No doubt the busiest beach (perhaps too busy some weekends), Sokha offers a good combination of facilities and quality beach area. The beach is wide enough so there is plenty of sand left come high tide, palm trees dot the line between sand and grass offering refuge from the sun and there is a nice seafood restaurant (Sokha) and plenty of small drink vendors close by. Lots of tubes for rent, and small drink/snack vendors.

Sokha’s one km of beach is bounded by rocky points which snorkelers find inviting. People more often snorkel off the southern point as it has the easiest access from the beach. It is also possible to stay dry and see some sea life by hiking around the southern point at low tide to check out the small tide pools.

Ochheuteal Beach

known as UNTAC Beach in the early 1990s, is long and narrow, hotels and restaurants at the near end. Ochheuteal seems to appeal to weekenders from Phnom Penh and visitors seeking middle to upper range facilities on the beach. The near end has several nice hotels including the middle-upscale Seaside and Crystal and mid-range Holiday and Orchidee. There are also two restaurants, Sea Dragon and the western-managed Les Feuilles, within walking distance of the hotels. Bucking Ochheuteal’s mid-range trend, several relatively inexpensive guesthouses have recently sprung up.

The far end of Ochheuteal used to be a quiet getaway place but has recently been closed off for a development project. If Ochheuteal has a weakness, it’s the lack of shade trees and the occasional sand fleas. Shade is no problem as there are always nearby grass umbrellas, but the sand fleas can sometimes be annoying.

At Ochheuteal’s extreme northern end is the recently dubbed ‘Serendipity Beach’. Cut off from the rest of Ochheuteal and harboring a couple of small budget restaurants including Chuck’s Other Place, Serendipity is a great little budget getaway corner of a beach.

Independence Beach 

This beach gets its name from the deserted hulk of the Independence Hotel on the north point. Locals call this beach ‘otel bram-pul jawn (hotel 7-stories). It is labeled ‘7 chann beach’ on the in-town street sign. 

Independence has Sokha’s length, but the sandy area is much narrower, making it best when the tide is low. The beach is wider and more touristed toward the northwest end, near a small fresh water lake (which is the source of the town’s fresh water and is rumored to contain crocodiles). At the other end is the beach’s only hotel, Sea Breeze. Grass umbrellas and drink vendors now line the beach from end to end but it is still much less frequented than other beaches. The road up to the old Independence Hotel is often frequented by a small troop of Rhesus monkeys.

Victory Beach

Victory is really two beaches divided by a rocky point and a small hill. The southern beach, sometimes referred to as ‘Hawaii Beach’, ‘King’s Beach’ and ‘South Channel Beach’, is home to the Hawaii Seaview Restaurant and little else but sand, trees and view. The northern beach is a park at one end and a port at the other. Both beaches are great places to watch sunset.

At over two kilometers, Victory is quite long, and like Independence, the sandy area is narrow, making low tide the best time. It is a good place to watch the big ships coming and going. At the north end there are several businesses including the ornate Chney Molop Chhrey seafood restaurant and the Holiday Palace Casino and Hotel. Near the Victory monument is Weather Station Hill with a fast growing number of budget-friendly places including Chez Mari-Yan, MASH, Mealy Chenda, Sam’s, Melting Pot, Chuck’s Place,  and others. The beach below the hill is within easy walking distance, but is not the best quality beach in Sihanoukville. Yet, it is still frequented by locals and budget travelers. from the hill.


WATCH OUT !!!

is the next beach south of Ochheuteal. It is the twin sister of Ochheuteal, but is almost completely deserted save a few new houses and walls at the near end. A single road traces the beach’s 3km to a police post at the far end. To get there, either: 1) Hike around the rocks at the far end of Ochheuteal; 2) Take Omui St. southeast about 4km to a fork and turn right. At the next opportunity take a left. It is 2km to the beach. 3) Take 1 Kanda St. almost to the end of Ochheuteal. Turn left and cross a crumbling wood bridge over the Chheuteal Creek. Go about 1 km, turn right and continue another 2 km to the beach. Bridges are sometime out and the road may be sandy.

Ream Beach,

near the Ream Navel Base, is more heavily trafficked by fisherman than Otres but is still rather isolated. Behind the beach is a mangrove swamp which attracts a wide variety of tropical birds. The swamp is also home to many fisherman. The beach area is under the auspices of the Ream National Park which has guesthouse facilities near the beach (see pg 21). Take Route 4 north to the Ream intersection. Turn right, go 12km to the ocean. Turn right. The road from the highway is rough but usually passable.

Depot Beaches 

lie just off Hun Sen Beach Dr. north of town. Most of the beaches are quite narrow and the water is shallow and can be very warm. Take the Hun Sen Beach Dr. well past the port and look to the left for small beaches. Note: Fairly good road.

Sunset Points