambodia. Here we tried freshly-squeezed sugar cane juice for the first time – too sweet for us!
The following day our mode of transportation was no longer via bus. A “tuk-tuk” is a three-wheeled motorized vehicle often used as a form of transportation in Southeast Asia. It has become an iconic symbol of the country’s vibrant street life and tourism industry:
Riding in the tuk-tuk was fun and a great way to get to know the city, its culture and people, and its traffic. Our driver was watching his speed as he skillfully navigated inches away from other vehicles on the congested streets.
Wat Krom Temple
The first stop on our tuk-tuk excursion was a visit to another buddhist temple named Wat Krom Temple. It is known for its stunning views and remarkable architecture:
After exploring the temple grounds we climbed to the top of one of the buildings to get a panoramic view of Sihanoukville:
Our next stop was a visit to a local market that brimmed with everything from local fruit, fresh produce, textiles, flowers and of course a wide variety of fresh seafood. Odors of raw fish and shrimp wafted through the area. Local residents crouched on the floor or sat on small stools to eat rice or noodles:
Scenes around the city as our tuk-tuk navigated the streets:
Our final stop was at another beach called Serendipity Beach. It was morning, so it was quiet except for several ducks taking a stroll along the water:
Overall, this destination wasn’t a particularly pretty port of call, but at the same time we’re glad the ship called here allowing us to see another little corner of the world. Sometimes one has to look beyond the “rough edges” of a place, and Sihanoukville had some fascinating things to see including Wat Krom’s beautifully colored artistic murals and an authentic local market.
Next up: Vietnam
Comments
8 responses to “Postcard from Southeast Asia – Cambodia”
I needed some quiet time to read and reflect on your beautiful posts, but I’m finally here! ML, you write the most wonderful blogs. I enjoy reading about your experiences in places that I will probably never see in person, and I love your gorgeous photographs. I truly feel like I’m “there” with you. Those colorful fishing boats, the exotic market, the beaches, and the colorful temples are so appealing. The unfinished high-rise buildings are eerie, as Joodie said…but still, it looks like a fascinating place to visit. You two made the most of your time there, for sure!
I’m loving reading about your travel. We met you in the Chef’s Table on the Far Eastern Horizon cruise. Much love from Alison & Martin x
Hey Alison, glad you made it here and thank you for stopping by.
The half finished buildings remind me of Egypt when we visited my parents. The city looks very nice from a distance. I love the colorful fishing boats. They also look prettier from a distance! Spectacular pagodas. Another area of the world to experience.
Yup, the city just look nice from a distance 🙂
What a strange city with those eerie half-finished buildings. Do they have any sort of problem with people living in them, like the homeless, etc? I never had a “custard apple,” and it looks delicious. I see rambutan in one of those photos, and that was my favorite fruit when I was in Sri Lanka. I’d get a bag of atis and rambutan and go sit on that beautiful beach!
Illegal gambling and scams are the major issue on those half finished buildings. Those are my fav fruits, rambutan, mangosteen and antis!
The colors were fantastic!