beach time in sihanoukville

lounging in a papsan on serenity beach
see all photos »

we were sorely in need of some beach time after all the urban delights of vietnam .  at first we didn't think sihanoukville was going to oblige.  it is a much bigger town that we thought it would be. and the tuk tuk drivers had a lovely fixed price scam going on to greet you off the bus; $6 to the beach!  so we took moto taxis for $1 each.  it is very busy here so we ended up staying in more fancy accommodation than intended - more cable tv delights.  it keeps us out of the bars though.

serenity sunset
see all photos »

we stayed just up the road from serendipity beach.  unlike thailand there is hardly any accommodation right on the beach here. I don't know why.  as the beach lined with beach bars for about a km from the serendipity end.  They just haven'y built bungalows out back like they do in thailand.  The beach is really narrow so there is no spare sand to lay on.  luckily the beach bars charged virtually nothing for a sun lounger and parasol - free if you spend more than $1.50 on food and drink.  easily done.  we ended up lounging around here for two days.  the beach experience was not quite as relaxing as it could have been though as there was a constant stream of hawkers and beggars working their spots on the strip.  some were selling fruit, prawnies or squiddies - cooked on ingenious hanging bbq contraptions.  these were ok because sometimes we did actually want to eat something.  but once you buy one thing or show the slightest bit of interest the same girls will plague you for the rest of your stay.  some even get you to do a pinkie promise to buy from them later-  like being back at primary school.  then there were the massage ladies who also tried to remove any spare hair you have on your bodies.  i accidentally seemed intrigued by the threading process so a lady grabbed my leg and started doing a test patch.  it did turn out very smooth but i had to disappoint her.  i told her that i didn't really care about abit of leg hair,  this concept seemed alien to her - she even showed me where she had it done to her arms!  i met a girl who had seen a lady having her bikini line donme in full view of everyone on the beach and i met an old(ish) man who had had his chest done.  some people have no shame.

bbq squid hawker
see all photos »

having said all this we had a very pleasant time swimming and reading and lounging in papsan chairs whilst the bar staff brought us food and drinks.   but after two days we decided to escape to one of the offshore islands - ko ta kiev. it is about an hours boat ride from sihanoukville and was idyllic. there seemed to be only one set of bungalows there, at least on the bay that we explored.  there were brilliant - a huge wooden structure on stilts with ensuite bathroom, two double beds and a big private lounging area outside with axe pillows and hammocs with built in mossie nets for evening swinging.  and all for $15 a night.  bargain, although there is only electricity for 4 hours in the evenings.  we weren't here for cable tv though!  we spent the days lounging in the shade of our porch, snorkeling and eating in papsan chairs in the restaurant.  it is was run by 2 french guys who said they bought the land off the military about three years ago and had to bribe the minister in charge with a new lexus, who says the cambodian government is corrupt?  theysaid they had intended to build a casino but that the economic downturn means there are no investors.  i guess has had its upsides.  you should all come and stay whilst it is still like it is.  we had only two days here but could have stayed longer.  one more night in serendipity for us then a long 11 hour bus journey to siem reap.