Sihanoukville, Cambodia
February 2018
Here we are in yet another new country for us, Cambodia.
A nation ravaged during the Vietnam War, with the US bombing the country from 1969 until 1973. Not only that but, following the Cambodian coup of 1970, the deposed King gave his support to the Khmer Rouge. This communist group emerged as a major force and later carried out the Cambodian Genocide, killing up to 3 million people from 1975 until 1979, when they were ousted by Vietnamese troops.
Visitors to this southern coastal region of the country give it a surprisingly unique character. Many young, backpackers best described as 'hippies' with dreadlocks, tattoos or beards (and occasionally all of the above!). That's mainly the men! BUT, they are quiet, peaceful visitors and the music from bars and restaurants (usually from the 60's, 70's and 80's) is also quiet and gentle and can only be heard when you actually pass by. It all makes for a stay in a sort of flower-power, bohemian time warp which is unusual.
There are people of our age too, of course, and couples with young children but no-one feels or looks out of place. But it's certainly a destination for young backpackers.
The beach of pale, powdery sand is lovely and the Gulf of Thailand water warm and welcoming.
We are in the laid-back village area knows as Otres, about eight kilometres from the nearest main town of Sihanoukville. The two stretches of beach here were obviously named following long and heated discussions between the tourism authority and their marketing consultants. They called them Otres 1 and Otres 2!
We are staying about a 15 minutes walk to the beach in the curiously-named Sam Papa Pippa apartments.
It is in a quiet area with several salt-water lakes nearby.
The accommodation is quite basic but we have a very comfortable bed, a large fridge-freezer, a powerful two-burner gas hob, hot shower, efficient air-conditioning and good WiFi. And Elaine has a great talent for very soon making our accommodation homely and comfortable.
The owner, 'Papa' as he likes to be called, is an Italian whose family moved to Cambodia some seven years ago. He now has four accommodation options in Otres. Where we stay is the only one of Papa's accommodation choices with a kitchen and the only one without an Italian Restaurant but guests can use the facilities at any one of Papa's sites.
We tend to get a Tuk Tuk to the one right on Otres beach most mornings (surprise, surprise!) and stay for two or three hours. 'Elevenses' comprises an Americano for David and a fresh coconut water for Elaine. Sun beds are available to us free of charge and it's a very relaxing spot.
Paying for goods in the shops can be quite a challenge! The local currency is the Cambodian Riel but the preferred currency is $US. Some shops price in Dollars others in Riels. The exchange rate of Riels is fixed at 4,000 to $1. But that's not the whole story. If you pay in dollars you are likely to get a combination of dollars and Riels in your change. If your pay in Riels you may well get . . . . yes, you've guessed it, a combination of Riels and dollars in your change! The money is all in notes; there are no coins at all.
When in a strange country it can often be difficult to find everything on your shopping list. Sometimes you have to visit several different shops to get everything you need. Occasionally, you can't get everything you need anywhere. But it's fun trying slightly different products or brands.
Some of the highlights here are:
Delicious daily-fresh bread, baguette style.
The freshest ginger we have found anywhere.
Green beans at over half a metre long and very tasty
On some days, fresh cauliflower & broccoli often difficult to find in some parts of Asia we have visited.
Best beach-side Americano coffee in Asia - so far!
This was at our favourite shop, Tony's Super Mart:
Our accommodation is close to Otres Market, which is not really a market as we all know it. It is located inside an old and rather dilapidated barn every Saturday from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Although nothing much happens until about 6.30 p.m. and we suspect it finishes well before 4 a.m. but are unlikely to be around at that time to check!
Stalls are set up offering a variety of menus. Mexican, Indian, English, Chinese, etc., even doughnuts, and one selling a choice of the best cheesecakes you are ever likely to taste this side of the North Sea. We went there again last night and ordered a take-away. A Burrito with refried beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream & coriander wrap with Falafel, humous, garlic mayonnaise & chilli sauce. And (you guessed it) a large slice of cheesecake! All freshly prepared by hippie ex-pats from many different countries who have made their home here.
There are also craft stalls, a bar and live music on the stage. It all makes for an interesting and lively atmosphere.
We continue to support medical tourism. You may remember David had two teeth extracted in Vietnam last year. Well, Elaine lost part of a tooth about 12 months ago and another bit of the same tooth in Australia last November. So, after some discomfort last week, and not to be outdone, had it removed painlessly at a dental clinic in Sihanoukville. Dental appointments in this part of the world are almost immediate, inexpensive and professional.
Since the war, Cambodia hasn't recovered nearly so well as Vietnam which is now one of the fastest developing nations in Asia, Here the infrastructure is still very much a work in progress. Rubbish collections needs to be organised more regularly and efficiently, for example. They only collect once, sometimes twice, a week which may be the norm in countries like the UK but here with restaurants, guest houses and bars creating waste - and temperatures throughout the year of around 30° - more regular collections are necessary. The wheelie bins get full, rubbish collects around them and gets scattered leaving litter around. Locals, we have to say, often do not deal with litter and rubbish responsibly either.
Consequently, there is rubbish everywhere which offends the eye and often the nose! It's a great shame because they are making some efforts to encourage recycling. Even in our area, there are several sites with large separate 'cages' for plastic, glass and cans. But more needs to be done to make visitors feel comfortable. Countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka can get their act together; why not Cambodia? In Da Nang city, Vietnam, for example, bins are emptied at least once a day; even in the smaller towns and villages, several times a week.
A great deal of new building is taking place everywhere, much of it with major Chinese investment and we are sure that in a few years time, the beach front will be lined with smart, expensive resort hotels.
So, although we have enjoyed experiencing a new country, Cambodia is the first destination of our extensive travels where we are unlikely to return. We shall leave it to the happy, hippie backpackers for now and the rich Chinese tourists in the future.
UPDATE: Since our stay in Sihanoukville in 2018, visitors have reported that this once laid-back village has been destroyed by major Chinese (allegedly) investment. Popular beach bars have been demolished together with so many long-standing, family-owned businesses in favour of Casinos & five star resorts. Progress? Not in our opinion. Since 2020, there has been a mass exodus of Western visitors and ex-pats.
Comments
Post a Comment